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Success! Purity from Kenya raised $1,151 to fund life-changing spinal surgery.

Purity
100%
  • $1,151 raised, $0 to go
$1,151
raised
$0
to go
Fully funded
Purity's treatment was fully funded on December 10, 2022.

Photo of Purity post-operation

December 20, 2022

Purity underwent life-changing spinal surgery.

Purity’s surgery was done successfully with no complications. The swelling on her lower back subsided and the doctors hope that she will not have any further complications. As she was discharged home from the hospital, she was in a good health. Her mother will bring her to the clinic for follow-ups so her doctors can continue to assess her recovery.

Purity’s mother says, “I’m very happy that Purity has been treated when we were almost giving up on her treatment.”

Purity’s surgery was done successfully with no complications. The swelling on her lower back subsided and the doctors hope that she will not...

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July 6, 2022

Purity is an adorable seven-month-old baby who was born with spina bifida. She is the youngest of two children in her family. Her parents previously relied on casual labor to support their family, meaning they would pick up work wherever and whenever it was available. However, with jobs currently being so hard to find, they now do small-scale farming to provide for their family.

Since she was born, Purity has had a swelling on her lower back. A few days after birth, her parents took her to a nearby facility, where she was examined three times without receiving any help. During the fourth visit, she was referred to another facility in the bigger city of Nakuru. There, she was diagnosed with spina bifida, a condition caused by the spine not properly closing around the spinal cord. After receiving a diagnosis, Purity was referred to our medical partner’s care center, BethanyKids Kijabe Hospital (BKKH), for treatment.

Last week, Purity’s family was finally able to gather enough money to bring her to BKKH for an evaluation. However, due to financial constraints, her family is unable to fund the procedure needed to help her condition. Without treatment, Purity is at risk of lower-limb paralysis, infection of the exposed nervous tissue, development of tethered cord syndrome, and possible developmental delays.

Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is able to help. Purity is scheduled to undergo spina bifida closure surgery on July 7th. Now, AMH is requesting $1,151 to cover the cost of Purity’s spinal surgery. This procedure will hopefully spare Purity from the risks associated with her condition, instead allowing her to grow and develop along a healthy trajectory.

Purity’s mother says, “I’m not happy to see my child with this condition. I would really like her to be treated and have a normal life.”

Purity is an adorable seven-month-old baby who was born with spina bifida. She is the youngest of two children in her family. Her parents pr...

Read more

Purity's Timeline

  • July 6, 2022
    PROFILE SUBMITTED

    Purity was submitted by Ruth Kanyeria, SAFE Program Coordinator at African Mission Healthcare.

  • July 7, 2022
    TREATMENT OCCURRED

    Purity received treatment at BethanyKids Kijabe Hospital (BKKH) in Kenya. Medical partners often provide care to patients accepted by Watsi before those patients are fully funded, operating under the guarantee that the cost of care will be paid for by donors.

  • July 10, 2022
    PROFILE PUBLISHED

    Purity's profile was published to start raising funds.

  • December 10, 2022
    FULLY FUNDED

    Purity's treatment was fully funded.

  • December 20, 2022
    TREATMENT UPDATE

    Purity's treatment was successful. Read the update.

Funded by 14 donors

Funded by 14 donors

Treatment
Spina Bifida Closure
  • Cost Breakdown
  • Diagnosis
  • Procedure
On average, it costs $1,151 for Purity's treatment
Hospital Fees
$889
Medical Staff
$0
Medication
$82
Supplies
$0
Labs
$126
Other
$54
  • Symptoms
  • Impact on patient's life
  • Cultural or regional significance

​What kinds of symptoms do patients experience before receiving treatment?

The patient has a mass or lesion on the back that leaks cerebral spinal fluid, which puts him or her at risk of infection.

​What is the impact on patients’ lives of living with these conditions?

Spina bifida can cause incontinence, bladder and kidney damage, and paralysis and numbness in the lower limbs, bladder, and sphincter. It can also lead to hydrocephalus as a result of disturbance to the fluid in the brain. Hydrocephalus can lead to cognitive dysfunction, blindness, and death.

What cultural or regional factors affect the treatment of these conditions?

Spina bifida is more common in developing countries due to improper and inadequate nutrition. Foods containing folic acid are scarce, and food is not fortified. In Kenya, however, the Ministry of Health has recently started a program to give expectant mothers folic acid for free at government facilities.

  • Process
  • Impact on patient's life
  • Risks and side-effects
  • Accessibility
  • Alternatives

What does the treatment process look like?

After surgery, the patient's hospital stay ranges from two days to three weeks. The length of stay depends on the healing rate of the wound and will be extended if the patient also undergoes a shunt insertion to treat hydrocephalus. However, shunt insertions are usually performed about one month after this surgery. The patient is continually monitored. If the wound heals and the patient is in a neurologically stable condition, the surgery is considered successful.

What is the impact of this treatment on the patient’s life?

Surgery performed within the first days of a child’s life prevents infection and saves the spine and brain from further damage. Early surgery also minimizes the risk of paralysis. Later treatment may save the child's life and prevent further damage.

What potential side effects or risks come with this treatment?

This surgery is moderately risky, and complications depend on the severity of the case.

How accessible is treatment in the area? What is the typical journey like for a patient to receive care?

There are few quality care centers in the region. Hospitals lack adequate resources and expertise to treat this condition. With about one neurosurgeon per 10,000,000 people in East Africa, initial treatment for spina bifida is often unavailable.

What are the alternatives to this treatment?

Surgery is the primary option for most types of spina bifida.

Meet another patient you can support

100% of your donation funds life-changing surgery.

Meet another patient you can support

100% of your donation funds life-changing surgery.