Meet Lightness, a 13-year-old girl from Tanzania. She is the youngest in her family, and her parents work as farmers to provide for their children.
Last month, Lightness’s neck began to swell, causing pain and discomfort. Initially, doctors at a local hospital thought it was a boil that could be drained. Lightness then traveled to our medical partner’s care center, Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre (ALMC). Doctors at ALMC diagnosed Lightness with a mandibular mass that needs to be excised.
Lightness’s parents are unable to afford the entire procedure, but wish to eliminate the pain and discomfort their daughter endures. The procedure is scheduled for June 5, and our medical partner is requesting $822.
Lightness says, “I feel bad going to school like this. I want to be normal again.”