“Four-day-old Nanyu is the last-born in a family of five children, and lives with her family in a traditional hut in Kenya,” shares our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF).
Nanyu was born with spina bifida, a condition that affects the development of the spinal cord. In babies with spina bifida, the protective structures that enclose the spinal cord do not develop or close properly, causing defects.
Nanyu’s condition has resulted in a swollen sac on her lower spinal area where the covering of the spinal cord and some of the cord itself are protruding. The exposed sac is covered by a thin membrane that is easily split, which would expose the delicate spinal tissue to the air. This condition puts Nanyu her at high risk of developing an infection, spinal cord malformation, and loss of muscle function in her lower limbs.
To prevent any of these complications, Nanyu needs an operation called a spinal bifida closure.
Nanyu’s family members work as pastoralists and depend of their livestock as their livelihood. However, many have been wiped out due to tribal clashes in the region. The family in constantly moving to find pasture for their few remaining livestock. Therefore, AMHF explains, “Her parents are not able to raise funds for her surgical care.”
With our support, Nanyu can get the care she needs. In a spina bifida closure operation, doctors will close the skin over the exposed sac to prevent infection or further damage to the spinal cord. $805 in funding will cover Nanyu’s surgical costs, hospital stay, medicine, and physiotherapy.
Nanyu’s father shares, “We are praying that Nanyu gets treated. I know that our kind of life is very hard but I am happy that we were able to bring her to the hospital for care.”
