Frequently Asked Questions
Hi there! Thank you for caring for Precious. Below are the answers to the questions you may have, about Precious’s need for an urgent bone marrow transplant.
1. Who is Precious Orji?
Precious Orji is a photographer and cinematographer in Sango-Ota, Ogun State and Lagos, Nigeria. He runs Motive Africa Visual Academy to bridge the gap between lack of resources and skill acquisition.
He has impacted hundreds of lives through his FREE photography workshops at MAVA [Motive Africa Visual Academy].
2. What is he diagnosed with?
Precious Orji has been recently diagnosed with Aplastic Anemia and would be needing an urgent bone marrow transplant.
This is an autoimmune disease that causes his body to attack his own blood cells.
3. What is Aplastic Anemia?
Aplastic anemia is a rare and serious blood disorder in which the bone marrow fails to produce enough new blood cells. Bone marrow, the spongy tissue inside bones, is responsible for producing red blood cells (which carry oxygen), white blood cells (which fight infections), and platelets (which help with blood clotting).
When bone marrow doesn't produce enough of these cells, it can lead to symptoms such as fatigue, infections, and bleeding disorders.
4. For how long has this been on?
Precious Orji has been on admission for almost 3 months now.
Now, Precious currently receives care at ICU in order to be stabilised before he receives the bone marrow transplant he needs.
5. What does he currently need?
He currently needs an urgent bone marrow transplant in order for his body to produce blood cells.
Asides the urgent bone marrow transplant, he also needs blood and platelet transfusion. He receives Aphoretic Platelet which is N580,000 per one on a weekly basis, and gets blood donations from his family and friends.
6. What is a bone marrow transplant and where is bone marrow located in the body?
A bone marrow transplant is a medical procedure used to replace damaged bone marrow with healthy bone marrow stem cells. Bone marrow, the soft tissue inside bones, produces blood cells vital for carrying oxygen, fighting infections, and blood clotting.
When bone marrow fails to function properly, a transplant is needed to restore the body's ability to produce healthy blood cells.
7. How much will the bone marrow transplant cost?
The bone marrow transplant he needs is quite expensive and the doctors have recommended treatment in India and he needs an estimated fee of $40,000 for the transplant.
This is about N64,000,000 plus. P.S: Naira/Dollar rate isn’t stable, hence the addition of ‘plus’.
8. Can he see the videos and everything we are doing for him?
Of course. Precious Orji can see the videos and every drive we’ve pushed for him. And he has even broken down in tears a couple of times because of the massive support he has received so far.
He’s really thankful for the gift of you. He’s grateful to all Nigerians who has donated so far.
9. Where is he now?
Precious currently receives care at ICU yaba in order to be stabilised before he receives the bone marrow transplant he needs.
He needs to be stable before he can be flown out to India to get the transplant done.
10. What is he currently living on?
Precious Orji currently lives on blood and platelets transfusion, while he’s being closely monitored by doctors and nurses.
11. Can he eat?
Not quite well. He can’t eat so well. He can’t speak so well.
But he’s breathing. We are grateful for that.
12. Does he still have his big smile?
No. He doesn’t. This autoimmune diseases weakens his body and even makes it hard for him to smile without being in pains.
He still has a positive mind. So, remember him in your prayers.
13. How is MAVA doing?
MAVA is holding up. The students are trying their best to stick to their learning schedules.
However, some operational activities have been put on hold, so we can fully focus on helping Precious get well.
14. What about his family?
We are trying. His siblings and parents have been on the move to ensure Precious gets everything he needs at the hospital.
It hasn’t been a great couple of months for them. So, please remember them in prayers.
15. How can we donate?
You can donate in Naira by sending your monetary donation to any of these accounts:
Standard Chartered Bank
5004259850 (Orji Comfort Ayotomide)
Or
Polaris Bank
3095640644 (Orji Patrick).
You can donate in Dollars using this gofundme link: Bit.ly/gofundmotive
16. What else can we do to help him?
Prayers. He needs your prayers. Prayers for him to keep going and to stay strong. The past couple of months have not been great for Precious. Also, help us tag celebrities to come to his aid with donations.
He says he’s tired and wants to go home. Please lift him up to God in prayers.
17. Which country is the best country to treat bone marrow?
Based on our findings, Precious will be flown to India where he receives a bone marrow transplant and post-surgical treatment in a specialist hospital.
We are also making research for more positive options.
18. Has he found a donor?
One of his siblings will be the donor because of the high probability of a match.
So when you see his brothers and sisters, give them a warm hug and thank them for their selflessness.
19. What is Precious' goals and aspirations in life?
Precious aims to continue to bridge the gap between lack of resources and skill acquisition. He wants to impact lives through his global visual academy. He also wants to travel around the world. There are a lot of things Precious talks about and it would be nice for you to hear them directly from him.
And this can only be possible when we help him get the bone marrow transplant he needs.