Veronicah is the second born in a family of three children. She lives with her siblings and parents in a single-room house in Kenya. Her mother sells groceries while her father is a motorbike transport operator.
Veronicah began having headaches at the age of seven, and was administered pain relievers. Due to its persistence, her parents took her to a different hospital and a scan revealed that Veronicah had a brain tumor and excess fluid in her head. She received a shunt to drain the excess fluid, but the tumor remained untouched since that hospital had no tumor specialist.
The situation was calm for a while, but after some time the headaches were back with greater intensity. In February this year, Veronicah lost sight in her right eye. Her performance in school deteriorated and since she could not keep up, she stopped attending school.
A friend advised Veronicah’s parents to visit Bethany Kids, a hospital partner with Watsi’s medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF), for specialized treatment.
If not treated, Veronica may experience brain damage and could become completely blind. $1,260 will cover the cost of her treatment - a craniotomy - plus all post-operative care.
“I want to be a Sunday school teacher when I grow up,” said Veronicah.