Francis is a 17-year-old student who tries to live each day to its fullest as best he can. He lives together with his siblings, parents, and grandparents in their ancestral home. Francis’s mom works at a local tea farm, while his father takes on labor jobs to help provide for the family.
Francis was born with spina bifida, which is a spinal condition that occurs when the neural tube does not close all the way. Francis is part of the BethanyKids Hospital program and uses a Clean Intermittent Catheterization (C.I.C) to help regulate his bladder. A few months ago, Francis noticed a wound near the catheter site that made it difficult for him to use the C.I.C. A nurse referred him to the hospital for review and doctors there diagnosed the condition as a urethral fistula. The medical team determined that Francis will need to undergo surgery to heal.
Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is helping Francis receive treatment. On May 18th, he will undergo urethroplasty surgery. AMH is requesting $834 to fund his procedure and related care.
Francis hopes to feel better soon and says, “It has been a struggle for me to perform C.I.C because of this wound.”