Alex is a 22-month-old boy from Tanzania. He is the youngest of two children. His parents depend entirely on small-scale farming for a living. Alex’s father decided to travel to neighboring Kenya to seek small jobs in order to supplement the little harvest they are able to currently get from their farm.
Alex was born with spina bifida, a type of neural tube defect in which the spine does not properly close around the spinal cord. Without treatment, Alex is at risk of lower-limb paralysis, infection of the exposed nervous tissue, development of tethered cord syndrome, and possible developmental delays.
Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,063 to cover the cost of Alex’s spina bifida closure surgery. The procedure is scheduled to take place on June 15th. This procedure will hopefully protect Alex from the risks associated with his condition, allowing him to grow and develop along a healthy trajectory.
Alex’s mother says, “I will be very happy to see my son walk by himself like his sibling. Please help us as the cost is too high for us to afford.”