Lavender is a 12-year-old girl from Kenya. She comes from a family of six children, raised by her farmer parents.
What began as a small pimple on Lavender’s left leg has turned into a condition that has cost her an entire year of her childhood. In December 2024, Lavender began experiencing pain around her left knee, which rapidly swelled. She was rushed to a nearby hospital for first aid, but the medication she received did little to ease her pain. She was later referred to another facility, where doctors had to drain pus from her leg because the swelling had caused numbness and left her unable to walk. Throughout 2025, Lavender has been in and out of hospitals with no significant improvement.
In September 2025, still holding onto hope, Lavender’s family brought her to our medical partner’s care center, AIC Kijabe Hospital, where she underwent two surgeries in October and November aimed at reducing the swelling in her leg. Thankfully, she began to show signs of improvement and was finally able to walk again with the help of crutches. However, during a follow-up visit in December 2025, doctors discovered an infection that now requires a debridement surgery. Unfortunately, her father’s insurance has been fully exhausted, yet this surgery is critical for Lavender’s healing.
Lavender is scheduled to undergo a debridement surgery on December 5th. This will help facilitate healing, restore her strength and mobility, and go back to school. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $505 to fund Lavender’s procedure and care.
Lavender says, “I can’t run like I used to. My leg hurts, and I have to use crutches just to move around.”

