Last week, Global Brigades helped facilitate the delivery of a wheelchair donated by DePaul University students to Dani Alcides, a 4 year old boy who was born with myelomeningocele, the most common type of Spina Bifida. Spina Bifida is a neural tube defect in which the base of the spine does not completely form resulting in an incomplete spinal canal and causing the spinal cord and meninges (the tissues covering the spinal cord) to protrude from the back. Dani was delivered at home with a midwife, however his mother never received prenatal care so she never took folic acid which helps prevent Spina Bifida.
At 12 days old, Dani developed an infection secondary to the rupture of the myelomeningocele and his parents also began to notice a rapid increase in head circumference. At this time they decided to travel from their rural community of El Encinal to the hospital in Tegucigalpa where he was treated with IV antibiotics and received a tranfontanelar ultrasound. Dani was diagnosed with hydrocephalus. As a result of the myelomeningocele and his parent’s inability to travel every two days to Tegucigalpa to receive physical therapy, Dani is unable to walk.
Students from DePaul University generously helped raise funds for the donation of the wheelchair. Dani’s family was thrilled to receive this gift which will greatly increase his quality of life and mobility in the community.
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