Angela N., 12

Angela is a 12-year-old girl who lives with her grandmother and father. Her parents separated some years ago, and Angela has no contact with either of them. She is the second last-born in a family of four children. Due to family hardships, two of Angela’s older siblings were taken in by humanitarian caregivers. Angela and her youngest sibling now stay with their grandmother, who does her best to care for them despite very limited resources. Their grandmother earns about 500 shillings per month from selling avocados, which is often not enough to provide for the children. As a result, Angela and her sibling sometimes go to bed hungry or survive on just one meal a day. Even with these challenges, Angela continues to attend school and support her family at home. Angela helps her grandmother with household chores, cares for her younger sibling, and often worries about her siblings who live away from home. She is determined to stay in school and change her family’s situation. She dreams of becoming a teacher or social worker so she can help other children facing similar struggles like her own. Her biggest hope is to earn enough in future to build a better home for her grandmother and ensure they always have food. She also wishes to reunite with all her siblings one day and see her family safe, healthy, and together again. Recently, Angela was brought to the hospital by her grandmother. She has a known history of peptic ulcer disease, but due to financial difficulties, she has not been able to receive consistent treatment. A few days before being brought to the hospital, she consumed wild guava fruits and kales from the bush. Shortly afterward, she began experiencing severe burning pain in the upper part of her stomach (epigastric pain), which intensified with every meal. By the time she arrived at the hospital, she was extremely weak, vomiting repeatedly, and her vomitus was blood-stained. Her condition left her visibly ill, uncomfortable, and debilitated.

Angela had been suffering from peptic ulcer disease (PUD), which caused her severe abdominal pain, nausea, and difficulty eating. Because she had no money for medical care, Helpster stepped in and connected her to Bulondo Health Centre, where she received free medical services. At the facility, Angela was examined and diagnosed with PUD. The health workers started her on the appropriate ulcer treatment, including pain relief, antacids, and medications to reduce stomach acid and allow the ulcer to heal. She also received counseling on diet, stress management, and how to avoid foods and habits that worsen ulcers. After completing her treatment, Angela’s symptoms improved significantly. Her abdominal pain reduced, she was able to eat well again, and she regained strength. With continued follow-up and adherence to advice, Angela is now stable and recovering well.

Angela’s prognosis is good, especially now that she has been properly assessed and is receiving the right medical treatment and support. Children with peptic ulcer disease generally recover well when the condition is managed early and correctly. Risk of recurrence exists if she does not complete treatment, continues eating foods that exacerbate the condition, or lacks follow-up care, but with proper monitoring, this can be prevented.