Everlyn Apio, who is battling a heart complication, displays her medical documents. Photo by David Okema
By John Okot
Gulu: One morning in February last year, Everline Apio woke up with pale, yellowish eyes.
She wasn’t aware at first. But when she stepped out of her house for work that day, her neighbours noticed something unusual about her face.
“She (Apio’s neighbour) said my eyes were also puffy,” she said. But Apiyo brushed it off, thinking that it was “my usual allergies”. Then the following week her situation worsened when she began coughing blood.
“That’s when I rushed to the hospital for help,” says Apio, who is 39 and a resident of Bardege-Layibi division, Gulu City.
Initially, Apio went to Gulu Regional Referral Hospital for her first medical examination, where she was diagnosed with rheumatic heart disease (RHD). From there she was referred to St Mary Hospital Lacor, Gulu, and finally to Mulago National Referral Hospital for heart surgery.
“I couldn’t undergo surgery right away,” she says. “I am still looking for money”.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), rheumatic heart disease a serious disease results from damage to heart valves caused by one or several episodes of rheumatic fever an autoimmune inflammatory reaction to throat infection caused by group A streptococci (streptococcal pharyngitis or strep throat). The disease, which affects an estimated 55 million people worldwide, claims 360,000 lives each year, mostly in low-income nations.
Its signs and symptoms include: fever, painful joints (knees, elbows and wrists) and heart murmur.
“Patients also get fatigue, chest pains, shortness of breath, irregular heartbeat and swelling of the stomach, hands and feet,” adds Dr. Desmond Drale, medical doctor and lecturer at Gulu University.
Breathing though the tube
At Mulago National Referral Hospital, Apio underwent a “minor” palliative surgery to alleviate her pain. A catheter tube was inserted through her nose to ease her breathing.
But she has to limit her movement as she waits for her major surgery, which was due last month: “If I walk for a long, I feel a lot of pain,” she says in a faint voice, gasping for air.
“Sometimes I faint,” Apio adds.
Since last year, Apio has been raising funds for her heart surgery. She needs UGX 11,800,000 (3,300 USD) for the medical procedure. But she has so far collected UGX. 9,500,000 million (2,660 USD). She is left with UGX 2.3 million (645 USD).
Apio, who used to sell second-hand clothes, is unable to look after her two kids due to her medical condition. Since last year, Apio’s uncle has been looking after her kids.
“I am left with little time. I plead to anyone to support with anything so that I can save my life,” she says.
At the time of filing this story (August 25th, 2025) Apio’s condition had worsened. An ambulance had rushed her from Soroti district, where she had gone to visit her relative, to Mulago Regional referral Hospital.
For any well-wishers who would like to extend financial support, kindly contact Apio or send your support on her telephone number: 0(+256)772000196. The number is registered to this MTN “mobile money” name: Everlyn Letrecia Apio.
