Letina is a bright sixteen-year-old student. He’s from a large family with ten children with Letina being one of the oldest. At school, Letina’s best subjects are math, Swahili, and social studies. He is a hard-working student and helps look after his father’s cattle when he is not studying.
About three years ago, Letina’s legs began curving as he grew. At first, it was a slight curve but has worsened over the years. As a result, Letina has had to stop his studies in search of treatment for his legs. Due to the family’s limited income, they could not previously seek treatment for their son.
Letina visited our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), where he was diagnosed with bilateral valgus, a condition in which the bone joint is angled outward away from the body’s midline. This condition is typically caused by an excessive accumulation of fluoride in the bones, which often stems from contaminated drinking water. As a result, walking is painful and near impossible. Letina shared he is now unable to walk a long distance and feels pain when he does walk.
On October 26th, Letina will undergo corrective surgery. Treatment should help restore Letina’s mobility, allow him to participate in various activities, and significantly decrease his risk of future complications. AMH is requesting $880 to help fund Letina’s surgery.
Letina shared, “Walking has become very hard for me due to pain and how deformed my legs are. My friends have been making fun of me at school.”