Beryl is a cheerful six-year-old girl from Kenya. She is the seventh born in her family of nine children. Her mother is a single parent working hard to raise and educate her children.
Beryl has clubfoot of the left foot. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape, which causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Beryl’s mother noticed a difference in her gait when she was between 1.5 and 2 years old. She brought Beryl to a nearby health facility, where she was given medication, but no physical treatment was done, and it had no impact on her condition. Unable to pursue further treatment at the time, Beryl’s mother remained very worried to see her child having difficulty walking and facing stigma from her peers at school. Beryl’s mother later learned about our medical partner’s surgical program from people in her village who had similar conditions and were able to receive successful treatment. Beryl’s mother immediately reached out to our medical partner’s care center, AIC Cure International Hospital, to schedule Beryl for treatment. After facing isolation during some games at school, like jumping rope, Beryl is happy to see kids with a similar condition to hers being active. She shared her excitement about joining her friends in games once she is able to walk more easily.
On June 10th, surgeons at AIC Cure International Hospital will perform clubfoot repair surgery. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,286 to fund Beryl’s surgery, which will help improve her mobility, self-esteem, and ease of attending school.
Beryl’s mother said, “I will be able to reach my full provision potential when Beryl fully recovers, as I will not have to worry much about taking her to hospitals and clinics.”