Neiyeyo is a five-year-old girl from Tanzania who “used to be very active and liked to compete with other children,” says our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). However, after an accident that left her with burns in her groin area, Neiyeyo has lost some of her mobility.
“One day, Neiyeyo was fighting over a ball with a friend,” says AMHF. “Each one wanted to have the ball so they were pulling each other.” As a result, Neiyeyo was mistakenly pushed over and fell onto a pot of hot porridge, splashing the contents over her groin area and lower abdomen.
Neiyeyo is a previous Watsi patient who underwent surgery in October 2015 to treat the burns sustained in her accident. “After her first surgery Neiyeyo is showing great improvement, but when she came for follow-up the doctors saw there is more that can be done to make Neiyeyo walk even better and have greater flexibility of her lower limbs,” reports AMHF.
Neiyeyo still has burn contractures—or areas where the skin tightens after a serious burn—around her groin area. She requires contracture release surgery, a $550 procedure that will increase the amount of tissue over the scarred area and thereby increase Neiyeyo’s range of motion.
“Her parents, who are livestock keepers and small scale farmers, have done the best to help their daughter and now they cannot raise enough cash to cover the cost of operation which Neiyeyo needs,” says AMHF.
“My daughter has shown great improvement and I will be happier if her lower limbs can be more flexible,” says Neiyeyo’s mother. Let’s help fund Neiyeyo’s final surgery!
