Nkechi before the crash
A FUNDRAISER FOR KECHI OKWUCHI
Born on the 29th of October 1989, Kechi Okwuchi is the first daughter of two, to her parents Mike and Ijeoma Okwuchi. She grew up as an only child for the first few years of her life, till her younger sister was born in 2000.
Kechi excelled in her pre-secondary school and rode that wave into Loyola Jesuit College Abuja. She was only a year from graduation, on that fateful day of December 10th 2005.
On December 10th 2005, the Sosoliso plane crashed, killing 109 passengers. Kechi Okwuchi and one other passenger were the only survivors. Kechi sustained 70% burns on her body and remained in a coma for a month at the Milpark Hospital in South Africa.
Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), Nigeria, took on the funding for Kechi from the time of the crash until she left for the United States in 2007. She was sent to South Africa by SPDC for immediate treatment of her burns.
Kechi underwent multiple surgeries in South Africa. After waking up from her coma, she had to relearn to do everything again. She learned to sit, she learned to stand, she learned to walk and use her limbs. Needless to say, this process was painful. But one thing she never needed to learn was how to smile again.
Even with all the pain from the surgeries, she still remained smiling. In 2007, Kechi returned to Nigeria and was admitted at the Shell Hospital, Port Harcourt.
In August 2007, Ms Okwuchi was transferred to Shriners Chidlren’s Hospital, Galveston Texas, USA. Shriners Hospital specializes in the treatment of burns resulting from various forms of accidents for children. Children, according to the hospital’s policy, are people under the age of 18. However, the hospital, of their own discretion, decided to extend Kechi’s treatment to what has now become 3 more years.
At Shriners Hospital, from 2007 till date, Kechi has undergone up to 75 different surgeries all over her body. These surgeries range from skin grafts to reconstructive surgeries.
Last year, on October 29th, Kechi turned 21. According to the United States government, she is now a legal adult. As a result, she would no longer be a patient of Shriners Children’s Hospital. Shriners hospital has been kind enough to complete the surgeries they have begun. Beginning the summer of 2010, Kechi began the next step in her recovery process. She began a series of laser surgeries, which are designed to burn off the kiloids on her skin and smoothen her skin once more.
Aside from the laser surgeries, she is also scheduled to begin facial reconstructive surgeries this summer in Boston.
This is an appeal to raise funds for these surgeries, as well as her up keep afterwards. With your help, and the grace of God, we hope to raise enough funds to relieve the burden of this cost. Your kind donations will be appreciated; please send your donations to the listed accounts or send in your pledges.
Thank you and may God continue to bless you.
Please click here to book reservation at the Fundraiser Dinner
Or see Bank Account details below to make your personal or group donation.
Total Requirement - US $ 609,000
BANK ACCOUNT DETAILS
NIGERIA ACCOUNT
DIAMOND BANK
ACCOUNT NAME: KECHI ADAOBI OKWUCHI
ACCOUNT NUMBER: 0021726571
For U.S transfer to costumers without DOM a/c
Citibank NA
111 Wall Street, New York
Swift: CITIUS33
ABA No: 021000089
Beneficiary: Diamond Bank Plc, AC number36250255
For further credit to 0021726571 (Final beneficiary)
US ACCOUNT
ACCOUNT NAME: KECHI ADAOBI OKWUCHI
US ACCOUNT LINK
www.wepay.com/x888kw
Thank you for your time and support.
God bless you.
Yours Faithfully,
Yimi Omofuma and Somachi Chris-Asoluka
Organizers