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Kanu plans to raise billions
Nurudeen Obalola
Nigeria striker Nwankwo Kanu is more concerned with helping save the lives of sick African children than West Brom's losing battle to survive in the Premiership.
West Brom's chances of escaping the drop to the Championship have faded in recent weeks, losing eight of their last 10 games, including Saturday's 3-0 loss at Newcastle, and languishing in 19th place with 29 points. But Kanu's major preoccupation at the moment is raising more money for his heart foundation.
According to the latest issue of The Sunday Times of London, Kanu receives dozens of letters from children back home who have heard about his efforts through the Kanu Heart Foundation and the striker needs more money to help these kids.
"Another Roman Abramovich is what we need," Kanu told The Times, referring to Chelsea's billionaire owner.
More than 500 children have undergone operations through Kanu's initiative, but there are still more than 3,000 more on the waiting list. Each operation costs approximately £15,000 and the West Brom forward wants to bring the treatment closer to home.
"Our aim is to build hospitals in Africa, as this will be better for the kids and will be more effective," he said.
"Right now, what we do is fly the kids out of Africa to Europe, India and Israel, which costs a lot of money. But if we redirect funds into building hospitals, the waiting lists will only get longer and more kids will die. That's why I say we can only hope a billionaire like Abramovich can come on board."
Kanu started his charity foundation after he was diagnosed with a life-threatening heart defect in 1996, few months after he had led the Nigerian team to the football gold at the Olympics in Atlanta.
"I prayed to God a lot and got second opinions from many doctors," he said. "Finally, after having the operation, I was told I could train again, get back into the game, and I did. But I wanted to do something to help other people with the same problem, so soon after I joined Arsenal( in 1999) I established the foundation and we went to work.
"When you talk about the Red Cross and big organizations like that, one day I hope the foundation can be the same. This is my goal after football."
Kanu came on in the second half with Newcastle 2-0 up, but he could not help his side's freefall into troubled waters as the Magpies increased their lead and sealed a win that could signal the end of West Brom's life in the Premiership.
SUNDAY PUNCH, April 23, 2006
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