SOPHIE’S VOICE TO ESTABLISH A CLINIC IN GHANA
-Boris and Nicole during the "R Baby Foundation Walk"
Actors Boris Kodjoe and Nicole-Ari Kodjoe recently returned from a week-long trip to West Africa, Ghana, where they met with Health officials about establishing a clinic for Spina Bifida patients on behalf of their foundation, Sophie’s Voice.
Sophie’s Voice Foundation ,which is dear to the Kodjoe’s heart, was founded in honor of the couple’s daughter Sophie,4, who was born with spina bifida.
“Sophie was born with spina bifida, which is a neural tube defect. It’s something where the spinal cord develops and doesn’t close all the way. So, a lot of kids who suffer from spina bifida have brain damage, motor function issues, they can’t move their legs, and they don’t have any sensations. I thank God that my daughter was spared those more severe effects. She can’t control her bladder [though] … We have to monitor the pressure in her bladder by catheterizing, which can be very [difficult for her] — it’s just not a nice thing for a kid having to grow up being catheterized every three hours,”said Boris in an interview with RollingOut magazine earlier this year.
Boris and his wife Nicole hope to spare many more children in Ghana who do not have access to the resources that Sophie does. Currently, Ghana does not provide special health care for newborns with spina bifida, but the Kodjoe’s hope to change that:
“Working together with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), SVF will help initiate a surveillance project to determine the current population living with spina bifida and the country’s mortality rate of babies born with spina bifida. Once a clinic model is designed to accommodate the Ghana healthcare system, SVF will take a delegation of physicians, nurses and healthcare providers from Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and other U.S. institutions to Ghana, where they will be teamed with Ghanaian physicians and nurses to provide training and hands-on patient care. In addition to the clinic, SVF will establish its first chapter outside the U.S. in Ghana – to be known as Sophie’s Voice Ghana.”
Click here to see more pictures from the Kodjoe family during the “R Baby Foundation Walk”
Luv this family,their kids r to cute.
HOW WONDERFUL! I hope them good fortune in the being able to provide this assistance to those who do not have it. Wonderful work to do.
I too love this family!
That’s wonderful! =)
that’s my country
and I’m so happy to know that Boris is doing something for the country his daddy is from. He’s half Ghanaian…
I’ve never heard of this disease until the Kodjoes talked about it and I don’t know anyone who’s affected by it.
I love Boris and Nicole…
when you don’t take prenatal care that what could happen ur child can born with this disease…. so in way you can blame Nicole
Do you have any children and how do you know she did not get prenatal? There are women who do get good prenatal care and their babies are still born with problems. I know you were only expressing your opinion.
I agree with you. Whereever did you hear that she didn’t take prenatal care? This woman and her husband didn’t just luck up on a baby. This was a planned pregnacy. Why would you make such a vile statement. Do you know anything at all about this disease? Maybe you should google it or read about it some place.
Prenatal care minimizes the possibilities of having a child with birth defects. It doesn’t eliminate them entirely. Heath-conscious women who’ve kept up with their vitamins and medical checks throughout pregnancy have delivered children with problems. The possibility of defects and deformities exist, even with the best of care.
Just to let you know, whoever you are, that you are obviously uneducated about this topic in general. There are mothers who have gotten all the care in this world and their kids are born with severe problems, and there are also plenty of addicts or ppl who cant afford health care who have babies with little or no issues. Maybe before you speak on something, you should first educate yourself about it, better yet, why dont you volunteer to assist children with disabilities, get to know them and their parents, and get your education that way. Think about it
thats a really horrible thing to say. Its ignorant and negative. Why just not be thankful that boris and nicole are wonderful parents who love their daughter very much irrespective of her illnes.
So that explains what happened to you, SAM I AM. You sure have a learning disability as evidenced from your horrible, tasteless writing!
I love the Kodjoe family!
Ggreat going Boris and Nicole!!!
Wow SAM, that was a very ignorant statement. You don’t have no clue what Boris and Nicole are going thru. God Bless their family. They are staying positive and helping families all over the world. Thats how it is suppose to be..I wish the best for you Boris and God Bless…-Ross-
…Hate is a strong word and I rarely use it, but Sam you shouldn’t put up ignorant comments like that..I’ll pray for you.