Kyal is a 18-month-old girl from Thailand. She lives with her family in Mae La Refugee camp, Tak Province. Her mother noticed that there was a small mass between her nose and the corner of her eye, and as the baby grew the mass became larger.
Kyal was born with encephalocele, a type of neural type defect characterized by sac-like protrusions of nervous tissue through openings in the skull. Both incomplete bone fusion in the skull and incomplete closure of the neural tube contribute to this condition. If left untreated, the lump will continue to grow, heightening the risks of developmental delays and permanent neurological impairment.
Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to help cover the cost of corrective cranial surgery for Kyal, which is scheduled to take place on February 4. Surgeons will remove the protrusion and correct the skull defect, hopefully eliminating the risk of future neurological complications and allowing Kyal to develop along a healthy trajectory.
Kyal’s mother says, “I worry that my daughter will grow up and cannot see well because of her symptom.”