Talemwa is a five-year-old boy from Uganda, the youngest of two siblings. He attends nursery school, where he enjoys drawing pictures and learning to count in English. Talemwa and his sibling are cared for by their mother, a single parent and farmer.
In August of 2016, Talemwa began to experience pain in his lower abdomen. Talemwa’s mother noticed swelling in his groin as well. “My son keeps telling me he has pain,” his mother says.
Talemwa was taken to a clinic, where he was diagnosed with a sliding inguinal hernia, a condition in which an organ protrudes through weakened muscle. If left untreated, a hernia can result in tissue damage.
The clinic advised his mother to bring Talemwa to a hospital for further evaluation and treatment, but she could not afford to pay for the procedures. She was then referred to our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF), and connected with Watsi.
Talemwa will be receiving surgery on December 14 at our medical partner’s care center, Holy Family Virika Hospital. The surgery will repair the hernia and prevent further complications. To fund the procedure, AMHF is requesting $249 to cover his hospital stay, surgical materials, and medications.
Following his surgery, Talemwa’s mother is hopeful that her son will be well and continue to grow up healthy.