John J., 2

Little John is a 2-year-old boy living with his family in Kaduna. His father lost his job in 2024, and the family relies on support from friends and relatives. Despite this, John grows up loved and cared for at home. At 1 year and 9 months, John began having difficulty passing stool, he would go three to four days without stooling this is associated with abdominal swelling and nighttime crying. He was diagnosed with Hirschsprung’s disease at 44 Army Reference Hospital, but his family could not afford the surgery. A nurse taught his mother to manually help him pass stool, by digitally evacuating him and this has been a routine for several months, sometimes causing blood in his stool. Finally, the family was referred to Helpster Charity and Epsilon Specialist Hospital, Barnawa. After assessment, the diagnosis of Hirshrung Disease was confirmed and John was enrolled in the Helpster program, giving him and his family renewed hope. He needs to have this surgery to prevent life-threatening complications.

Jotham Dyep John, a 2-year-old boy, was managed for Hirschsprung’s disease that was confirmed histologically and supported by barium enema. Before surgery he was admitted for twice daily rectal washouts to reduce abdominal distention and had pre-op investigations including FBC, U/E/Cr, and GXM for 1 unit of blood. He successfully underwent a trans-anal pull-through under general anesthesia on 28/2/2026 and tolerated the procedure well. He made significant recovery, is now passing stool optimally with no more abdominal distention, and was discharged from clinic after his 3-month post-op visit doing well.

Hirschsprung disease causes a life-threatening, congenital blockage in a baby's intestines because necessary nerve cells are missing from the colon, preventing waste from passing. Impact includes failure to pass meconium within 24–48 hours, severe constipation, swollen belly, vomiting, and feeding refusal, often requiring prompt surgical intervention. John's diagnosis is Hirschsprung's disease - a condition where missing nerve cells in his large intestine cause severe constipation, abdominal swelling, and feeding issues. If left untreated, it can lead to serious complications like life-threatening enterocolitis, malnutrition, and growth delays. However, with the planned trans-anal pull-through surgery, we're optimistic about significant improvement in his condition. Post-surgery, John can expect to have better bowel movements and relief from symptoms.