The new
mind-set that
lifted me up
be lifted In
your health
Kimberly Titilawo grew up somewhat sheltered.
She wasn’t able to go out on her own or do
what most people her age were doing.
Her parents wrapped her up in cotton
wool – and understandably so. Kimberly
had a series of health problems that
meant she was constantly in and
out of hospital. Now a healthy and
independent young woman, she
tells us how those years
affected her.
‘‘Back then, I felt as if I were living in a
bubble. I was at risk of having a blood
transfusion and my parents couldn’t
take the risk of me having an epileptic
shock when no one would be around.
I understand them completely, but it
was difficult. out unless I was with someone who
knew what to do if I had a fit. Though
it left me feeling depressed, I learned
to live with it. It was simply too hard to
even begin to believe that my life would
be any different from what it had been
over those years.
My ill health started off with me having
dizzy spells. They came once in a while
but then they became more frequent.
When it happened, I always had to
lie down because I felt so weak that
I thought I would faint. My doctors
told me this was common for people
with my rare blood type—AC. So, I
accepted that as fact—I would just
have to live with it for the rest of my life. It was my dad who brought me to the
UCKG HelpCentre. He wanted the
entire family to attend that day and it
turned out to be one of the best things
I did. During the meeting, I understood
that God does have power, but I had to
believe in that and take the necessary
steps, like keep taking my medication,
looking after myself and also go for
regular check-ups. This was my part to
play in making sure I was well. I was only
16, but I was old enough to understand
that I didn’t have to continue in a
downwards spiral. I wanted to be better,
I needed to be better, and I believed
that I could be better, so I changed
my mentality. I decided to be positive.
During my teens, I was diagnosed
with epilepsy. This really affected my
education. I was consistently absent
from school because, every time I had
an epileptic fit, I would usually feel
drained. My grades dropped and it was
hard catching up with the workload.
My parents would not allow me to go
This new mind-set was tested when
I was told that the platelets in my
blood were below
average. This
was extremely dangerous because,
if the number of platelets is too low,
excessive bleeding can occur – I had
to be careful with everything I did.
They told me that if it dropped any
lower, I would need to have a blood
transfusion.
At times, it seemed as though the
doctors didn’t know what was wrong
with me. At one point, I was told I had
leukaemia, the next I was told I didn’t;
then, a bone marrow operation was
conducted, but still they could not
find what was wrong with me.
Eventually, I was diagnosed with ITP
(idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura)
the condition of having an abnormally
low platelet count for unknown
reasons. I fought against the feeling of
giving up. I believed with all my heart
that God could help me through this
tough time and could lift me through
my troubles.
I understood
that God does
have power,
but I had to
believe”
I determined my recovery with each
meeting at the UCKG and each visit to
the doctor. I went back to the hospital
and had my blood tested; the results
came back positive. The doctor was
really surprised with the outcome
and couldn’t understand how I had
recovered so quickly. The dizzy spells
are gone, there are no more epileptic
fits; I am healthy and I feel free! It’s
been over 10 years since then and I’m
still fighting fit.”
Kimberly Titilawo
GOOD FRIDAY
3PM
also at 7am, 10am and 7.30pm
The UCKG HelpCentre’s spiritual advice is to be seen as a complement to the scientifically proven treatment you may be receiving. The UCKG HelpCentre does not claim to heal people but believes that God can through the power of faith. Always follow your
doctor’s instructions. The UCKG HelpCentre does not claim to heal people but believes that God can through the power of faith. Always follow your doctor’s instructions.
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G o o d f r i d ay, m a rc h 3 0 • 3 p m |