Meet Byensi, a 47-year-old widow living in Uganda with her five children. Three years ago, a painful swelling developed in her neck, accompanied by palpitations. Today, Byensi feels severe pain around the swelling, and her arms get paralyzed at night, often giving her sleepless nights.
Byensi’s condition is called a goiter; it is when the thyroid gland becomes enlarged, commonly due to iodine deficiency. If she does not receive treatment, she may develop cancer.
According to our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF), $170 will fund a thyroidectomy, an operation where Byensi’s thyroid gland will be removed. “We expect that after a thyroidectomy, Byensi will recover fully,” says AMHF. “She will be able to look after her children.”
Byensi herself looks forward to the operation. “My children need me and they are still young,” she says. “I hope I get well so that I can take care of them.” Let’s help make that happen!