The family of a 12-year-old boy, Enoch Ayomide, is urgently seeking N4 million to fund a vital corrective surgery that could restore his ability to live a normal life.

Enoch, who resides in Lagos, is battling a severe intestinal condition that prevents him from passing stool through his anus. Instead, waste exits his body through an opening in his abdomen, where a portion of his intestine remains exposed.

His father, Paul Ayomide, a former schoolteacher, made a heartfelt appeal for support from kind-hearted individuals, government agencies, and charitable organisations, stressing that the condition has left his son bedridden and in constant pain for over a year.

"Enoch has not been able to attend school or wear regular clothes like other children his age," Mr. Ayomide explained. "He defecates through a stoma on his abdomen, and his intestine protrudes visibly. He cries often, especially when he sees his peers going to school."

The family’s ordeal began when Enoch started experiencing recurring stomach pain. Mistaking it for typhoid or malaria, they sought treatment from a local auxiliary nurse, but the condition deteriorated rapidly.

"We tried over-the-counter medication and injections, but his health worsened. The diarrhoea became uncontrollable, and he grew very weak," the father recounted.

After several misdiagnoses at different hospitals, Enoch was referred to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), where he underwent emergency surgery. Although doctors initially suspected appendicitis, they later revealed that typhoid had severely damaged his intestines.

The surgery resulted in the creation of a stoma—a surgical opening in the abdomen—to divert waste, but this has left the boy unable to control bowel movements. "He defecates anytime, anywhere. He can’t wear boxers, let alone clothes. His mother has to constantly clean him up," Mr. Ayomide said.

To manage the condition and prevent infections, the family now depends on costly medical supplies such as colostomy bags, antiseptics, and a special type of cotton wool.

Both parents have stopped working to provide round-the-clock care for their son. "We've already spent over N5 million with the help of church members, friends, and kind strangers. But now, we’re out of resources," he said. "We need N4 million for a second surgery that will return his intestines inside his body and restore normal bowel function."

The father emphasized that the surgery would give Enoch a new lease on life—an opportunity to go back to school, reconnect with friends, and regain his confidence.

"Please, we’re begging for help. My son deserves to be a child again. He deserves to go back to school, to live free from shame and pain."

A medical report issued by Dr. Felix Alakaloko, a Consultant Paediatric Surgeon at LUTH, confirmed that Enoch was treated for typhoid-related intestinal damage and is currently undergoing regular follow-up care. The document noted that Enoch developed a controlled low-output enterocutaneous fistula following surgery and remains in need of further intervention.