Meet Maxwell, a three-month-old boy from Kenya who lives with his mother and grandparents.
Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF), tells us that Maxwell’s mother noticed that “his head was increasing in size and he was irritable.” Doctors diagnosed Maxwell with hydrocephalus, a condition where the pathways of cerebrospinal fluid are blocked, resulting in water accumulating in the brain and increasing pressure.
AMHF says, “Maxwell is at risk of having delayed development and is also likely to experience increased intra-cranial pressure due to the extra fluid in the head, which can result to brain damage.”
“Back home Maxwell’s great grandparents are aged and can only perform light farm tasks to provide a daily meal for the family,” AMHF continues, “so Maxwell’s mother took up embroidery classes to help supplement her grandparent’s earnings. Sadly, Maxwell’s mother is not able to pay for her son’s surgical treatment.”
Maxwell needs a procedure to insert a shunt to drain out the fluids in his head. This treatment costs $980. AMHF goes on to say, “We hope that Maxwell’s surgery will help regulate the pressure impacted on his brain and prevent brain damage.”
Maxwell’s mother adds, “I am saddened by my son’s condition, I really want him treated but I don’t have the means. I hope someone can help us.”