Martha

Hola, gente de Mediterránea 
As you will remember, Martha was in Mallorca this summer in order to be operated on for a very serious scoliosis that at could endanger her future heath, due to the fact that the severe deformities to the thorax, could produce breathing problems. 
Curvatures of 50 degrees, generally require surgery as in Martha’s case.
The idea of the surgery was to correct (although not fully) this curvature and fusión the bones which are held in place with metal joints.

Unfortunately after two months, these cervical metal joints gave way and therefore meant she needed to be operated on again. 
After sorting out the necessary paperwork and getting the visas required, Martha finally arrives tomorrow Saturday, with her father Argaw.

We are pending on getting confirmation from the hospital to see if Mykias, the boy with cronic  osteomielitis (bone infection) can come. 
I would like to explain the policy that Mediterránea has in relation to the children that we bring to Mallorca to be operated on. 
These children are selected by:
1º Their illness.  They have to have a problem that can be solved or one that can be improved with surgery, that does not imply explorations or difficult tests that need doing in their own countries before and above all, after the operation.

2º They are children with family support.  They must have a family member that can accompany them, watch their convalescence and inform of any problems that may occur.

We continue supervising all the cases when they return to Ethiopia (country from which the children are coming at this time), because we believe that once operated on, they need to continue being monitored.  If we take Martha’s case as an example and we hadn’t continued in contact with her, we wouldn’t know that her cervical joints had failed.

Another matter that worries us is that of erroneous diagnosis.  This past summer, another Mykias came from the Black Lion Hospital, diagnosed with a brain cyst by the Neurological department.

In reality, what he had was a muscular disorder like Duchenne, a degenerative neuromuscular illness. 
To give this boy and his family false hopes as to a posible solution or cure, we feel is very cruel.
For this reason and at this time, we are limiting ourselves to bringing children with problems of infantile trauma and although we leave the door open to other illnesses, we need to make sure that other cases like that of Mykias do not occur again. 
The tickets for getting these children here are paid for by Mediterránea. 
The obtaining of all necessary paperwork and visas, is also paid for by Mediterránea. 
The accommodation for these children and their families is offered by local families or as in the case of Martha and her father, is thanks to the generosity of two hotels.

Welcome Martha and Argaw.