Meet Maureen, a 23-year-old woman from Kenya, and the oldest of four children. “Maureen is a casual worker at the local supermarket,” says our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF).
A year ago, Maureen accidentally hit her toe on a door. Since the pain quickly ceased, she assumed that she was not badly hurt. AMHF explains, “After some time, Maureen noticed that the toe was getting bent. Last week, after she started experiencing the pain again, Maureen came to hospital and an X-ray showed the toe had a fracture, which healed improperly.” Maureen needs an open reduction internal fixation (ORIF) surgery so her toe can properly heal. Unfortunately, Maureen’s income from her supermarket work is not sufficient to cover the cost of the surgery.
With $1,125 in funding Maureen will receive the ORIF—a procedure in which the doctor makes an incision to reach the bones and then moves them back into their normal position. Metal screws, plates, sutures, or rods are then placed on the bone to keep it in place while it heals. Funding will also cover lab costs, two weeks in the hospital, and ten days of physical therapy.
After surgery, AMHF explains, “Maureen’s toe will be treated and she will no longer be in pain, she will be able to wear shoes, concentrate on work and also achieve her dream of marriage.”
“I hope I will have a successful surgery so that I can meet my dream of having my own family,” shares Maureen.
