When Fatuma Bashir gave birth to her only child, Hayat, she felt shocked and confused. She had never heard about or seen a cleft lip before. Luckily, Fatuma learned about our program at Yekatit 12 Hospital in Ethiopia from a friend and travelled an hour and a half to seek treatment for Hayat.
According to Fatuma, “this program was helpful to me because I came here when she was only three days old and I was able to receive a lot of information. Also seeing pictures of other children who have the same condition helped me accept it more.”
Hayat has received lip surgery and nutrition counseling from our team in Ethiopia. In a few years, she will also undergo a nose reconstruction surgery.
Fatuma was overjoyed that her daughter was able to receive free, quality care from a young age. At just over one year old, Hayat has her whole life ahead of her and, thanks to you, her future is looking a lot brighter.