At just 13 years old, Rosemary’s life changed forever.
What began as persistent headache, something many people might dismiss as stress or fatigue, soon became a frightening medical crisis. Chronic kidney disease.
She is just one of the many teeming youth battling the disease in the country.
Behind the statistics of kidney disease in Ghana are real stories, stories of young lives like Rosemary’s.
After two weeks in coma her diagnosis by doctors was devastating, chronic kidney disease. both of her kidneys are severely damaged, and her survival depends on regular dialysis treatments as she waits for a life-saving transplant.
For Rosemary, the last five years have been a delicate balance between staying alive and chasing her dreams.
As a final-year student at the West Africa Senior High School, the illness has taken more than just her strength.
“It was not diagnosed early and by the time they did it was too late. Sometimes I miss school because I have to go for dialysis. It’s not easy watching my friends continue with their normal lives while I struggle just to stay healthy. But I still want to finish school and become someone in the future. I feel left out sometimes when I can’t play with them”. She said.
But her optimism shines through the hardship.
“I haven’t given up. I believe one day I will get a kidney transplant and live a normal life again. I just keep praying and staying strong.”
Behind Rosemary’s courage stands her mother, Grace Akorley carrying a weight few parents can ever bear.
Watching her child endure dialysis sessions, hospital visits and the uncertainty of the future has been deeply painful.
“It is heartbreaking to see your child go through this. The pain, the weakness, the hospital visits… sometimes I wish I could take it all away from her. As a mother, it’s very difficult.”
Like many families facing chronic kidney disease in Ghana, the emotional and financial burden can be overwhelming.
Kidney transplants, often the only long-term solution, require a compatible donor—and she is willing to give her life for her child.
“It would have been done last year if not for a few issues. I am ready to give her my kidney. I just want my daughter to live and have a future. That is all I pray for every day.”
For Rosemary, every day is both a battle and a blessing.
Until she finds a donor to give her a chance at living fully, she continues to fight with quiet courage.
“I just want people to know that young people can also get this disease. If you feel something is wrong, go to the hospital early. And for me, I’m still hoping for a second chance.”
Kojo Baffour Ahenkorah, the Convenor of Dialysis Patients Association said, “Rosemary’s story is not isolated. We are seeing more young people coming in with kidney failure, and it’s worrying. You will see a 15 year old and it’s BP. Where are they getting it from? It needs to be looked at. There is an urgent need for support systems and policies to help these patients survive.”
Health experts warn that while kidney disease has traditionally been associated with adults, an increasing number of young people in Ghana are now being diagnosed with the condition.
