“I hope that this surgery will change the way I look,” shares Say, a 14-year-old girl from Burma.
Many teenagers worry about what their peers think of them, but a medical condition has made all social interactions especially stressful for Say. She has a benign protrusion on her face, in between her eyebrows. As a result, Say feels shy at school (where she is in the sixth grade) and when she goes out with friends. Her family also worries that the mass will keep growing and may block her vision in the future.
Say’s parents have not sought treatment for Say’s condition in the past because they could not afford it. The money they earn as subsistence farmers is just enough to pay for the daily needs and school fees of their five children.
But with your help, we can make sure Say receives the surgery she needs. Her doctors plan to operate to remove the growth on April 24. In order to fund this procedure—as well as the 20-day hospital stay Say will need to recover from it—our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, has requested $1,500.
After her surgery, Say will be able to move about the world confidently, without fear of teasing, judgment, or discrimination from others.