Balayym
Kakimhan
Spina Bifida
Age: 9 months
Sweet as honey - that is the name of our mentee Balayim Kakimkhan. And it's true: her smile and mischievous character conquer everyone around her!
Balaiym is the only child in a young family from Kazakhstan. Mom and dad dreamed of her and were very much looking forward to their meeting. Pregnancy went smoothly, all the tests were normal, and nothing foreshadowed the insidious diagnosis - spina bifida.
Meeting the disease
As soon as the baby was born, it became clear that she had a congenital disease. At first, Balayim's mother, Uldana, did not understand what it meant and what difficulties they would face. But two days later, the girl had her first CT scan. Since then, the family knows all the medical terms, vertebrae numbers and doctors' conclusions by heart.
The little girl is not walking yet, but she already shows her character and interest in the world: she is attracted to everything around her, loves to play with a ball, gets angry and smiles when she hears her name. Balayim loves to visit the swimming pool - it is one of her favorite activities, which always cheers her up.
Disease doesn't wait
Already now the left foot is deformed - this is an alarming sign that the disease is beginning to progress. Usually such changes occur later, when the child starts walking. But in Balayim's case the process started earlier, which makes the situation even more serious. The girl needs an operation, otherwise she may not be able to take her first steps.
Doctors also discovered the baby has a spinal sinus, a congenital canal in the area of the spine through which infection can enter the spinal cord. This is dangerous to the baby's health and life.
There are no surgeons in Kazakhstan who could perform such a complicated operation. Professor Shimon Rohkind in Israel's ASSUTA clinic is ready to help the family: his experience allows him to minimize the consequences of spin bifida and save Balayim from disability.
Now mom is always with Balayim, taking care of her, and dad is engaged in repairing cars. Without our support, the young family will not be able to raise funds for life-saving treatment.
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