Dubai: Suffering failure of both kidneys, Olive Lopez, an Indian expatriate, is appealing for help to raise the Dh50,000 she needs for an urgent kidney transplant.
Lopez, 39, has been in her home town Kolkata, India, on medical leave from her job. She is on dialysis twice a week. Her brother’s tissue has been a perfect match and he has agreed to donate one kidney. But her husband, Jonathan, who has been looking after the two daughters, aged 14 and 11, has already spent one million rupees (Dh59,000 approximately) so far on dialysis and pre-transplant preparation. He has appealed to friends and family and is trying his best to raise the amount, However, earning a modest salary of around Dh6,000 in a retail job in Dubai, arranging funds for the surgery is an uphill task for him.
Jonathan told Gulf News that his wife, who was otherwise healthy and had no complaints, developed hypertension in 2014, for which she was being treated. However, she also began having frequent urine infections which led to the sudden kidney failure and she lost nearly 20kg since her kidneys failed,
“Olive is such a lively and strong person and we never thought we would go through something like this as my wife never had any kind of medical issues. Last year she had developed hypertension which was well under control. Now her doctors say although she will be on immuno-suppressant drugs life long, she will be able to resume work within two months and lead a normal life,” Jonathan said. The couple came to the UAE in 2008 with their toddlers, set up their home in Sharjah, aspiring to work hard and fulfil their dreams.
Garth Mitchell, a volunteer with Valley of Love, an NGO who has been in close touch with the family, said: “There are lots of tragedies that we come across, but to see Jonathan talking of his pretty wife, Olive, and how much they miss her and being both mum and dad to his young daughters was really touching. Despite Jonathan’s best efforts, Samantha and Jacintha need their mother back in Dubai and this can only happen if they can raise the money for the kidney transplant. So, during this month of compassion and hope, we appeal to the kind and generous hearts of those in the UAE to help save Olive’s life and bring her back to Dubai to be with her daughters and husband and re-join her workplace.”
