Matiko is an eight-year-old boy living in Tanzania with his parents and seven siblings. He is the second youngest of three boys and four girls. His father is a farmer who raises cattle and other livestock. He also grows maize. Matiko likes to play football and other sports with his friends. When he grows up, he wants to be a soldier and fight for his country.
Matiko has sustained an extensive burn contracture with a keloid on his right neck, shoulder, and chest. Burn scar contractures are a natural occurrence in the healing process from second- or third-degree burns. The skin tightens to cover the open wound quickly, but in that process, it becomes tight and inflexible. A keloid is a collagenous type of scar, and it is the result of an overgrowth of granulation tissue at the site of healing.
Matiko has been recommended for a contracture release procedure and scar excision, during which a skin graft will be applied to restore function and movement to the neck and arm. The total cost of the procedure is $1,469, which covers the medications, supplies, food, and inpatient care for one month of recovery. Matiko’s surgery is scheduled for March 31.
Following his recovery, Matiko will have restored function and mobility of his neck and right arm, and he will be able to play sports with his friends again.