“My wish is to see my son grow up as a normal child, without these health problems,” shares Steward’s mother, a woman from Kenya.
Her two-month-old baby, Steward, was born with hydrocephalus. In this disorder, excess cerebral-spinal fluid accumulates in the brain. This causes the baby pain, and in the long-term, could lead to serious outcomes if left untreated—brain damage, loss of motor abilities, and even death.
Steward’s mother brought him hundreds of kilometers from western Kenya to visit BethanyKids Kijabe Hospital, our medical partner’s care center. There, she was relieved to learn that his condition can be treated with the insertion of a surgical shunt into his brain or spinal cord. This shunt will direct the excess fluid away from Steward’s head and towards another part of his body, where it can be absorbed.
However, Steward’s parents cannot afford this treatment. They work as day laborers, cultivating the land on other people’s farms. By saving their money for months, they were able to raise $104 for the treatment. But they need help raising additional funds for Steward’s surgery.
That’s where you come in. By helping us raise $685, you will fund Steward’s shunt operation on September 13, as well as his lab tests, medications, and five-day hospital stay.
At two months old, Steward’s life has barely begun. Let’s make sure he is able to live a long and healthy one.
