Meet Tamiru, an eight-month-old boy from Ethiopia. “Tamiru is the fifth child to his parents, who are from a rural community,” shares our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF).
AMHF explains that “Tamiru was born with a congenital anomaly called imperforated anus, that means he has no natural stool passage.” As a result, Tamiru “developed bowel obstruction” a few days after his birth. A local government hospital performed an emergency colostomy—a procedure that establishes an alternative route for fecal matter to exit the body—“but Tamiru and his family have been suffering from the complications of the colostomy,” states AMHF. The next step for Tamiru is a surgery that will “create a new anus,” thus enabling him to “start passing stool normally.” He will also have “a colostomy closure (the final stage in this surgery) done two-three months after” the initial procedure.
“Tamiru’s family depends solely on his father’s income,” says AMHF. His “father practices farming which is how he earns a living.” However, “he is unable to cater for the surgery that his son desperately needs,” the cost of which is $1,500.00. In addition to Tamiru’s complications, AMHF states that the “condition is also affecting his parents psychologically.” Surgery will alleviate both Tamiru’s and his family’s concerns.
“Tamiru’s parents’ hope is that he will get treated and be well, free of this condition,” shares AMHF. They also hope that he will “be able to go to school and lead a better life than [they] currently do.”
