Meet Timothe, a three-year-old boy from Haiti. Timothe lives with his parents and five siblings. Timothe has a congenital neurological condition called hydrocephalus, which causes excess cerebrospinal fluid to build up in his brain.
According to our medical partner, Project Medishare (PM), Timothe’s head first began to swell a month after he was born.
“The situation of my son affects me very badly,” shares Timothe’s father. “The other kids of his age are now going to school while my son cannot even sit to carry his own head. This makes me very sad.”
If untreated, hydrocephalus can lead to long-term health complications, including delayed mental development.
For $1,260, Timothe will receive brain surgery to treat his hydrocephalus. A shunt will be inserted into his head, draining the excess fluid and releasing the intracranial pressure from his brain.
Timothe’s mother works as a saleswoman while his father teaches at the local school. Together, they produce a modest income that is not enough to cover the cost of Timothe’s medical expenses.
“I will be very excited to see my son doing well after the surgery,” Timothe’s father tells us. “I just want him to be healthy.”