Meet Grace, a baby girl born just two weeks ago. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF), tells us that Grace is the first-born of her family and lives with her parents and great-grandmother in Kenya.
After her birth, Grace was diagnosed with spina bifida. This congenital condition causes the spine to grow improperly in utero. AMHF explains, “Grace has a fluid-filled sac, protruding from her lower spinal canal. She is at a risk of infection, exaggerated curvature of the spine that results to a rounded or hunched back.”
Grace’s mother is a casual farmer while her father is a tractor driver. While they make a modest combined income, most of it is currently spent taking care of Grace’s 84-year-old great-grandmother.
With $805 in funding, Grace will undergo surgery to remove the cyst and close the gap along her spine. In addition to this procedure, Grace will also work with a physiotherapist to support her recovery. To help ensure that she safely responds to treatment, Grace will receive several laboratory tests and spend five days under close hospital supervision.
As Grace is breastfeeding well and is otherwise healthy, this treatment is expected to allow Grace to have a normal and healthy childhood.
Her mother shares, “my husband’s little income is mostly spent on taking care of our grandmother. We are therefore not able to raise funds towards Grace’s surgery. We hope we can get help.”