Elinipa is a beautiful two-year-old girl. She is an incredibly friendly child who loves to play with her five older siblings. At birth, she was a healthy child. It wasn’t until she was learning to walk however, that her mother noticed that her legs were slightly curved, yet even so they did not seek treatment assuming it was a minor problem that she would outgrow.
Elinipa has now been diagnosed with bilateral valgus, which is a condition caused by an excessive accumulation of fluoride in the bones, which often stems from contaminated drinking water. As a result of her condition, Elinipa’s legs bow inward to the point that her knees touch. This makes walking persistently more difficult as she continues to grow. Through our medical partner’s outreach program her parents learned that their daughter needs surgery to correct her legs. Elinipa’s parents are small scale famers who depend entirely on what they harvest to make a living. As a result, their income is not enough to afford to take Elinipa to the hospital to treat her condition.
Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $880 to fund corrective surgery for Elinipa. The procedure is scheduled to take place on May 13th at our medical partner’s care center, Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre. With this treatment Elinipa’s mobility will hopefully be restored, thus allowing her to participate in a variety of activities, and greatly decreasing her risk of future complications.
Elinipa’s father says, “I am worried with how her legs continue to bend inward. Please help us.”
