Three-month-old Rian was born with an abnormally shaped head, and quickly “came down with symptoms of irritability and slight paleness," explains our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF).
After seeking treatment near his home in Kenya, Rian was diagnosed with craniosynostosis -- a condition in which the joints between an infant’s skull bones are prematurely fused together.
AMHF reports, “If left untreated, Rian will suffer from increased intracranial pressure, which in turn could result in developmental delays, brain damage, or even death.”
Rian lives in Kenya with his single mother and grandmother, who do not have the means to provide funds for Rian's surgery.
For $1,260, Rian will undergo a craniotomy, or the surgical removal of parts of the bone from the skull. The craniotomy will “relieve Rian’s risks of high intracranial pressure. Rian’s brain will have room to grow naturally," AMHF adds.
“To just be told that all this treatment is going to be provided for my son gives me a massive sense of relief," Rian's mother shares. "I know that people truly care. It gives me hope that Rian will be well."