Four-year-old Francisca lives with her parents and ten-year-old sibling in Tanzania. Her parents are small business owners who run a small home bakery and a small shop in town, where they sell home goods.
When Francisca started walking, her mother noticed her bowed legs. Her parents took her to a hospital, where casts were placed on her legs to help straighten them. After one month, the casts were removed, but Francisca could not walk at all. At a second hospital visit, Francisca received medicine to help strengthen her bones, but it has not helped.
Francisca’s bowed legs—known as bilateral genu varum—result from excess fluoride deposits in her bones, causing them to become soft and prone to bending or breaking. Her legs make it hard for her to walk properly, and she experiences pain when walking. Without treatment, the abnormal stress on her hips, knees, and ankles may lead to osteoarthritis of those joints. In addition, Francisca will be at risk for trips and falls and will face challenges in walking, playing, and attending school.
Francisca’s family was running out of options to pay for her care when a friend advised her parents to take her to our medical partner’s care center for help. On June 2, doctors from Watsi’s medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF), will perform a surgical procedure known as an osteotomy. Doctors will remove a wedge of bone from each of her lower leg bones and attach a metal plate and screws to close the gap and straighten the leg. Francisca will wear casts on her legs while they heal.
AMHF requests $838 to pay for Francisca’s surgery, three days of hospital care, cast changes, X-rays, lab tests, medicine, physical therapy, and a three-month-stay for recovery and rehabilitation. Francisca’s parents are contributing $45 to cover additional costs associated with her care.
“Please help my daughter get better,” shares Francisca’s mother. Let’s help make that happen!
