Lemaiyan and his mother pose for a photo at FAME

The smiles on their faces say it all. Happiness. Joy. Relief! Two years ago, this moment was only a dream for Lamaiyan* and his mother after a painful stomach ache left Lamaiyan in agony and his mother wondering if her only son would ever be well again.

Lemaiyan* was 18 years old when he started experiencing mild pains in the stomach. These pains would eventually progress to extreme suffering, paralyzing his lifestyle and threatening the only livelihood his family depended on, keeping livestock. Being the only boy in his family meant that Lemaiyan was the breadwinner, as is the custom of the Maasai community, where he comes from.

“I was herding the livestock up in the hills when the pain began. At first, I thought it was just the 'normal' stomach upset caused by something I had ingested, but the pain kept persisting.”

For four years, Lemaiyan was unable to take care of his family’s livestock as the pain became unbearable. He would often leave the fields hundreds of kilometers away and go home to seek care. His mother first sought to treat the disease the best way she knew how, by slaughtering their livestock one after the other.

“We would slaughter a goat and mix it with traditional herbs. It would relieve the pain for a few days but then it would return. When I saw that we would exhaust our livestock and he was not getting healed, I decided to bring him to FAME.” - Lemaiyan’s mother

Lemaiyan came to FAME while in critical condition with complaints of abdominal pains. Upon examination, he was diagnosed with intestinal obstruction. He was admitted to FAME’s surgical ward and underwent a laparotomy under the supervision of FAME’s skilled surgical team.

“After the treatment here at FAME, my life was back to normal. I now go to herd livestock like before. Our livestock has increased because I can take them up the hills.”

“I thank God, and I thank FAME because I know with my son in good health, he will help me and my family.” - Lemaiyan’s mother

In the village of Selela Monduli, 17-year-old Bahati* embarked on an unexpected journey when he sought treatment at FAME for the first time. It all started with a persistent cough after meals, gradually escalating into discomfort and pain. As his condition worsened, Bahati's brother, Saitoti*, took him to two different hospitals, but received no diagnosis.

Desperate for answers, Bahati's brother, Saitoti, accompanied him on a quest for healing, navigating the corridors of two different hospitals. However, the corridors of diagnosis remained elusive, leaving their hearts heavy with despair. Returning to the humble abode, Bahati's health spiraled into a abyss of affliction, marked by a swollen neck that seemed to symbolize the shattering of hope.

A glimmer of salvation appeared in the form of caring neighbors, compassionate emissaries who whispered tales of FAME, a haven of healing on the horizon. Following this beacon of hope, Saitoti made the resolute decision to transport his ailing brother to FAME. The moment they crossed the threshold, Bahati's condition found a name – abscess of the thymus. With a swift yet delicate hand, the medical artisans at FAME executed an incision and drainage procedure, a symphony of skill that orchestrated a gradual revival.

Now, in the halls of recovery, Bahati dons a smile that echoes gratitude, engages in conversations that were once muted by pain, and navigates the corridors of the facility on the cusp of returning home. Reflecting on the arduous journey, Saitoti's words hang heavy with remorse, "I wish I had sought refuge at FAME sooner, before venturing into the maze of other hospitals." Yet, amidst regret, there is profound gratitude for the miraculous metamorphosis witnessed in Bahati, a testament to the exceptional care woven by the skilled hands and compassionate hearts of the doctors and nurses at FAME.

As they prepare to embark on the journey home, Saitoti harbors a newfound mission – to weave a tapestry of awareness. His plan is to share their story, to sing the praises of FAME, and to encourage others in distant villages to seek the reliable embrace of healing within those sacred walls.

We met Leiyo and his father during one of their doctor-prescribed walks around FAME. During this time, they recounted the incident that deeply affected them. Leiyo's father repeatedly emphasized, "FAME saved his life.”

Due to FAME's proximity to Ngorongoro and Serengeti national parks, we sometimes treat patients who have experienced human-wildlife conflicts. Last year, we shared the story of a 17-year-old boy who survived a leopard attack while herding cattle (you can find the story here) and earlier this year, we highlighted the experience of a 59-year-old man who survived a buffalo attack while gathering wild vegetables in the forest for food (read his story here).

Today, we share the story of Leiyo, a 14-year-old boy who was attacked by a buffalo while herding cattle in the forest.

“My father just bought me a new watch, so I know for sure when the attack happened. It was exactly 2:50 pm when I encountered a group of buffaloes while looking after the cattle. Usually, I have three dogs with me during grazing to help me manage the cows, especially when I'm alone. This time, the dogs began barking loudly all of a sudden. Wondering about the noise, I looked back and saw a big group of buffaloes rushing toward me. Although the herd changed direction after being scared by the dogs, five buffaloes kept running in my direction.

Understanding the risk, I quickly lay down on the ground, knowing that being stabbed and thrown into the air by a buffalo could be deadly. One of the buffaloes stepped on me as they ran by. When I was sure they were gone, I tried to stand up but couldn't catch my breath and I was bleeding from my mouth. I grabbed my phone to call my father, but speaking was hard because of the blood. Feeling desperate, I attempted to send him a message and then passed out. It was 3 pm.

I was at home when I got an unusual message from Leiyo. He's usually very careful with his messages; even though brief, they always start with a greeting and then an explanation of what he wants. But this time, his message only had two letters, "Pg" which didn't make any sense. Right away, I felt a shiver down my spine. I knew something was not right.”

Leiyo's father quickly contacted some local boys around Leiyo's age and requested them to go to the forest to check on him. The boys discovered Leiyo unconscious and they brought him back home. Immediately, Leiyo's father and uncles rented a car and took him to the nearby hospital.

“He didn't seem well at all. There was a lot of blood coming from his mouth and he was struggling to breathe. One of the boys who brought him back mentioned seeing buffalo footprints, suggesting a buffalo might have attacked him. Leiyo couldn't speak at this point, even though he was conscious. At the hospital, an X-ray revealed several broken bones in his chest and they informed us that he needed a higher level of care they couldn't offer. They arranged for an ambulance to bring us to FAME.” - Leiyo’s father

They reached FAME at 10 pm in the night. Following tests, it was confirmed that Leiyo had five fractures in his chest, causing the chest wall to become unstable. This instability was causing significant difficulty breathing.

“FAME saved his life through surgery. Since the operation, he has been getting better and walking around. I’m extremely grateful that we were able to get here because I’m not sure he would have survived otherwise. Being the rainy season, it had rained a lot on the day of the accident and the ambulance had difficulty reaching FAME because the roads were very slippery and muddy. It’s only by the grace of God that we made it. When we arrived at FAME, the medical team immediately responded and attended to him, even though it was nighttime. I appreciate this very much.”

— Leiyo's Father

“I’m happy I feel like myself again. In a few days, I will return home to my cows. I’m sure they’re wondering where I am since I never got to say goodbye!”

— Leiyo

John's father wears a smile while presenting a chicken to FAME as a gesture of gratitude for saving his child's life.

John when he first arrived at FAME, malnourished and dehydrated

John and his mother share a laugh

John's mom and dad smile as they hold their son in FAME's Inpatient ward. They are relieved knowing that he will be okay!

It's always heartwarming when we experience miracles at FAME—instances where the challenge seemed impossible to overcome, where our entire team comes together and succeeds in achieving a positive outcome for the patient through their commitment, hard work and collective skills.

This holiday season, we wanted to share a FAME miracle with you. A story of a three-month-old baby who arrived severely dehydrated and malnourished from a congenital abnormality. Our dedicated FAME team put in round-the-clock efforts to ensure the baby's survival. To express his thanks to the team, the baby's father gave FAME a chicken!

Originating from Loliondo, located 160 miles from FAME, John's* family noticed frequent vomiting when he was only one month old.

“At first, I didn't pay much attention to the vomiting, thinking it was just part of the learning process as he was still getting used to breastfeeding. However, when the vomiting persisted for the next two months and his stomach began to swell, we became concerned and decided to bring him to FAME.” - John’s mother

At FAME, following thorough examinations, John was diagnosed with pyloric stenosis, a condition where the passage between the stomach and small intestine narrows, making it difficult for food to pass through. It often causes severe vomiting in babies and typically requires surgical intervention for correction. If performed early, these surgeries are usually uncomplicated. Unfortunately, John had gone so long without nutrition and was very sick on arrival to FAME. This is the story of John's resilience and survival.

“When the doctors told us that he needed surgery, we were scared but held onto the hope that it would cure him. He had lost so much weight as he couldn't keep any food down and he was very, very small despite being born full-term at 9 lbs. I even wondered how the doctor would be able to perform surgery on such a tiny body. However, they successfully performed the surgery and everything seemed fine, but then he fell ill again.” - John’s mother

Unfortunately, after minimal nutrition for the first few months of his life, John’s stomach and gut were quite fragile following surgery. About a week after the first surgery, he took a turn for the worse and the FAME team approached his parents about a second surgery to save his life. His parents were distraught. They turned to a FAME nurse from their own community who spoke their mother tongue and encouraged them to consent to the surgery.

“We are thankful for everything FAME has done for our son. The entire team worked so hard to make sure he stayed alive. Many times during all this, I believed that John could not make it, but the doctors continued to give me hope. Now, he’s getting better, smiling and feeding well, which makes me very happy! I thank God. This has truly been a miracle.”

— John’s Mother

“This is a perfect example of teamwork and collaboration at FAME. The baby is alive because of the efforts of the surgeon, radiology team, anesthesia team, social workers, nurses in both surgical and medical wards and the medical team. Even though he arrived very sick and his parents were losing hope, we all believed this baby could survive with the right care.”

— FAME Pediatrician, Dr. Elissa Zirinsky

Editors Note: The FAME team is committed to caring for every patient that comes through the FAME gates. The work never stops, and miracles happen here every day. We want to express our gratitude for your unwavering support for our work. You make it all possible! Asante sana!

*The patient’s name has been changed to protect their privacy and permission was secured to share their story. This interview has been translated from Swahili to English.

Sana’s Son

Sana and his son

Sana (left), his son (middle) and Dr. Elissa (right), FAME’s Pediatrician who was in charge of his care

Dr. Dorcas (right) with Sana and his son

Sana* is in Ward 1 at FAME with his 5-year-old son. It's their first visit to FAME, as his son has been unwell for the past three months. “It started when he came back from school ‘walking sideways.’ We took him to the nearby clinic, where they gave him an injection and asked us to bring him every day for a week for more injections. This treatment was very hard on him, but we agreed to it because we believed that he would get better. But he never did. In fact, his condition worsened. We tried giving him goat's blood, but it didn't help, even though it had worked before with other illnesses.” - Sana

Over three months, they visited three different hospitals. It wasn't until Sana's son fainted and remained unconscious for hours that they decided to come to FAME. The boy’s grandfather, who had been to FAME before, suggested they bring him here. They arranged and paid for an ambulance to transport him from the local hospital to FAME.

Upon reaching FAME, he was quickly received and brought to the emergency room. After undergoing tests, he was admitted to Ward 1, where he stayed for more than a month. ‘I brought him to FAME with my father. I was very scared and I was crying a lot, shocked by everything that was happening. It was the first time any of my children had been this sick and needed to stay in the hospital. Having my father here helped because he remained calm. I was worried that my son would die. Seeing how sad I was, my father asked me to return home and sell some cows to get money for the hospital bill. I agreed and left my son in the care of the FAME medical staff.” - Sana

“Whenever I visited, my boy seemed to get stronger. Over time, I could be with him without being sad so my father could return home. I’m grateful for the care at FAME. They encouraged us even when things seemed hopeless. My son’s health has been up and down, but they have remained supportive.”

— Sana

“He is my fifth child and the first boy. His mother couldn't come to stay with him because we have a 9-month-old at home and FAME is quite far away. It's a 7-hour bus ride, with only one daily departure. So, she couldn't be here, which was very hard for her. However, she calls daily and is happy to hear he's improving. She is looking forward to having him back home. I can't believe we will return home with a healthy child—such a big difference from when we came to now. I am so thankful.” - Sana

“His sisters haven't visited him yet because they are all in school. I am one of the few people in my tribe [Datooga tribe] who speak Swahili and I also wanted my children to learn it. That's why they all go to school together. He asks for them every day, but I tell him they will soon be reunited.” - Sana

“The boy came to us in a coma. He was minimally responsive. We found he had abscesses in his brain and hydrocephalus (too much cerebral spinal fluid that was compressing the brain tissue). We discussed his case with neurosurgeons from KCMC [regional referee hospitals] and decided that since the family had limited financial means, we would maximize medical treatment and watch him closely. We treated him for central nervous system tuberculosis as well as other bacterial brain infections. After about 1.5 weeks of treatment, he slowly started waking up. His grandfather did a lot of physical therapy with him and got him walking and talking by about week three. As you saw, he walked out of here after a little over a month of hospitalization. He’ll be back later this week for a follow-up. The first day he started walking with his grandfather’s support, he couldn’t believe it and started giggling and then the whole ward was laughing!” - Dr. Elissa

*The patient’s name has been changed to protect their privacy and permission was secured to share their story. This interview has been translated from Swahili to English.