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Success! Baraka from Tanzania raised $935 to fund a club foot repair surgery.

Baraka
100%
  • $935 raised, $0 to go
$935
raised
$0
to go
Fully funded
Baraka's treatment was fully funded on July 15, 2022.

Photo of Baraka post-operation

July 21, 2022

Baraka underwent club foot repair surgery.

Baraka’s treatment is going well and his foot is already showing great improvement. Thanks to this treatment, he will grow up without disability and will one day learn to stand and walk like other children, which is a big relief for his family.

Baraka’s mother says, “Thank you very much for all your help and support in treating my son. God bless you.”

Baraka’s treatment is going well and his foot is already showing great improvement. Thanks to this treatment, he will grow up without disabi...

Read more
March 11, 2022

Baraka is a beautiful, charming 3-month-old baby boy and the youngest in a family of three children. Baraka’s father works for a construction company. His mother was selling vegetables by the roadside until the government forced her to close her stall.

Baraka has clubfoot on both feet. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted, causing difficulty walking and even wearing shoes.

Fortunately, Baraka’s family traveled to visit our medical partner’s care center, Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre. There, surgeons performed clubfoot repair surgery on March 11th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $935 to fund Baraka’s surgery. After treatment, he will be able to walk and play just like other kids as he gets older.

Baraka’s mother says, “I want my baby to grow up a normal child without a disability. Please help us so that he can have his feet corrected.”

Baraka is a beautiful, charming 3-month-old baby boy and the youngest in a family of three children. Baraka’s father works for a constructio...

Read more

Baraka's Timeline

  • March 11, 2022
    PROFILE SUBMITTED

    Baraka was submitted by Joan Kadagaya, Curative Medical Support Program-Partner Representative at African Mission Healthcare.

  • March 12, 2022
    TREATMENT OCCURRED

    Baraka received treatment at Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre (ALMC) in Tanzania. Medical partners often provide care to patients accepted by Watsi before those patients are fully funded, operating under the guarantee that the cost of care will be paid for by donors.

  • March 14, 2022
    PROFILE PUBLISHED

    Baraka's profile was published to start raising funds.

  • July 15, 2022
    FULLY FUNDED

    Baraka's treatment was fully funded.

  • July 21, 2022
    TREATMENT UPDATE

    Baraka's treatment was successful. Read the update.

Funded by 21 donors

Funded by 21 donors

Treatment
Clubfoot
  • Cost Breakdown
  • Diagnosis
  • Procedure
On average, it costs $935 for Baraka's treatment
Hospital Fees
$693
Medical Staff
$0
Medication
$8
Supplies
$175
Labs
$14
Other
$45
  • Symptoms
  • Impact on patient's life
  • Cultural or regional significance

​What kinds of symptoms do patients experience before receiving treatment?

The foot is turned inward, often severely, at the ankle, and the arch of the foot is very high. Patients experience discomfort, and the affected leg may be shorter and smaller than the other.

​What is the impact on patients’ lives of living with these conditions?

These children have a difficult time walking and running. Years of trying to walk on a clubfoot will cause wounds and other skeletal problems, such as arthritis. Patients will have difficulty fitting in shoes and participating in normal play, school, and daily activities. Many Africans make their livings through manual labor, which can be difficult with an untreated clubfoot.

What cultural or regional factors affect the treatment of these conditions?

Incidence is 1/1,000 live births, or about 1,600 cases in Tanzania annually. This is roughly similar to rates in Western countries, though many cases may be missed. There is no known reason for its occurrence in this region.

  • Process
  • Impact on patient's life
  • Risks and side-effects
  • Accessibility
  • Alternatives

What does the treatment process look like?

Patients will undergo a series of small operations, casting, and manipulations during their course of treatment. Patients will stay in the Plaster House, a rehabilitation center for children in Tanzania, for as long as their recovery takes.

What is the impact of this treatment on the patient’s life?

The bones and joint will become aligned, and long-term disability will be prevented.

What potential side effects or risks come with this treatment?

Clubfoot is very treatable. The surgery is minor and not risky.

How accessible is treatment in the area? What is the typical journey like for a patient to receive care?

Care is not easily accessible. Most patients live in remote, rural areas and are identified through mobile outreach. The pediatric surgical program at Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre was started to meet the large burden of pediatric disability in the region.

What are the alternatives to this treatment?

There are no alternatives. If not treated, the condition will persist and will result in disability.

Meet another patient you can support

100% of your donation funds life-changing surgery.

Shurem

Shurem is an 8-year-old boy from Kenya. He is the third born in a family of four children. His mother is a housewife while his father is a casual laborer who herds cattle for people in his community. However, the ongoing drought in the region has made it difficult for him to find work. The family is unable to raise the required funds to pay for medical expenses. Shurem has been diagnosed with hydrocephalus, a condition in which excess cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the brain and increases intracranial pressure. As a result of his condition, Shurem has been experiencing an increasing head circumference. When Shurem was two years old, he started experiencing fevers which were managed with medication. A few days later, his parents started to notice his head was increasing in size. Despite a review from the hospital and the administration of medication, his condition only became worse, and he stopped walking. Late last year the community referred his family to BethanyKids first mobile clinic in their hometown Garissa County, as they had stopped seeking treatment for Shurem for a few years. The mobile clinic referred Shurem to BethanyKids, where he was examined and diagnosed with hydrocephalus. Without treatment, Shurem will experience severe physical and developmental delays. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $720 to cover the cost of surgery for Shurem that will treat his hydrocephalus. The procedure is scheduled to take place on February 9th and will drain the excess fluid from Shurem's brain. This will reduce intracranial pressure and greatly improve his quality of life. With proper treatment, Shurem will hopefully develop into a strong, healthy young boy. Shurem’s father says, “I feel very bad for my son as I cannot help him in any way. I want him to be well and back in good health.”

0% funded

0%funded
$0raised
$720to go

Meet another patient you can support

100% of your donation funds life-changing surgery.

Shurem

Shurem is an 8-year-old boy from Kenya. He is the third born in a family of four children. His mother is a housewife while his father is a casual laborer who herds cattle for people in his community. However, the ongoing drought in the region has made it difficult for him to find work. The family is unable to raise the required funds to pay for medical expenses. Shurem has been diagnosed with hydrocephalus, a condition in which excess cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the brain and increases intracranial pressure. As a result of his condition, Shurem has been experiencing an increasing head circumference. When Shurem was two years old, he started experiencing fevers which were managed with medication. A few days later, his parents started to notice his head was increasing in size. Despite a review from the hospital and the administration of medication, his condition only became worse, and he stopped walking. Late last year the community referred his family to BethanyKids first mobile clinic in their hometown Garissa County, as they had stopped seeking treatment for Shurem for a few years. The mobile clinic referred Shurem to BethanyKids, where he was examined and diagnosed with hydrocephalus. Without treatment, Shurem will experience severe physical and developmental delays. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $720 to cover the cost of surgery for Shurem that will treat his hydrocephalus. The procedure is scheduled to take place on February 9th and will drain the excess fluid from Shurem's brain. This will reduce intracranial pressure and greatly improve his quality of life. With proper treatment, Shurem will hopefully develop into a strong, healthy young boy. Shurem’s father says, “I feel very bad for my son as I cannot help him in any way. I want him to be well and back in good health.”

0% funded

0%funded
$0raised
$720to go