Samuelah is a four-month-old baby girl from Kenya. Her mother shares that Samuelah’s pregnancy was difficult, and she had to be on bed rest most weeks. When she was eventually born via caesarean section, doctors saw the lump on Samuelah’s back. They informed her mother that Samuelah had been born with two conditions; hydrocephalus, a condition in which excess cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the brain and increases intracranial pressure, and spina bifida, a neural tube defect where the spinal column fails to close completely during early embryonic development. The family was referred to our medical partner’s care center, BethanyKids Kijabe Hospital (BKKH), for specialized care.
Samuelah’s parents raised transportation funds and made their way to Kijabe, a journey of over 300 kilometers. Samuelah underwent her first surgery for the spina bifida, and was also treated for infections as she awaited her second major surgery. Her parents, who never left her side, were a great source of love and support. At three months old, Samuelah underwent a successful shunt insertion surgery. For about a month after discharge, life seemed to slowly get back to normal. Samuelah’s back was completely healed, and the shunt was functioning as it should.
Last week, however, Samuelah’s surgical site started leaking. She was also experiencing laboured breathing, and appeared lethargic. They finally made it back to hospital a few days later, where tests revealed a shunt blockage and an infection. Samuelah has now been scheduled for an EVD procedure to drain the cerebrospinal fluid temporarily, as the doctors work on treating the infection before another shunt insertion surgery.
Having been hospitalised for over two months quite recently, the family had already sold all their cattle, and the hospital had to support some of their medical bills. Samuela’s father now works informal jobs to support his family, while her mother takes care of their home. As Samuelah battles for her life, her parents are worried about financing her medical care, that is way above their financial ability. Without treatment, Samuelah will continue experiencing increasing head circumference and severe physical and developmental delays.
Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $719 to cover the cost of surgery for Samuelah. The procedure is scheduled to take place on August 11th, and will drain the excess fluid from Samuelah’s brain. This will reduce intracranial pressure and greatly improve her quality of life. With proper treatment, Samuelah will hopefully develop into a strong, healthy young girl.
Samuelah’s mother shared, “These past few days have been difficult for my daughter. Seeing her in pain and connected to machines once again has brought back very painful memories for me. With this surgery, I really hope that my daughter will get better and that we’l soon be back home.”