Samwel is a playful three-year-old boy. He lives in Kenya with his mother and three older siblings in a one-room house. Samwel's mother is a greengrocer, and she makes only a small income.
When Samwel was a baby, he developed an intermittent hernia in his groin, but his mother did not seek treatment. Recently, however, Samwel's swelling grew chronic and painful. His mother sought treatment, but she could not afford anything except pain relief medications.
“When you sit and watch your loved one at home in pain, sometimes you feel helpless that there is nothing else you can do but just be there," Samwel's mother explains. "I hurt watching Samwel in pain. There was nothing I could do but get him pain relievers.”
Fortunately, Samwel and his mother visited our medical partner's care center, BethanyKids Kijabe Hospital.
A hernia occurs when an internal organ pokes through a muscle wall, causing severe pain. Left untreated, a hernia can cause intestinal blockage or prevent blood from reaching vital parts of the intestines. Samwel's doctors recommended surgical intervention to repair the abdominal wall, remove the bulging tissue in his abdomen, and reposition his herniated tissue. His procedure is scheduled for December 28.
Samwel's mother has raised $40 to pay for treatment, but she needs help to raise more money. $528 will cover the cost of the procedure, supplies, medications, and two days of inpatient care.
Following his recovery, Samwel's risk of further complications will be significantly reduced, and his pain will be relieved.