Fifty 50 club donates GH¢10K to support an 8-year old with encephalitis

An Obuasi-based non-profit association, the Fifty 50 Club, has donated an amount of GH¢10,000 to support the medical procedure for an 8-year-old with a history of encephalitis.

Encephalitis is a rare congenital disorder that causes the skull to grow abnormally large and heavy. The condition affects his vision, hearing, speech, and mobility, putting him at risk of serious complications such as infections, seizures, and brain damage.

According to the latest WHO data published in 2020, Encephalitis Deaths in Ghana reached 357 or 0.20% of total deaths. The age-adjusted Death Rate is 1.69 per 100,000 of the population, ranking Ghana #8 in the world.

The teacher of Stephen Aboagye (the boy diagnosed with the rare condition), Hannah Amponsah, said the disease has affected his academic performance.

She added that his parents have struggled to find appropriate medical treatment for him, prompting her to seek assistance from the Fifty 50 Club.

At its 12th donation event, the Club made donations to three individuals, including young Stephen Aboagye, totaling about GHS 27,600.

The club donated GHS 9,200 covering tuition, hostel, and other incidental costs for the 2024/25 academic year to Clifford Wilson, who is currently pursuing a BSc. Human Biology (Medicine) program at KNUST, Kumasi.

They also donated GHS 8,400 to David Ababio Awuni, who is in the final year of his 4-year Computer Science Program at KNUST, Kumasi.

Speaking to the President of the club, Jacob Edmond-Acquah, he explained Stephen Aboagye’s condition and nature of support for the club and said Stephen was admitted to the hospital with a complaint of a progressive mass in the parietooccipital region of his head.

The mass had been present since birth but had increased in size and caused headaches and visual disturbances in the past few months.

An MRI scan revealed a large, well-defined, cystic lesion with a solid component and enhancement after contrast administration. The differential diagnosis included congenital tumors, vascular malformations, and infectious or inflammatory processes.

He further noted that the club is known for similar support and donations over the years and decided to step in with an amount of GHS 10,000 to take care of the medical expenses. “We are expecting the money to support the medical procedures involved. It is our wish that he goes through the processes smoothly to enable him to live a normal life.”

Mr. Edmund-Acquah affirmed the Club’s resolve to continue to make an impact in the lives of people, stressing that they have launched a survey to ascertain the impact of the plethora of support it has rendered to people since July 2020.

The feedback, he said, has been very positive so far, and the Club is scheduled to make additional donations to individuals and/or institutions this year.

Fifty 50 Club is a non-profit association made up of over 250 employees of AngloGold Ashanti and its subsidiaries, as well as employees of other corporate organizations across the country and abroad. It was founded in July 2020 and has raised over GHS 360,000 so far.

The association has also made several donations over the past 3-and-a-half years, including contributing to the cost of surgeries and/or medical treatments for kids and other individuals with various heart/medical conditions, supporting community clinics with medical equipment and supplies, and providing scholarships to brilliant but needy students.

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