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Success! Dickson from Tanzania raised $1,160 for clubfoot treatment.

Dickson
100%
  • $1,160 raised, $0 to go
$1,160
raised
$0
to go
Fully funded
Dickson's treatment was fully funded on September 16, 2016.

Photo of Dickson post-operation

October 11, 2016

Dickson received successful clubfoot treatment.

Dickson is on the initial treatment to correct bilateral clubfoot. Cast change is done once every week, and that will be followed by a small operation and later on the use of foot abduction braces. Complete treatment will allow Dickson to walk on plantigrade and have a normal gait.

“I am pleased with the progress of my son’s treatment,” said Dickson’s mother. “I am hopeful that he will be able to walk properly when he finishes treatment and starts walking. I truly appreciate the financial support.”

Dickson is on the initial treatment to correct bilateral clubfoot. Cast change is done once every week, and that will be followed by a small...

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August 9, 2016

One-month-old Dickson is the first child born to his parents. His mother works at a small drug store as a store keeper and his father is a small-scale farmer – he relies on growing maize and beans. Apart from being born with congenital bilateral clubfoot, Dickson is a cute baby, healthy and growing without problems.

Bilateral clubfoot is a birth defect in which the foot is twisted out of shape or position. Doctors at Watsi’s medical partner recommended surgery so Dickson will be able to walk normally in the future.

The cost of treating clubfoot is just too high for Dickson’s parents to afford. Treatment, which costs $1,160, will prevent him from using the lateral aspect of his feet for walking when he starts to walk.

“We just pray that our son’s feet can be straightened to allow him to walk like other children and later on go to school,” shares Dickson’s mother.

One-month-old Dickson is the first child born to his parents. His mother works at a small drug store as a store keeper and his father is a s...

Read more

Dickson's Timeline

  • August 9, 2016
    PROFILE SUBMITTED

    Dickson was submitted by Esupat Kimerei, Rehab Surgery Project Assistant Coordinator at African Mission Healthcare.

  • August 11, 2016
    TREATMENT OCCURRED

    Dickson received treatment at Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre (ALMC) in Tanzania. Medical partners often provide care to patients accepted by Watsi before those patients are fully funded, operating under the guarantee that the cost of care will be paid for by donors.

  • September 1, 2016
    PROFILE PUBLISHED

    Dickson's profile was published to start raising funds.

  • September 16, 2016
    FULLY FUNDED

    Dickson's treatment was fully funded.

  • October 11, 2016
    TREATMENT UPDATE

    Dickson's treatment was successful. Read the update.

Funded by 27 donors

Funded by 27 donors

Treatment
Clubfoot
  • Diagnosis
  • Procedure
  • Symptoms
  • Impact on patient's life
  • Cultural or regional significance

​What kinds of symptoms do patients experience before receiving treatment?

The foot is turned inward, often severely, at the ankle, and the arch of the foot is very high. Patients experience discomfort, and the affected leg may be shorter and smaller than the other.

​What is the impact on patients’ lives of living with these conditions?

These children have a difficult time walking and running. Years of trying to walk on a clubfoot will cause wounds and other skeletal problems, such as arthritis. Patients will have difficulty fitting in shoes and participating in normal play, school, and daily activities. Many Africans make their livings through manual labor, which can be difficult with an untreated clubfoot.

What cultural or regional factors affect the treatment of these conditions?

Incidence is 1/1,000 live births, or about 1,600 cases in Tanzania annually. This is roughly similar to rates in Western countries, though many cases may be missed. There is no known reason for its occurrence in this region.

  • Process
  • Impact on patient's life
  • Risks and side-effects
  • Accessibility
  • Alternatives

What does the treatment process look like?

Patients will undergo a series of small operations, casting, and manipulations during their course of treatment. Patients will stay in the Plaster House, a rehabilitation center for children in Tanzania, for as long as their recovery takes.

What is the impact of this treatment on the patient’s life?

The bones and joint will become aligned, and long-term disability will be prevented.

What potential side effects or risks come with this treatment?

Clubfoot is very treatable. The surgery is minor and not risky.

How accessible is treatment in the area? What is the typical journey like for a patient to receive care?

Care is not easily accessible. Most patients live in remote, rural areas and are identified through mobile outreach. The pediatric surgical program at Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre was started to meet the large burden of pediatric disability in the region.

What are the alternatives to this treatment?

There are no alternatives. If not treated, the condition will persist and will result in disability.

Meet another patient you can support

100% of your donation funds life-changing surgery.

Prossy

Prossy is a hospital cleaner and a mother of three children, all of whom are currently studying. After completing high school, she joined a nursing school to pursue a certificate in midwifery. Unfortunately, her father, who was paying her school fees, passed away while she was in her second year. Due to financial constraints, she had to drop out of nursing school. However, her passion for caring for the sick never faded, and she decided to become a cleaner, a job she has held for over 25 years at a local health center. Prossy's husband is a farmer, and they live in a two-roomed house. Their income is not sufficient to cover the cost of her surgery, and she is, therefore, appealing for support. For the last five years, Prossy began to experience troubling symptoms, including shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, palpitation, and pain while swallowing. Concerned about her health, Prossy sought medical attention and went to a local health center. She needed specialized care and was referred to Nyakibale hospital where surgery was recommended. She was diagnosed with a bilateral goiter and needs surgery to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is helping Prossy receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on March 7th at our medical partner's care center. Surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. This procedure will cost $252, and she and her family need help raising money. Prossy says: “I hope to get healed and have normal health like any other person once I am given your support to undergo surgery.”

7% funded

7%funded
$20raised
$232to go

Meet another patient you can support

100% of your donation funds life-changing surgery.