Maxensia is a mother of six who runs her family’s small retail shop while her husband is a tailor. Their firstborn is 22-years-old and she also has twins and two students in the 11th and fourth grades. Maxensia worries that her family is struggling to raise school fees for their children.
Three years ago, Maxensia began to experience troubling symptoms, including a painless neck swelling that started after a flu-like illness. Later, the swelling became movable and she developed pains while swallowing. The swelling continued to increase in size but she never visited any medical facility for treatment. Currently, she can’t bend down easily, especially while farming, and she can’t carry heavy loads on her head either. Maxensia also shared that she experiences airway obstruction, especially during the cold season.
Maxensia visited our medical partner’s care center, Rushoroza Hospital, to seek medical attention. She was diagnosed with a non-toxic goiter and the surgeon recommends she have a thyroidectomy. Unfortunately, her family cannot afford the surgery cost, but she urgently needs the surgery to prevent her symptoms from getting worse.
Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is helping Maxensia receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on October 5th at our medical partner’s care center. Surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. This procedure will cost $333, and she and her family need help to raise money.
Maxensia says, “I hope to be considered for treatment because my family and I cannot afford this surgery on our own. I hope to look and live a normal life again so that I may comfortably proceed with my day-to-day duties and further develop my family.”