“Zaw is a playful 19-month-old baby who suffers from a neurological condition called encephalocele,” our medical partner, Burma Border Projects (BBP), tells us. Zaw lives with his parents, sister, and grandmother in Burma.
An encephalocele is a sac of brain tissue that protrudes through a structural gap in the front or back of the skull. They are very rare, occurring in one in 5,000 births. Protrusions in the front of the skull—as is the case with little Zaw—are more common in Southeast Asia than those at the back and may cause difficulty seeing, breathing, or eating. Infection of the encephalocele due to injury or rupture is a major concern and can be life-threatening.
BBP continues, “Since Zaw was born, the mass has now grown. It covers the bridge of his nose, the top of his left cheek, and his left eye. If something accidently touches the mass on his face, then he cries loudly, but otherwise he is a playful, happy little boy.”
Zaw’s father works as a day laborer in construction, and his mother stays at home to take care of Zaw and his sister. They have been very worried about their son’s condition.
$1,500 will fund surgery to remove Zaw’s encephalocele, repair the hole in his skull with a bone graft, and reconstruct his face. Funding also covers eight days of hospital care, transportation to and from the hospital, and three post-operative follow-up appointments. BBP says, “Encephalocele repair will improve Zaw’s future. He will no longer have disfiguration and will also be able to see and breathe better.”
Let’s help fund surgery for Zaw!