Meet Lorvensky, an eight-month-old little boy from Haiti. Lorvensky was born with hydrocephalus, which is a buildup of cerebrospinal fluid within his brain cavities.
Project Medishare (PM), our medical partner, explains Lorvensky’s situation in more detail: “After Lorvensky was born, his mother noticed that his head was soft and a little bit swollen. When she brought him to a doctor, she was referred to our facilities. The baby was seen by a pediatrician and a CT scan was performed, confirming Lorvensky’s condition, which can cause seizures, fevers, and the flu.”
“Lorvensky cries a lot during the nights and his head is getting larger,” PM adds. If Lorvensky continues without treatment, he will be at risk for brain damage, a loss of physical capabilities, and even death.
Lorvensky’s mother isn’t able to afford surgery. “Lorvensky is the only child of his 19-year-old mother. When she became pregnant she stopped going to school. After Lorvensky was born she left her parents to live with her aunt, just to go back to school,” PM adds. “But now she has a sick baby to take care of and her aunt, who is unemployed, cannot help with the costs of the surgery.”
For $1,260, Lorvensky will receive a life-saving hydrocephalus shunt. During this procedure, the excess fluid will be drained from his head and a shunt will be inserted in order to prevent any further buildups and all Lorvensky to grow up healthy.
According to PM, “His mother says that she is very excited to go back to school and to see her child able to sit up and walk normally.”