20 years later – Man seeks help to remove eye that was bitten by dog
May 30, 2020A man who grew up at Lluidas Vale district in St. Catherine, Maldeanne Bedward, is facing a huge challenge to remove his left eye, which was bitten by a dog almost 20 years ago.
He was five years old, and was living with his grandmother in Lluidas Vale when the dog-bite transpired on August 3, 2000. It is said that he left his home and touched the sleeping animal, which woke up and bit him.
Bedward has undergone nearly 10 surgeries to save the eye, but all have been unsuccessful.
Things took a dramatic turn for the worse two Sundays ago when the 25-year-old resident of Spanish Town had a mishap, which caused the eye to bleed.
He underwent an emergency surgery last week.
During the surgery, the doctor found out that the injured eye is in a bad condition. The doctor also recommended that it be removed to save the right eye, and that it be replaced with a prosthetic eye.
Bedward told The Beacon that he needs approximately $1 million to do the surgery.
He explained that he, along with his family, does not have the necessary funds. As a result, he is appealing for persons to make donations by clicking HERE.
Bedward, who is a past student of Ewarton Primary School and Enid Bennett High, said he faced numerous challenges growing up with the injured eye.
“Growing up, I really struggled fitting in. It was a battle because, in every situations, I had to learn to adapt. Some people were comfortable with me, but a lot of people weren’t. A lot of people judged me and a lot of people made fun of me; a lot of people made me feel uncomfortable,” he told The Beacon.
Bedward added: “There are times when I feel down, but there are times when I feel like I won’t let this thing get the best of me. Since January, I became a Christian, so I started a journey of Christianity and it’s really helpful. It has strengthened my faith in many ways.”
Bedward, in the meantime, said his relatives have been a tower of strength over the years.
“They never treated me like I am a person with a eye problem or anything like that. They just treat me with love. Their support was there since day one.”
Bedward is confident that the surgery will eventually be done and that his condition will improve.
“I have been going through this situation for practically all my life. If this is a time where something can be changed or something can be done to help me throughout the rest of my life, I would really appreciate it,” he added.
By Horace Mills, Journalist
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