21st Nov 2024 10:53:57 AM The Charities | The Children | Dorah Mokoena | Health | Schools / Training | Community | Regional Reports | UMashesha Home Ado Balombo Bambula Agnes Wabiwa Amanda Simanga Amina Mahamat Amukelani Dube Andani Mphaphuli Anele Nyongwana Babalwa Debele Babalwa Mfengu Baby Babongile Bafana Nzima Basheeba Worlotoe Benoni Boipelo Mosegedi Bongani Madlala Bongani Phakati Bonginkosi Brendan Busisiwe C Caroline Gichuki Chris M Clara Deon Slabbert Emmanuel Lawal Esihle Evelyn Minto Essono's Feleng Franklin Fursy Mugobe Gabriel Gabriel C Gamuchirai Vanessa Gohodza Gloria Gontise Mogotsi Habiba Hatendi Simbe Helen Matondo Hlumelo Dondashe Irene Peta Jabulani Malungane Jacques Abrahams Janine Barends Jose Mvula Kagiso Maphoso Kagiso Mathebula Kagiso Mphuti Karabo Thebedi Kedibone Kenyan Kezia Fern Samuel Kjetil Sandivk Havnen Koketso Sekuru Lathlehele Lee Branco Liane Grond Lida Basson Loide Londeka Ngidi Maje Mbali Michelle Ecape Michelle Mthenjwa Mimi Mlungisi Mohau Qumpula Mpho Maja Munashe Mungo Nete Musa Zwane Musiwa Neliswe Radebe Nelson Tsabalala Nkosi Ncube Nkululeko Nkululeko Jnr Nomthandazo Shongwe NonMireille Nosihle Nthabiseng Nyakallo Oscar Mlondolozi Hadebe Perlucia Phillip Lesingaran Phindile Piet Moloja Rachid Reagan Rien ne Dit Rolivhuwa Matodzi Rose Wambua Rumbi Saloma Aphanye Sameh Chiboub Samkelo Somi Samukelo Radebe Seetsa Mosoma Seif Seiso Selamawit Shaun Shaun Hart Shirley Seqobane Sicelo Simamkele Sithembiso Hlatshwayo SiyaAndile Siyabonga Morwasetla Siyabonga Nokumbi Siyamthanda Sizwe Steven Marakeng Mpyana Sthabile Sunday Mukaza Tapera Jani Tavonga Tembakazi Tendani Yaka Thando Thapelo Thingo Thomas Thulani Nhleko Tshepiso Maimela Tshepiso Sekuru Vhahangwele Matodz Violet Chibvura Vivian Vusi Mathibela William B Xavier Yassine Ben Ali Zanele Jeza Zianda Ndlovu Zipho Zwane Phillip Lesingaran "Phillip had some eye surgery and then was released from hospital and we cannot contact his parents, I think they have no network where they live. I hope that they will support him. His mother was not keen for him to survive straight after the accident. I am not sure if the hospital advised more surgery later on or not, and not being able to contact his parents we do not know how he is doing right now other than that his surgery saved his sight which is great." Update from Annabelle Carey, Kenya, February 2011 In August 2010 we were contacted about the plight of a little badly-burned Masai boy in Kenya called Phillip Lesingaran. He was burned on 22nd May 2010 when he was about two months old. (exact age to be confirmed) and the photos were taken in late July 2010. In common with other children severely burned at such a young age, we fear he will have a calvarial defect (hole in the skull) due to the unique skull bone chemistry before the fontanelle in an infant has closed, as well as the bone loss (and bone density loss) associated with 4th degree burns. When asked by well wishers, we confirmed that getting him treated in Kijabe Mission Hospital in Kenya was the best solution we knew. And we put the concerned helpers Sophie Jordan and Annabelle Carey, in contact with leading plastic surgeons Richard (Dick) Bransford, Louis Carter, Peter Nthumba and Dr Bhutt. Treatment at Kijabe is not free of charge and this little boy will need a lot of help in the months and years to come. Dr Carter assists at Tenwek and Kijabe in Kenya, but his main base is in the USA. People who wish to assist, can contact Ms Carey on careys@sosian.com or Ms Jordan on sophie.jordan@btinternet.com There will be extra costs for his parents' accommodation, living allowance, loss of earnings when they are staying at Kijabe with him during his visits, for the foreseeable future as well. In addition to severe face and head injuries, baby Phillip lost the lower half of his right arm and was burnt on the chest as well. Kijabe is a very good place. There are pockets of excellence across Africa and Nakuru/Kijabe in Kenya is one of them. The hospital has fixed extremely complicated kids there before and it continues to do so. We suggest that any funds raised are not sent through various other entities, but should go directly to Kijabe. It may well have a PayPal facility like Children of Fire has on its website, which minimises bank charges involved. Sometimes banks will waive charges for medical pleas, if asked directly to do so. Baby Phillip's story Annabelle Carey found Children of Fire after first contacting facingtheworld.net ( a uk facial surgery charity). She found Phillip when she spent a night in Nanyuki Cottage Hospital as her son, Fynn had eaten something in the garden and was quite ill for 24 hours. In the neighbouring room was a Masai woman and her son aged 5 months who had been burned beyond recognition after falling in a fire inside their mud hut. Phillip was at that age where they are just sitting up and starting to be able to roll over. He rolled off the bed and onto the open fire where his Mum was cooking dinner. Annabelle said: "The whole night the baby screamed in agony, apart from bouts of about ten minutes every hour or so when he managed to scream himself to sleep. "When we arrived he had been in the hospital for about ten days and Dr Bhutt who is an incredible man and who works more hours in the day than anyone I know, managed to save his life and prevent infection. "The baby is ready for the next stage of treatment which is extensive skin grafts and plastic surgery which will be carried out at Kijabe Mission Hospital which specialises in treating children." "The little boy is now doing very well and out of danger but he needs specialised plastic surgery especially on his eyelids, as well as grafts over his whole face and neck which are missing several layers of skin. Miraculously he did not lose his sight. "His parents are extremely poor and live in Northern Kenya in a very remote area and are cattle herders. Like many Kenyans and life is tough enough without having to cope with this major trauma and the financial implications. He needs skin grafts and plastic surgery all over his face and chest and so far I have managed to raise about US $800 to go towards his hospital treatment." Surgical Needs The initial pinkness of Phillip's skin will brown-over in time. Not everything can be repaired now, as the injuries are too recent and he is too young. As the years go on, he will need eyelid surgery on both eyes, nose reconstruction when older (maybe with remaining ear cartilage), ear reconstruction with end-of-rib cartilage, release of mouth contractures, and if possible, tissue expansion to restore his scalp. Some of these processes are explained on our website (under Health), for those who want to understand them better. Three children who were helped in that area of Kenya are on our website - see Rose, see Vivian, see Habiba. Dr Louis Carter: "Dr. Peter Nthumba has been involved with Children of Fire in the past and would be the plastic surgeon in charge of the case. He will provide excellent care and reconstruction the child's burn deformities. The first priority is to preserve sight. This will not be easy as there is so much scarring and these are immature scars. If there was patient and parent compliance, it would be good to use drops and night time eye patch for a while and then release these and graft when the scars are more mature. A lot of skin will be needed just for the eyes. It would probably be best just to go ahead with the eye releases and skin grafts." Dr Dick Bransford: "As I look at this child I wonder if he can close his eyes. Can he see? If he cannot close his eyes, my guess is that this would be of a very high priority. He would need grafts around the eyes to allow him to close them. God bless you." This material is Copyright © The Dorah Mokoena Charitable Trust and/or Children of Fire , 1998-2024. Distribution or re-transmission of this material, excluding the Schools' Guide, is expressly forbidden without prior permission of the Trust. For further information, email firechildren@icon.co.za About Children of Fire | Contact us | Advertise with us COPYRIGHT © 2024 Children of Fire. All rights reserved. Designed Developed and Maintained by Fyre Interactive