Meet Aurora, an eight-month-old girl from Kenya. Aurora lives with her mother and grandparents, who sell vegetables to support the family.
“Aurora was born perfectly healthy,” says our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). “But when she attained the age of one and a half months, her head began increasing in size.” Aurora’s swelling is caused by a condition called hydrocephalus. Hydrocephalus is a condition in which an excess of cerebrospinal fluid builds up, creating heavily pressurized areas in the brain.
As Aurora grows and develops throughout her childhood, this condition could pose serious health complications, including vision loss and limited physical mobility.
For $980, Aurora will receive surgery in which a shunt will be placed in her head to reroute the cerebrospinal fluid to the abdomen, where it can be more easily absorbed. “Aurora’s surgery will help eliminate the pressure impacting her brain, and allow her to live a quality life,” says AMHF.
“Being a first time mother, Aurora’s condition came as shock to me,” shares her mother. “It pains me to hear Aurora’s excruciating cries especially at night, sometimes I wish her condition on me to keep that pain from her.”