Leila is a 63-year-old woman from the valleys of Baringo County from Kenya. Together with her husband, she has raised six children through small-scale farming, depending on unpredictable harvests to provide food and school fees. Their income has never been stable, but their determination to educate their children has never wavered. Her firstborn son recently graduated with a Bachelor of Education in Special Needs Education and is still searching for employment. Her second-born daughter is married and lives away from home. The remaining children are still in school, each carrying hopes and dreams that depend heavily on their parents’ support. Leila is also a proud grandmother of two. In addition to farming, Leila once worked as a housekeeper in her neighbourhood to supplement the family’s income. However, age and increasing responsibilities forced her to stop. Even so, she continued to play a central role in sustaining her household.
Three years ago, tragedy struck. While walking, she slipped and sustained an open fracture of her leg. She received treatment elsewhere and was placed in a cast. During follow-up visits, she was reassured that the bone was healing well and that she would soon walk independently again. But her pain never truly subsided. Instead of healing completely, she developed persistent drainage at the fracture site. Despite daily wound care, the wound never closed. She continued walking in pain, enduring discomfort so she could still care for her family.
Two weeks ago, she fell again and refractured the same site. She noticed brittle, small bone fragments coming out through the wound, an alarming sign that something was deeply wrong. She was rushed to the hospital, where she underwent pain management and an emergency surgical washout. Realizing her condition required more specialised care, she chose to self-refer to AIC Kapsowar Hospital for further management.
Upon arrival, investigations including X-rays and laboratory tests confirmed a diagnosis of chronic osteomyelitis, a long-standing bone infection. She was admitted and started on intravenous antibiotics. She underwent surgical washout, debridement, and sequestrectomy to remove infected and dead bone tissue, along with placement of an antibiotic spacer to help clear the infection. Her recovery journey has now begun.
In collaboration with the plastic surgery team, she is planned to undergo a flap procedure to provide proper soft tissue coverage, promote healing, and ultimately restore her limb function. The orthopaedic team will also place an antibiotic spacer to ensure she is completely free of infection. Leila has registered with SHA and submitted multiple times in pursuit of support. However, the process has been challenging, and she urgently requires financial assistance to undergo this life-changing surgery. We humbly ask for your support to help Leila access the surgery she desperately needs, so that the wound can close without complications. It is difficult for her to walk, and she is in pain.
Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is helping Leila receive treatment. On March 2nd, surgeons at their care center will perform a contracture release surgery. This surgery is crucial; it offers her the best chance at complete recovery, relief from chronic pain, and the ability to walk independently again. Now, AMH is requesting $1,239 to fund Leila’s procedure.
Leila says, “I came to Kapsowar with faith that I will be able to go home a better person with healing in Jesus’ name. I have a family that is dependent on me, and it hurts as a mother being far away from home.”