Samuel is an infant from Kenya. He is 11 days old. Samuel’s mother is a farmer.
Samuel was born with spina bifida, a type of neural tube defect in which the spine does not properly close around the spinal cord. Without treatment, Samuel is at risk of lower-limb paralysis, infection of the exposed nervous tissue, development of tethered cord syndrome, and possible developmental delays.
Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,097 to cover the cost of Samuel’s spina bifida closure surgery. The procedure is scheduled to take place on October 15. This procedure will hopefully spare Samuel from the risks associated with his condition, instead allowing him to grow and develop along a healthy trajectory.
“I am hoping that my son can get help in all ways possible because this condition is really heartbreaking,” shares Samuel’s mother.