A Somali woman's leg has ballooned to five stone after it became infected with parasites.
Sadia Abdinur, 35, has been shunned by her friends and neighbours because they are convinced she has been possessed by the Devil.
The mother-of-two contracted elephantiasis and, as a result, is immobile and unable to feed her children.
Ayan, nine, and Ayub, seven, are now forced to wander the streets begging for scraps to keep their family alive.
The children even hug their mother goodbye each night believing she will be dead in the morning.
But now, Ms Abdinur has been given hope by a British surgeon who has offered to carry out life-saving surgery free of charge.
A charity is trying to raise funds to fly Ms Abdinur to the UK so top vascular surgeon Professor Nigel Standfield can perform the 10 hour operation.
Surgeons in Nairobi, Kenya, refused to treat her because they do not have the expertise or facilities, but without treatment it is likely she will die prematurely if an infection occurs.
Ms Abdinur, whose first husband was shot dead in front of her by bandits, said: ‘Please save my life. I have been abandoned and the world is not within my reach.’
Slowly her left leg began to swell and she now has severe lymphedema caused by ‘elephantiasis parasitic infection’.
The UK-based Alhidaya Charity found her abandoned and destitute after she was cast out by her community and decided to act to help her.
They are now battling to get visas and passports so Ms Abdinur can be flown to the UK.
Sadia Abdinur, 35, has been shunned by her friends and neighbours because they are convinced she has been possessed by the Devil.
The mother-of-two contracted elephantiasis and, as a result, is immobile and unable to feed her children.
Ayan, nine, and Ayub, seven, are now forced to wander the streets begging for scraps to keep their family alive.
The children even hug their mother goodbye each night believing she will be dead in the morning.
But now, Ms Abdinur has been given hope by a British surgeon who has offered to carry out life-saving surgery free of charge.
A charity is trying to raise funds to fly Ms Abdinur to the UK so top vascular surgeon Professor Nigel Standfield can perform the 10 hour operation.
Surgeons in Nairobi, Kenya, refused to treat her because they do not have the expertise or facilities, but without treatment it is likely she will die prematurely if an infection occurs.
Ms Abdinur, whose first husband was shot dead in front of her by bandits, said: ‘Please save my life. I have been abandoned and the world is not within my reach.’
Slowly her left leg began to swell and she now has severe lymphedema caused by ‘elephantiasis parasitic infection’.
The UK-based Alhidaya Charity found her abandoned and destitute after she was cast out by her community and decided to act to help her.
They are now battling to get visas and passports so Ms Abdinur can be flown to the UK.
Source : DailyMail
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