Twelve-year-old Lucy is a young, cheerful girl from Kenya. She was the lastborn in a family of nine children, and she has always been surrounded by eight older siblings, one of whom was always there to look after her and to play with her.
When she was five months old, Lucy’s mother noticed that her daughter’s head was the only part of her body that was growing. Her head had grown so much that her neck could no longer carry its weight. Lucy began crying and vomiting so much that it worried her parents. After a few days, they decided to rush her to the nearest dispensary. The doctors said that her symptoms were identical to those of typhoid and malaria. Lucy was given medication to treat her symptoms, and for a while, things seemed to have resolved themselves. Lucy was back to her normal, cheerful, and playful self. As soon as she had finished taking her medications, however, the crying and vomiting started again, this time worse than before. It was then that a neighbor told the family about BethanyKids. Lucy’s parents travelled from Njoro to Kijabe, holding onto the belief that finally their daughter would be put out of her misery.
Lucy was diagnosed with hydrocephalus, a condition in which excess cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the brain and increases intracranial pressure. Lucy underwent a shunt insertion surgery, which was a resounding success. Within days of admission, she was discharged. Her recovery was smooth, and her growth has since been normal and without any problems.
For over 10 years, Lucy has had a normal childhood, playing and attending school with her peers and siblings. Currently in grade six, Lucy enjoys spending time in school, with art being her favorite subject. “I love making many different things with my hands, using whatever resources are available,” she adds. Life had made the family forget about her condition and the early days of Lucy’s life.
One week ago, around the time Lucy was doing her midterm exams, she started experiencing headaches. Determined to finish her exams before seeking medical help, Lucy kept this to herself. One day, while in school, her headaches got so severe that she started crying and screaming in extreme pain. Her friends had to carry her home.
Doctors ran tests on Lucy and determined she needs a shunt revision surgery. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $574 to cover the cost of surgery for Lucy. The procedure is scheduled to take place on July 3rd. During the procedure, surgeons will drain the excess fluid from Lucy’s brain. This will reduce intracranial pressure and greatly improve Lucy’s quality of life. With proper treatment, Lucy will continue developing into a strong, healthy young girl.
“I hope the pain that I feel will end after the surgery, and that I’ll be able to go back to school as soon as possible,” Lucy said.
