Owen W., 13

Owen is a 13-year-old boy and the third of five children. His family lives in a single-room rental house and relies on water drawn from a communal shallow well. He attends a rural junior secondary school, enjoys playing football, and dreams of becoming a doctor one day. His mother runs a small-scale business, earning about 3,000 shillings per month, which she uses to support the entire family. For most of his recent past, Owen had been healthy and stable. However, over the last four days, he developed worsening symptoms, including abdominal pain, fever, vomiting, and loss of appetite. His condition deteriorated to the point that he could no longer attend school. Because the family could not afford medical care, and after learning about Helpster Charity Organization during a chief’s baraza, his mother took him to Mechimeru Health Centre to seek treatment and support.

Owen, who was diagnosed with severe malaria and moderate anaemia, received timely medical intervention that significantly improved his health. The treatment process typically involved the administration of antimalarial medications like artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) to combat the malaria infection, along with blood transfusions and iron supplements to address the anaemia. Supportive care such as hydration and fever management would also have been part of the treatment. Owen was assisted by the Helpster charity, which provided him with access to free medical treatment, ensuring he received the necessary care despite potential financial barriers. This timely intervention helped Owen recover from both the malaria and anaemia, improving his overall health and restoring his strength. The outcome was positive, with Owen’s symptoms alleviated and his condition stabilized, thanks to the effective medical treatment and charitable support he received.

He was treated with anti malaria drugs in combination with antibiotics to prevent the spread of infection and complications that enabled him stabilize and discharged to go home and therefore if the condition was left untreated it could have worsened and resulted into much complications.