Eh Tha is a six-month-old girl who lives with her parents in Burma. When Eh Tha was born, her mother noticed a small lump between her daughter’s eyes. A few months later, the lump has grown larger and decreased the vision in Eh Tha’s right eye.
Eh Tha’s mother brought her daughter to see our medical partner, Burma Border Projects (BBP), where she was diagnosed with encephalocele – a defect of the neural tube that causes sac-like protrusions of the brain. This condition has also caused a fluid buildup that has contributed to Eh Tha’s vision loss.
Eh Tha needs surgery to remove the mass and the fluid behind her eyes, but her parents cannot afford the treatment. BBP tells us, “her father is a teacher and her mother looks after her at home. Eh Tha is the first and only daughter for them.”
For $1485, Eh Tha will receive an operation to provide her with a shunt to remove the fluid buildup and pressure behind her eye. Surgery will also prevent further vision loss, giving Eh Tha the ability to see.
“I want my daughter to be healthy and happy,” her mother shares. “I want her to recover and see well when she grows up.”