Edem regains mobility in his left arm

At ten months old, Edem began using his left hand, holding objects and testing all possible movements with his arm. And it's a little miracle!

Mariela, open-heart surgery in Madagascar

Originally from Togo, the boy ran the risk of being permanently disabled as a result of obstetric brachial plexus paralysis caused by improper handling during childbirth. Too much traction stretched the nerves between the head and the shoulder. This type of situation is not uncommon in a country with a severe shortage of trained healthcare professionals.

Fortunately, Edem was operated on in time during a La Chaîne de l’Espoir orthopedic care and training mission to the pediatric surgery department of Lomé’s CHU Sylvanus Olympio.

Today, Edem’s rehabilitation sessions are not yet over. But progress is already impressive and very encouraging!

In Togo,Edem’s future is threatened

Edem is a little Togolese boy just 5 months old. His birth was very difficult due to his mother’s high blood pressure and his high weight (over 4 kg). As soon as he was born, he developed oedema in his neck and face, and traces of blood in his eyes. A few days later, we notice that his arm is frozen along his body, with his hand turned inwards.

The medical team soon discovered ” obstetric brachial plexus paralysis “: during childbirth, the nursing staff manipulate the baby’s head in order to extract it. Once the baby is out, they only have a few minutes to perform the maneuvers that will prevent the worst from happening. In Edem’s case, however, excessive traction stretched the nerves between the head and shoulder during delivery.

Since then, his right arm has been paralyzed, and he will remain disabled for life if we don’t take action.

Surgery must be considered as soon as possible!

And all this has happened because ofa severe shortage of qualified pediatric surgical personnel: in Togo, there are just 6 surgeons for every 8 million inhabitants. It’s to fill this abyssal gap that we’ve been working with our local partners for several years, through training missions and student scholarships.

Fortunately for Edem, surgery is possible and will restore his inert arm to full function. We are organizing an orthopedic mission to Lomé to provide care and training in the pediatric surgery department of the CHU Sylvanus Olympio, headed by Prof. Jean-Pierre Gnassingbe. Our friend Dr Philippe Valenti, an orthopedic surgeon and traumatologist based in Paris, and his team, will be on hand to operate on children.

We need your help!

To finance this mission, we need to raise the sum of 16,000 euros. This will enable some thirty children from Togo, Benin and Guinea to benefit from a medical consultation, and ten of them to undergo surgery.

Full treatment for Edem will cost 1,300 euros (including consultation, operation, hospitalization and physiotherapy sessions).

With your help, he’ll be able to use his arm normally and play like other children his age. He’ll grow up harmoniously and be able to look to the future with confidence.

Your support will enable Edem and some thirty other young patients to benefit from appropriate medical care.

Thank you for standing by us.

Togo