Hope For a Child’s Future

09 Feb Hope For a Child’s Future

Jerida came to DCMC with severe burns covering more than 50% of her body. At just 9 years old, she was facing an uncertain future. Many young children experience burns in Tanzania, because of proximity to open fires for cooking, but Jerida’s burns were extensive and severe. It was clear that Jerida would need full-time hospitalization and care as she recovered and healed.

Jerida stayed at DCMC for more than 9 months, and in that time she underwent several skin graft surgeries. Because of the high risk of infection, she would have most certainly died at any other facility in the area, according to her DCMC care team.

Jerida’s family was too poor to pay for any of this care, which totaled nearly $15,000 — a mere fraction of what it would be in the U.S. but an impossible expense for a poor rural village family in Dodoma. As part of its mission to provide care for all regardless of ability to pay, DCMC covered all of Jerida’s care at no charge to her family. Jerida is now fully recovered and home with her family. She has a bright future ahead, because of the dedicated, quality care she received at DCMC.