BethanyKids Kijabe Hospital (BKKH)

Jaysen is a three-year-old boy from Kenya. He lives with his mother, who was recently widowed and is raising two children while expecting a third. Despite these challenges, she has been doing her best to provide for her family. Two weeks ago, while playing with friends during the school holiday, Jaysen fell and injured his right eye. His condition worsened over the following days despite initial treatment at a local dispensary. Jaysen has since been diagnosed with a brain abscess — a buildup of fluid in the brain — and doctors recommend a craniotomy, a procedure in which part of the skull is temporarily removed to access and treat the infection. Fortunately, on May 7th, Jaysen will undergo craniotomy surgery with the help of our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare. He is raising $1,500 to fund the surgery, which will give him the chance to recover and live a healthy life ahead. "I'm a mess right now. Seeing my son in pain is torture. I am hopeful that after this surgery, he will be better and all this will be a thing of the past," Jaysen's mother said.

Racheal is a 12-year-old girl from Kenya. Just two days after she was born, Racheal's mother noticed that her head was growing faster than the rest of her body, while her eyes seemed sunken. She took Racheal to hospital, but unfortunately, no proper diagnosis was made, and they were sent home with some medicine. Soon after, Racheal started throwing up each time she breastfed. Her mother took her to a referral hospital where Racheal was diagnosed with hydrocephalus, a condition in which excess cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the brain and increases intracranial pressure. A shunt insertion surgery was done, but was unsuccessful, and Racheal was referred to our medical partner's care center, BethanyKids Kijabe Hospital (BKKH), for assistance. Rachel's shunt revision surgery at BKKH was successful, and the joy her mother had was beyond what words could describe. They soon left for home, and finally, life was much better. At the age of three, however, the shunt got blocked, and Rachel underwent another shunt revision surgery. Two other revision surgeries followed, when Rachel was seven years, and another earlier this year. Recently, Rachel started getting severe headaches and sweat break outs. She was brought back to BKKH and it was discovered that the shunt place earlier this year had failed, and would need to be replaced. As Rachel lies in bed, tears freely flowing from her eyes, all she wishes for is for this surgery to be a success and for her to go back to school, resume her studies, and pursue her dream of becoming a doctor. While financial constraints weigh her family down, her mother is only hopeful that with Watsi's support once again, her daughter will be better. Without treatment, Racheal will experience severe physical and developmental delays. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $574 to cover the cost of surgery for Racheal. The procedure is scheduled to take place on May 7th and will drain the excess fluid from Racheal's brain. This will reduce intracranial pressure and greatly improve her quality of life. With proper treatment, Racheal will continue growing and developing into a strong, healthy teen. Racheal says: "I am in pain, and the fact that I just missed my back-to-school exam is breaking my heart. I wish to have a speedy recovery, go back to school and catch up on my studies."

Angel is a lovely and vibrant girl, so full of life, from Kenya. She lives her dream of becoming a paediatrician and pursues her education with so much zeal and passion. She is the sixth child in her family. Her father works at a grocery shop. Angle was born with spina bifida, a neural tube defect where a baby's spine and spinal cord do not develop completely in the womb. She was also born with hydrocephalus, a condition where fluid accumulates in the brain and increases intracranial pressure. She underwent a shunt insertion procedure that drained the fluid, allowing her to grow up more comfortably. She reached many developmental milestones, including crawling, walking, and playing with her siblings and friends. One year ago, Angel started complaining of headaches. After several tests and consultations, doctors noted her shunt was malfunctioning. The shunt needs to be replaced, or Angel will experience severe physical and developmental delays. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $574 to cover the cost of surgery for Angel. The procedure is scheduled to take place on May 15th and will drain the excess fluid from Angel's brain. This will reduce intracranial pressure and greatly improve her quality of life. With proper treatment, Angel will continue developing into a strong, healthy young girl. Angel says, "I want to go back to school as soon as possible. I hope to get better soon."

Bevaline is a four-month-old baby girl from Kenya. Bevaline was born with spina bifida, a type of neural tube defect in which the spine does not properly close around the spinal cord. Without treatment, Bevaline is at risk of lower-limb paralysis, infection of the exposed nervous tissue, development of tethered cord syndrome, and possible developmental delays. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $856 to cover the cost of Bevaline's spina bifida closure surgery. The procedure is scheduled to take place on May 20th. This procedure will hopefully spare Bevaline from the risks associated with her condition, instead allowing her to grow and develop along a healthy trajectory. Bevaline's mother shared, "At first, I thought that just like any other illness, Bevaline would be treated and recover. Coming to learn that her condition will require lifelong care broke my heart, especially with how far and remote our village is. However, I am hopeful that after this surgery, my daughter will get a chance to grow and live a happy, healthy life."

Maxmillian is an 18-year-old from Kenya. He was born with a serious medical condition, and his mother worked hard to ensure he received the care he needed. His father abandoned the family shortly after his birth, leaving his mother to raise him and his brothers alone while working multiple jobs to cover their living and medical expenses. Maxmillian was diagnosed with hydrocephalus — a condition in which excess fluid accumulates in the brain, increasing pressure on it. As a newborn, he underwent shunt insertion surgery, which was successful. A year later, a shunt malfunction required a revision surgery, after which he remained stable for 16 years. Recently, he began experiencing headaches and loss of appetite, and tests revealed that his shunt is blocked and needs to be replaced. Without treatment, his symptoms will worsen and could lead to serious complications. Fortunately, on May 22nd, Maxmillian will undergo shunt revision surgery with the help of our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare. He is raising $574 to fund the surgery, which will relieve the pressure on his brain and allow him to continue living as comfortably as possible. "Life has not been easy. I have gone through so much. Who knew that life would turn out like this? I can only hope that this surgery will go smoothly so that we can go back home soon," Maxmillian says.

Layla is a beautiful five-month-old baby girl from Kenya. When she came in, her mother held her tightly as she was crying through pain and discomfort. For her mother, everything had seemed normal since Layla’s birth. Her little girl had been growing well, and there had been no reason to fear that anything was wrong. However, early last month, Layla's mother began noticing concerning changes with her daughter. Desperate for answers, Layla's mother, Lena, immediately rushed her daughter to a nearby medical facility close to their home. There, Layla underwent an MRI scan. The results brought devastating news. Doctors diagnosed her with Hydrocephalus, a condition Lena had never imagined would become part of her daughter’s story. This condition causes excess cerebrospinal fluid to accumulate in the brain, increasing intracranial pressure. As a result of her condition, Layla has been experiencing an enlarging head, which began to progress at an alarming rate. Soon after this began, her mother noticed that her eyes appeared sunken as well. Then came even more worrying signs: Layla lost neck control and could no longer sit on her own, things she had previously been able to do. Unfortunately, the facility they went to could not offer the specialized treatment Layla urgently needed, and Lena was advised to seek help elsewhere. In what felt like a moment of hope, a friend who knew about BethanyKids referred them here. Today, baby Layla urgently needs surgery. But for Layla's mother, accessing this life-changing treatment feels out of reach. Unemployed and raising Layla alone after her father left before Layla's birth, she was forced to move back in with her parents. Since then, her family has become her only support system, relying entirely on small-scale farming to survive and care for both mother and child. Through tears and heartbreak, her mother tells us how deeply worried she is for her daughter. Watching Layla struggle to do things she was once able to do has been incredibly painful. Lately, the discomfort has become harder to bear. Layla cries often, overwhelmed by pain. Now, she holds onto one simple but powerful hope: that her daughter will receive the medical attention she urgently needs and be given the chance to grow, heal, and live a healthy, happy life. Without treatment, Layla will experience severe physical and developmental delays. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is able to help and is requesting $719 to cover the cost of surgery for Layla that will treat her hydrocephalus. The procedure is scheduled to take place on May 27th and will drain the excess fluid from Layla's brain, reducing intracranial pressure and greatly improving her quality of life. With proper treatment, Layla will hopefully develop into a strong, healthy young girl. "As a mother, all I want is to see my daughter healthy again. I hold onto hope that one day, Layla will laugh, play, and grow into the happy little girl I dream of every day," Layla’s mother said.

Princesss is a one-month-old baby girl from Kenya. She and her single mother live with her grandparents. Her grandfather is a painter, while her mother is training to become a teacher. While her mother was undergoing her third-trimester scan, doctors noted that Princesss has hydrocephalus, a condition in which excess cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the brain and increases intracranial pressure. The diagnosis took an emotional toll on Princesss's mother, nearly pushing her into depression. During this difficult time, she found strength in the support of her parents, who stood by her and encouraged her. Princesss’s father had left earlier and was no longer part of their lives. Shortly after Princesss was born, they were referred to our medical partner's care center, BethanyKids Kijabe Hospital, so she could receive the specialized medical care she urgently needs. Princess needs a ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS) surgery, but the family is unable to raise the funds required for the procedure. As a result of her condition, Princesss has been experiencing frequent crying, sudden mood changes, and often appears to be in discomfort. Without treatment, Princesss will experience severe physical and developmental delays. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $719 to cover the cost of surgery for Princesss that will treat her hydrocephalus. The procedure is scheduled to take place on December 15th and will drain the excess fluid from Princesss's brain. This will reduce intracranial pressure and greatly improve her quality of life. With proper treatment, Princesss will hopefully develop into a strong, healthy young girl. “When I was told my baby had hydrocephalus, my world stopped. I didn’t understand why this was happening to her before she was even born, but every day I hold onto hope that she will get the treatment she needs and live a healthy life.” Princess’s mother tells us.