James is a very playful and jovial boy. He loves to play with his friends and, his grandmother shared, they would play with anything because toys are hard to come by.
One day James and his friends found a calabash and chose to play with it. While they were playing, one of them took the calabash and threw it to James. The calabash hit James at his right hip and he fell down. He struggled to stand up and immediately started limping and crying out of pain. He was rushed home to his grandmother where she took him to a nearby facility. James was given some pain medication and then sent home. His grandmother shared that a few days down the line his situation was not getting any better and he could not walk.
James’s grandmother sourced some funds and brought him to Kijabe Hospital for examination. Upon review, the doctor requested scans to develop a treatment plan, but due to lack of money to pay for the scan, his grandmother decided to go back home and look for money. While at home, it was took her a long time to raise the required amount for the scans. One day their church pastor visited to check on how they are adapting to life after the death of James’s mother. During the visit, he noticed that James was barely moving. He was concerned and asked his grandmother what was wrong. James’s grandmother explained what happened and the current situation they are in. The pastor brought James back to Kijabe Hospital for the scans. When the doctor reviewed the scans, they immediately admitted James as an emergency case and a surgery was done helping to save his leg.
During a regular clinic follow-up yesterday, his doctor noticed that the wound was oozing and was concerned about an infection. An x-ray was done and showed that his leg again needs emergency surgery to treat his condition.
James is the youngest of four children. His father separated with his mother, and left James and his siblings to his mother. A few years later, James’s mother died and his grandmother has taken full responsibility of the four children. To earn a living, his grandmother does laundry and ploughs farms for their neighbors. She does not have another source of income. James’s first surgery was supported by Friends of Kijabe Hospital, but his grandmother is appealing for financial help for the surgery that is now needed for James.
James’ grandmother shared, “At home after the first surgery, I was very happy to see James slowly trying to play with his friends again. Those were happy moments that I never thought James would experience again. I am requesting for financial help to put back a smile on his face.”