Three-year-old Ester lives with her mother, father, and her three older siblings in Tanzania. Her father is a self-employed carpenter, and her mother sells the vegetables she grows in her garden at an open market in their village. Ester loves to play with her dolls, and will carefully carry her biggest doll to meals and feed her doll during mealtimes.
Ester was born with genu varus, or “bow legs,” a condition that is fairly normal during early child development. Ester’s mother became concerned about Ester’s legs when she turned 18 months old and still had unusual gait and instability.
“Ester wiggles when walking. She often falls down when she tries to run and she can’t keep up when running with other children. Ester will be at risk of developing osteoarthritis at a young age if not treated,” explains our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation.
Ester’s mother took her to various hospitals and attempted to treat her legs with adjusting her diet and adding multivitamins, but it did not help. Since Ester still has bow legs at her age, it must be rectified with surgery.
Ester needs $940 to have her bow legs surgically repaired. The total cost will cover the surgery, three days of inpatient care, and two weeks of outpatient care. The surgery will give her better gait and reduce her risk of developing osteoarthritis.
Ester’s mother is excited for Ester’s full recovery. “I will be happy to see my daughter with straight legs and able to walk properly,” she says.
