Meet Brayan, a one-month-old boy from Kenya.
“Brayan is the only child to his single mother. He lives with his mother and grandparents in a remote village,” shares our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). “His mother dropped out of school after developing a mental disability. Both Brayan and his mother are under the care of his grandparents who practice small scale farming.”
Brayan was born with spina bifida—a birth defect in which part of the spinal cord is exposed through a gap in the backbone. AMHF reports that “the open swelling on Brayan’s back exposes him to infection and risk of developing a tethered cord if not treated.” To live safely, Brayan needs surgery to close the opening over the spinal cord. This procedure costs $805, an amount that Brayan’s grandparents cannot afford.
AMHF tells us, “after surgery the risk of infection and development of tethered cord will reduce.”
Brayan’s uncle shares, “it is very disheartening to see my nephew sick, and I hope he gets treatment soon.”