“I am glad that I will soon be able to walk without pain or discomfort while herding my father’s cattle,” says Long’ututi of his upcoming surgery.
A 15-year-old boy from Tanzania, Long’ututi is the fourth-born in a family of six children. He has hearing problems, and so is not currently in school. Recently, though, he has met with even more serious medical issues. His legs have started to bend inwards at the knee and to cause him pain. He has been diagnosed with genu valgus, or “knock-knees,” in both legs.
If left untreated, Long’ututi’s knock-knees will not get better; in fact, the pain and difficulty walking that he experiences may well worsen as time goes on. There is a surgical procedure that can correct genu valgus, but Long’ututi’s parents cannot afford it. His mother is a small businesswoman who sells rice and flour, while his father is a livestock keeper who owns a few cows.
That’s where you come in. Your donation will help us build towards a fundraising goal of $838 for Long’ututi. This total will pay for his operation on September 8, as well as his lab tests, medications, and three-month stay in the physical therapy center, where he will learn to walk post-surgery.
Walking shouldn’t be painful for any child. Let’s make sure it isn’t for Long’ututi.