“We dream that our son will grow big and heathy, and be able to study when he is older,” shares Axel’s father.
Two-month-old Axel is acutely malnourished because his mother cannot produce breast milk. She has been giving him water with sugar and rice. But he has still been losing weight steadily, and now weighs much less than when he was born.
Recently, Axel has been crying and coughing a lot. With an immune system weakened by severe weight loss, even a simple cough or fever could be life-threatening. If Axel does not receive treatment soon, he could face the risk of seizures, permanent brain damage, and death.
Axel is the youngest of four in his family. They live in a one-room house in a rural community in the mountains of Guatemala. His father works as a day laborer, making very little money when he finds work, and often having no source of income for days at a time. Axel’s mother spends her days caring for him and his siblings, cooking, and cleaning.
Although Axel’s life is in danger right now, treatment is simple and effective. For $1,016, he will receive formula for one year, until he is able to consume normal foods. This will help him gain weight, and develop normally both mentally and physically. His immune system will grow stronger, and his life will no longer be in danger. Furthermore, his mother and other family members will receive motivational nutrition classes in their home, so they will be able to know what foods to feed Axel so he can overcome his case of malnutrition and life a full and healthy life.
Let’s help this family guide their son into a healthy childhood.