Bravine is a one-month-old baby boy from Kenya. The first child to his parents, Bravine was diagnosed with spina bifida, a condition in which the spinal cord does not fully develop, shortly after his birth.
If left untreated, spina bifida presents serious risks such as lower-limb paralysis, infection of the exposed nervous tissue, and development of tethered cord syndrome. Bravine’s condition requires surgical treatment, however the cost of the operation is beyond his parents’ means. Both of Bravine’s parents lack stable jobs, instead earning income from work like laundry and helping others farm their land.
Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,097, on top of the $10 subsidized by Bravine’s parents, in order to fund Bravine’s spina bifida closure surgery. The surgery is scheduled to take place on July 3 and, once completed, will hopefully dramatically improve Bravine’s quality of life and allow him to develop along a healthy trajectory.
“We are hoping to get help towards Bravine’s surgical care,’’ says Bravine’s mother.