11-month-old William is the youngest in his family of three children. His family resides in a single-room house in Western Kenya. William’s parents make money washing clothes, farming, and helping with construction, but don’t have a constant source of income. The little money they earn goes towards education for William’s two elder siblings and food for the family.
When William was two-months-old, “his head circumference had greatly increased in comparison to his body,” our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF), tells us. “With no funds to get them to the hospital, William’s parents let it be, and, day by day, their son’s head got larger.”
This past Christmas, a neighbor paid for William’s transportation to the hospital for specialized treatment. William was formally diagnosed with hydrocephalus. Hydrocephalus occurs when abnormal amounts cerebrospinal fluid accumulate in the brain’s cavities, called subarachnoid space.
“If not treated, William is at risk for having delayed milestones,” AMHF says. “The accumulation of cerebral spinal fluid may cause brain damage. He is also at risk of becoming visually impaired.”
William’s surgery costs $615. “The surgery will help reduce the excessive pressure on William’s brain, prevent blindness and death,” AMHF explains.
“I am begging for the life of William,” his mother shares. “Let it be the best I can do for him.”