This cute little boy is Brillian, a newborn baby from Kenya. Brillian has no shortage of love in his life with his mother and grandmother looking after him. Brillian’s mother is still in primary school and is taking her 8th grade exams, so Brillian’s grandmother has stepped in as the primary caregiver for Brillian as his mother recovers from her caesarian section and finishes school.
Brillian was born with spina bifida, a congenital disorder that is relatively common, but can cause long-term physical and mental defects in patients. Children with spina bifida like Brillian are born with an exposed mass on the lower part of their back. The mass reduces blood supply to their spinal nerves, and causes damage to their spinal cord. If it continues to grow patients may develop a curved spine (scoliosis) and incontinence. Patients are also at increased risk of infection because of the exposed mass. Brillian is in need of surgery to close the mass in his back, though his grandmother says, “I am the sole breadwinner for my family. I cannot raise the money that my grandson need for the surgery.”
For $980 Brillian will undergo spina bifida closure, allowing him to live a healthy life without the long-term side effects of spina bifida he faces. With your generosity we can help Brillian reach his full potential and grow to be the strong, healthy boy his family hopes he will be!