At only three-years-old, Queen is already proving she’s a champ. After suffering from persistent fevers as a baby, Queen was taken to a hospital where she ended up having surgery for hydrocephalus, a medical condition in which the abnormal accumulation of cerebral spinal fluid around the brain causes swelling and painful headaches from the increased pressure in the head.
If left untreated, hydrocephalus can lead to brain damage, a loss in mental and physical abilities, and even death. With early diagnosis and timely treatment, however, most children recover successfully and go on to lead normal lives.
Queen was treated with an internal shunt (a small tube placed in her brain to drain fluid), but it has already needed two replacements. An external shunt will have fewer complications and potentially save Queen’s life.
With our help, doctors at CURE Zambia can perform a stunt revision and make sure Queen is a hydrocephalus success story!