Samantha A., 1

Samantha is just one day old, the first child of a young family in Narayi. Her father is an electrician who works hard to provide, while her mother devotes herself to home and now, to their newborn daughter. Samantha's arrival brought great joy and excitement, the moment they had long awaited. But shortly after her birth, joy turned to shock. Doctors discovered that Samantha was born with gastroschisis, a congenital condition in which the baby's intestines protrude through an opening in the abdominal wall, leaving them exposed. It is a condition that cannot wait: she urgently needs corrective surgery to return her organs safely into her body and give her the chance at a healthy life.

Untreated gastroschisis is universally fatal in a newborn. The exposed intestines rapidly lose fluid and heat, leading to severe dehydration and hypothermia, while the unprotected bowel becomes infected, causing overwhelming sepsis, and the baby cannot feed. Death typically occurs within days. The prognosis is fair, though the condition can present with many complications, including dehydration, sepsis, bowel ischaemia, necrotizing enterocolitis, and intestinal atresia, which affect survival. However, with prompt corrective surgery and maximum neonatal support, survival chances increase significantly, and most babies who receive timely treatment go on to live normal, healthy lives.