Liam is a 5-year-old boy from Kenya. He was born spina bifida and clubfoot. A few days after his birth, the doctor also noticed that his testicles had yet to descend. At the time, this was not a major concern because it sometimes takes a while for this to occur. Liam’s mom was told to bring him back in five years if this did not happen. In the meantime, Liam underwent treatment for his other birth defects.
Four years down the line, only one of Liam’s testicles had descended, so Liam’s mom brought him to Watsi’s Partner Care Center BethanyKids Hospital for examination in 2019. Upon review, Liam was diagnosed with cryptorchidism, a condition in which one or both of the testicles remains undescended. If left untreated, Liam has an increased risk of developing hernias, testicular cancer, and fertility problems in the future.
Doctors recommended he undergo surgery, to be covered by the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF). The NHIF request was approved, but not approved at a level to cover all of Liam’s treatment. Liam’s mom decided to wait until she could raise more funds, but unfortunately the NHIF approval expired three months later without her knowledge. One year later, one of BethanyKids’ social workers reviewed a list of patients and saw that Liam still had yet to receive treatment.
Liam’s mother has not been able to raise the required amount for her son’s surgery through their friends and family. Liam’s father passed away when he was three weeks old. Having lost the breadwinner of the family, Liam’s mother had to work hard to support them. Before the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, Liam’s mother had found a job as a nursery school teacher. However, the job only lasted for three months until the school closed down due to the pandemic. When the schools reopened, she was not able to go to work because Liam was not accepted again in the school he used to attend. She is appealing for financial help.
Liam will be receiving assistance from our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). Fortunately, he is scheduled to undergo corrective surgery on February 8th. AMHF is requesting $561 to cover the total cost of his procedure and care.
Liam’s mother shared, “Through the years since Liam was born, I have never given up on him. He has undergone several surgeries and God has always provided. Even in the upcoming surgery, I am very hopeful that Liam will be treated.”