Help Charles Odida Fight Factor 7 Deficiency

Hi, my name is David Busolo, I am fundraising for my brother-in-law, Charles Odida.

My beloved brother-in-law, Charles Odida, was diagnosed with Factor VII deficiency back in 2015 while seeking treatment for cervical and lumbar disc spondylosis in India. The chance discovery of the coagulation disorder meant that the primary source of his frequent pain could no longer be addressed by surgical intervention as earlier planned by the spine surgeons who had extensively reviewed his case. Factor VII deficiency puts him at significant risk of bleeding and has caused him to experience frequent hospitalizations due to sharp rapid fluctuations in his INR levels, often requiring FFP transfusions and other treatment approaches under hospital care.

Charles has been in and out of Hospital wards, the frequency of admissions increasing in the last two years. While the debilitating back and neck pains persist despite various management approaches, in the recent past, fears over high INR’s account for the reasons for most admissions.

About Charles

Despite being in pain and discomfort, Charles continues to live his life with difficulties, including taking up numerous pain medications a day just to get by. In August 2015, there was a ray of hope when he flew to India to seek treatment at Apollo Hospitals. Doctors there examined his situation and hoped to offer a long-lasting solution. However, in the pre-operative testing, something that was unknown to Charles and the doctors was discovered: Charles had a blood coagulation disorder. He had a rare Factor VII deficiency and taking him through surgery would have been fatal. Everyone around Charles finally understood why God kept all the surgeons he had seen previously from operating on him, as the factor VII test is not routinely conducted.

Charles flew back home a dejected man. His cervical and lumbar spine issues that come with so much pain had not been resolved, and he now needed to deal with a unique condition that many doctors did not seem to know much about. It has been 9 years of being in and out of the hospital, sometimes because of spine-related pains and many times because of bleeding fears arising from high INR attributed to deficiency in Factor VII. Imagine yourself being in a situation where you cannot predict when you will feel the urge to go to the hospital and not knowing if you will be admitted, put on FFP transfusion, or be discharged while in hospital. He cannot travel far and wide without thinking about what happens if there is an emergency and he needs to check into a hospital. Also, because of the seriousness of the condition, he only relies on specialists who understand his condition and can treat it with the care that he deserves. After many consultations with local doctors and various medical facilities in many other countries including Dubai, Germany, Canada and Turkey, he has found hope in the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota. He will be travelling to Mayo in this month of September 2024 for a series of investigations and treatment.

Urgency of the Situation

Charles’s situation is extremely urgent. He is scheduled to begin his treatment at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota later this September 2024, and as his friends, supporting partners and family, we want to raise USD 10,000 to support him. We hope to do this as soon as possible. The family needs you. They need you, a brother, sister, friend, neighbour, good Samaritan who cares to support Charles. Please support him with whatever little or much that you have so that we can make his treatment trip a reality. Let us help Charles reclaim his jolly self by getting his spine treated and hopefully find a way to manage the factor VII deficiency.

Hobbies and Interests

Despite his health challenges, Charles has always maintained a positive outlook, still doing his farming work, albeit with less hands-on involvement. He loves spending time with his family. Charles is also an avid reader and enjoys immersing himself in books about history, global trade and philosophy.

Our Goal

We hope to raise USD 10,000 to help cover the extensive medical costs associated with Charles’s treatment at the Mayo Clinic in the United States.

Treatment Plan

Charles’s treatment at the Mayo Clinic will involve a comprehensive approach to managing his factor VII deficiency. The plan includes:

• Specialized Consultations: Appointments with haematologists, neurosurgeons, orthopaedic surgeons, pain management specialists, and other specialists to monitor and advice on how best to deal with his condition.

• Medications: Prescribed medications to help regulate his INR levels, manage pain, and reduce the risk of bleeding.

• Transfusions: As needed, to address any severe fluctuations in his INR levels.

• Surgery: Surgical intervention to offer a long-term solution to the lumbar and cervical pain.

• Follow-Up Care: Ongoing follow-up appointments to ensure his condition remains stable and to make any necessary adjustments to his treatment plan.

Progress Tracker

Goal: USD 10,000

The family and supporting partners have tried their best to raise a lot of what is needed, and we need to help him to make this trip a reality. Your contribution will help Charles get the world-class care he needs at Mayo Clinic. Every dollar brings us closer to supporting him and allowing him to focus on healing and rebuilding his life.

Please consider donating. Your donation will directly fund his life-saving treatment at the Mayo Clinic in the United States. With your support, Charles can achieve more for a better well-fed world.

Your support means the world to us.