ETHAN'S STORY
“All children have the right to survive and thrive to attain their full potential."
United Nations Convention on the
Rights of the Child, 1989.
HIS STORY OUR INSPIRATION
What if all children had an equal opportunity to reach their full potential?
“All children have the right to survive and thrive to attain their full potential, they have a right to the highest attainable standard of health.” (United Nation Convention on the Rights of the Child, 1989).
Born in Wigan England, many described Ethan as a boy full of life, loving and as warm as children come. He was every parent's dream child, polite, elegant, energetic and an intelligent young boy who loved books, music and food. He particularly enjoyed his chicken and chips always with “no sauce please”.
Did Ethan attain his potential and what happened?
After moving to Malawi with his family at the age of three, Ethan died tragically from malaria aged just five years old.
Ethan made what seemed to be a routine stomach complaint, never knowing that this was an early indication of what was later found to be uncomplicated malaria which later developed to a severe form of malaria, shutting down his kidneys amongst other organs and ultimately leading to his untimely death.
Falciparum malaria is by far the deadliest form of malaria in Sub-Saharan Africa and if undetected within 24 hours, it can progress to severe illness and anemia often leading to death, and it accounts for 95% of malaria related child deaths.
The clinical settings that Ethan landed into had plenty of challenges, from staff unavailability to a lack of emergency medications and equipment. Ethan died in less than 36 hours after being diagnosed and admitted with this type of acute illness. He unfortunately became a part of the 90% of children across Africa that die every 2 minutes from malaria. His death touched many lives in his immediate community and those extended to him all over the country and those affiliated with him across the borders.
In honour of his memory and boundless potential, Ethan's Voice Foundation (EVF) was set up to represent his voice on behalf of the many children in our communities and across the world, reaching out to parents, guardians, clinicians, leaders, politicians, and development partners saying; “no child should ever be lost to a mosquito bite. No child should ever die from malaria."
At the age of four, Ethan would play-call himself a hero, “I am a hero for everybody” he would often say. We can now only imagine and ask, what was he going to become if he had attained his full potential?
MALAWI OUR SITUATION
Despite remarkable progress, the global gains in combatting malaria have levelled off since 2017 and many high burden countries like MALAWI have been losing ground with MILLIONS of lives still at risk.
OVER 6.5 MILLION CHILDREN IN MALAWI ARE STILL AT RISK OF MALARIA.
SOURCE: PRESIDENT'S MALARIA INITIATIVE (PMI)
Malaria counts for approximately 30-40% of all out-patient visits to hospitals.
Between 40-50% of all admissions are due to malaria.
Drug resistance to new malaria variants and vector insecticide resistance has aggravated the problem.
The COVID-19 pandemic emerged as a serious additional challenge to previous malaria efforts and achievements resulting in many malaria cases being neglected across the country.
Join the fight to end malaria deaths in the lives of our children. Find out how you too can get involved today.
