Excitement turned to fear for Irene, a nurse from Lake Tanganyika, Zambia, when, following a healthy pregnancy, there were significant complications during the birth of her first child. Lubomba was rushed to the intensive care unit, placed on oxygen and battled to survive those first days of her life. Unable to see her baby, Irene feared what the future might hold for her new daughter.
Much to Irene’s relief, Lubomba was discharged the following week. However, as a trained nurse who was very aware of the ages and stages of child development, Irene noticed that her baby was not meeting her developmental milestones. When she was not sitting at nine months old, Lubomba was referred to the government hospital in Lusaka, the capital city, where she was given medication and began physiotherapy exercises.
Lubomba was provided with a standing frame and a specialised chair to support her while standing and sitting, but she made very little progress. With a child who was unable to walk or talk, Irene did not know where to turn. When she went to the hospital, she met other parents of children with similar difficulties and knew that she was not alone, but at home, Irene felt both lonely and isolated from the world around her.
From isolation to community
On one of Lubomba’s visits to the district physiotherapist, Irene learnt about the parent support groups that were being established through OM for parents of children with disabilities. Irene joined the parent support group and, through OM’s relationship with Beit Cure hospital in Lusaka, Lubomba received a wheelchair, a life-altering assistive device which could open up many opportunities for her.
Through the parent support group, Irene no longer feels alone and is growing in her relationship with the Lord. Lubomba continues with physiotherapy and Irene is looking for a speech therapist to explore ways to help her daughter communicate with the world around her. Through the group, she has registered with the Zambia Association of Persons with Disabilities, and Irene now receives some financial assistance to help care for her daughter.
