Beatrice is a one-month-old baby from Kenya. She is the youngest in a family of nine children. Due to the ongoing rain shortage, the parents have had to go out of their way to do casual jobs to provide for the family. The family has no insurance and cannot raise the required funds for her surgery.
Beatrice was born at home, and immediately, her mother noticed she had swelling on her back. Referred by a friend to BethanyKids, her family traveled for two days and brought her in for an examination.
Beatrice was born with spina bifida, a type of neural tube defect in which the spine does not properly close around the spinal cord. Without treatment, Beatrice is at risk of lower-limb paralysis, infection of the exposed nervous tissue, development of tethered cord syndrome, and possible developmental delays.
Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,151 to cover the cost of Beatrice’s spina bifida closure surgery. The procedure is scheduled to take place on March 8th. This procedure will hopefully spare Beatrice from the risks associated with her condition, allowing her to grow and develop along a healthy trajectory.
Beatrice’s mother says, “I was confused when I first saw the condition my child has, and I did not know what to do. I’m really looking forward to her surgery.”