Meet gorgeous little boy Ahmad.

*WARNING the following contains content and images that some may find distressing*

Ahmad is three years old and diagnosed with the hydrocephalus (a condition in which an accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid occurs within the brain and kidneys) he is now paralysed in the lower half of his body. Ahmad was born with an opening in his back and needed urgent surgery. After the surgery fluids began to build in his spine and made their way up to his brain causing painful and discomforting swelling in the brain and eyes. Following this Ahmad underwent another surgery in order to drain the fluid. Unfortunately, this did not completely work and today he is still suffering from continuous build-up of the fluid which now it’s affecting his kidneys besides his brain and eyes.

Ahmad currently lives in Lebanon with his older sister who is five and his parents where their everyday life is a struggle. In 2016 Ahmad and his family fled from Syria to Lebanon where they live as refugees, as their town in Syria is still unsafe and they cannot return. His parents are unfortunately unable to work as they are not granted permission to work in Lebanon. They only receive help from the UNHCR, which is free accommodation and $100 a month. This is not nearly enough to cover Ahmad’s medical fees. To make matters worse, his mother received gun wounds from an encounter with two people fighting in their residential building and she reluctantly had to spend what she spared for Ahmad on her treatment as the person who shot her refused to pay her bills. With her injuries Ahmad’s mother has to carry him around the house and to go to the shops or the doctor as he doesn’t have a wheelchair or even a pusher because they simply cannot afford it.

The doctor said Ahmad needs regular x-ray scans and blood and eye tests every 6 months which could cost around $1500. However, since in Lebanon medical expenses are to be paid without help from anyone, Ahmad’s family have not been able to afford these tests for a very long time. As a result, the fluids are rapidly accumulating behind Ahmad’s eyes and kidneys causing swollenness and effecting his vision. The doctor also advised that physio therapy would help Ahmad greatly, but again his parents merely cannot afford it. In the future Ahmad will also require an operation which the cost of is currently undetermined as well as a special walker that would be attached to his body to assist him with walking.

Will the help of our HOPE community we are hoping to support Ahmed and his family.