Brighton O., 18

Brighton is the first-born in a family of five children and lives with his family one of the slum areas. He is a Form Two student. Brighton enjoys playing football with his friends and is a focused, ambitious teenager who dreams of becoming a doctor one day. His family depends on unstable, low-income casual jobs, which makes meeting their daily needs a constant challenge. Brighton injured his right arm after slipping and falling on an outstretched hand during a football game. Instead of receiving proper medical care, he was initially taken to traditional bone setters. The procedures were painful, ineffective, and failed to treat the injury correctly. Since then, Brighton has continued to experience persistent pain, swelling, and reduced function of the arm. He got to know about Helpster Charity when he came to the medical camp that had been organized by Helpster Charity and Barika Medical Centre. He has now been diagnosed with a malunion of the right proximal forearm – a second-degree fracture, meaning the bone healed in the wrong position. This condition can become increasingly painful over time and can severely limit the use of the affected arm. For Brighton, this is especially challenging because his right hand is his dominant hand - he depends on it for writing, schoolwork, daily tasks, and even basic self-care. Proper medical intervention is expected to relieve his pain, correct the deformity, and restore normal hand and arm function, significantly improving his quality of life.

The patient was reviewed by the orthopedic team and found to have a distal radius malunion associated with instability of the distal radioulnar joint (DRUJ). The specialist recommended corrective surgery in the form of an ulnar shortening osteotomy to improve wrist alignment, stability, and function. The procedure has been scheduled for December, during the long school holiday, to allow adequate time for recovery and rehabilitation. Since the surgery will be performed on the patient's right hand, proceeding with the operation at this time would significantly affect his ability to write and sit for his final examinations. Deferring the procedure until the holiday period will minimize disruption to his studies while ensuring he receives the necessary treatment and sufficient healing time

Without surgical intervention, doctors anticipate a poor prognosis, with persistent pain, limited range of motion, and reduced function of the right arm, which may affect his daily activities, schooling, and recreational pursuits. With appropriate orthopedic (surgical) intervention, including surgical correction and physiotherapy, treatment is expected to relieve pain, restore proper alignment, improve arm function, and enhance his ability to participate fully in school and leisure activities, thereby significantly improving his overall quality of life.