Rachel is a two-year-old girl from Guatemala who lives with her parents and younger sister. She is an active girl and adores playing with her younger sister and their dolls. Rachel also loves to eat her favorite foods, which are watermelon and chicken soup.
Rachel has strabismus—a condition in which the eyes do not align in the same direction and appear crossed. Symptoms of strabismus include double vision, uncoordinated eye movements, headaches, and loss of vision or depth perception. If left untreated, Rachel’s vision could suffer irreparable damage.
Throughout her short life, Rachel has already had to receive treatment for malnutrition, physical and speech therapy, leg-lengthening orthotic braces, and glasses. Because of the severity of her eye condition, our medical partner, Wuqu’ Kawoq, is requesting $1,500 to fund Rachel’s eye surgery. The procedure is scheduled to take place on July 4 and will involve consultations with a trusted eye specialist before and after surgery. Following treatment, Rachel will have healthy eyes for the first time in her life.
Rachel’s mother says, “I dream for my daughter to have more opportunities in her life. I hope that she can study in a university.”