--Lucy Thama recently turned 13 years old. She is in 6th grade and has had a very difficult life.
She was born a conjoined ("Siamese") twin, but the other twin was never living. They were separated at 9 months by a kindhearted surgeon who did the procedure for free. When she was 4 years old, she lost the feeling and use of her legs and since then has been paralyzed from the waist down.
In 2007, she almost died from a terrible infection on her leg, the sore was so big and deep it almost went to the bone. She received a skin graft at Kijabe hospital and recovered over a period of months (read about it here). Soon thereafter, she and her family was almost killed during the post-election riots (the story is here).
After the riots, her family relocated in the peaceful area of Nyahururu and thanks to her sponsors, she has been attending a wonderful school and has done great the past 18 months. Please see photo of Lucy with some of her textbooks, taken in January 2009.
Recently, she has fallen quite ill, and now the situation is very serious. One doctor said her kidneys may have failed, and another said it was a reaction to medicine she was taking. She will travel to Kijabe hospital (about 3 hours away), leaving at 2:00 AM this morning, to arrive at 5:00 AM. Her parents are at the end of their rope, and they can't stand to see Lucy suffer.
Please pray for Lucy and her family. You will never meet a more sweet, fun, and lively girl. She is bright and happy, and it is heartbreaking to see her going through so much pain. Please stay tuned for updates soon.
Posts
