The ManicaPost
Ray Bande Senior Reporter
THE 12-year-old boy from Murambinda township in Buhera, who is writhing in pain day and night owing to a cancerous tumour on his right leg, finally left for Harare on Tuesday for surgery, thanks to the Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company’s (ZCDC) benevolence.
Trymore Mukan’an’a of Jaru high-density suburb in Murambinda developed the tumour since May this year.
Since then, he has not been able to stand on both feet let alone have restful days and nights like his peers.
ZCDC public relations and corporate affairs executive Mr Sugar Chagonda confirmed that they had made an initial payment of $85 000 in medical expenses for Trymore.
“We have moved in to assist Trymore after we were touched by his plight. It is something that touched the hearts of our management and we felt we should assist. In fact, this is part of the company’s social responsibility role as a responsive corporate citizen.
“We have so far paid $85 000 towards his medical bills and we hope it will all work out well for him. Remember, this is not the first time that ZCDC has chipped in with assistance in such cases and we hope to continue making positive social and economic change in the community that we operate in and the nation at large,” said Mr Chagonda.
Trymore, who had some impressive end of term examination marks from last year and this years’ first term, has since dropped out of Murambinda A Primary School where he was in Grade Six this year.
Efforts to get medical assistance have not been fruitful for the youngster who stays with his grandmother who survives on vegetable vending and can barely afford to pay for young Trymore’s medical expenses.
Mbuya Magret Muteve recently told this newspaper that she was now even failing to do her daily vending chores because of the need to take care of the young boy.
Hers is a desperate situation that has seen them surviving on handouts from neighbours in recent months as she has been incapacitated to fend for her grandson owing to his condition that needs constant supervision.
“We are in a desperate situation owing to his condition. This tumour started in May and we have made efforts to get medical assistance but we ended up being given bills that we could hardly afford.
“We actually took him to Mutare and we were later referred to Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals in Harare but the doctors told us that there is need for him to undergo a scan since they suspect there is a wound around the knee.
“They said the tumour can then be removed through an operation after the scan. However, we could not afford to pay for the scan and operation hence we had no choice but to return home with him,” said
Mbuya Muteve in a recent interview.
“I actually feel his pain. The boy is struggling day and night. You can also cry each time he starts showing signs of pain but there is really nothing I can do apart from sourcing food for survival and wait for God’s time to come to pass.
“It is so painful for me to realise that apart from the intense physical pain the boy is going through, he is one person I thought had a bright future. He is intelligent in class and produced impressive results in every end of term examinations. He was also an athlete who competed favourably in school athletics competitions,” she added.
Trymore’s father is late while his mother stays in Zvishavane.
