Hamida is a 15-month-old girl from Tanzania. When she was two months old, her head began to grow rapidly. Her mother noticed that Hamida was irritable and that she frequently experienced headaches or vomiting. Recently, Hamida’s mother took her to visit a Watsi medical partner. Hamida received a CT scan and she was diagnosed with hydrocephalus, a condition in which excessive cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the brain.
Hamida received a shunt insertion on October 17, 2016. During this surgery, doctors insert a tube to drain the excess fluid from the brain into the rest of the body. This treatment should decrease pressure in Hamida’s brain, reduce her risk of fatality, and improve her quality of life.
Hamida’s mother says her family struggles to make ends meet. Her husband provides for them through farming, but they need help to cover the cost of this $775 surgery. “I will be very grateful for your help,” says Hamida’s mother.