Beverley mum's desperate attempt to raise funds for daughter's life-changing operation

-Credit: (Image: Submitted)
-Credit: (Image: Submitted)


A Beverley woman whose young daughter sustained serious burns in an accident when she was a baby is fundraising for her to have a life-changing operation.

Mum-of-two Florence Waithira, 40, moved from Kenya to the UK two years ago to study, and now works as a carer in Beverley. She was unable to bring her two children into the country with her, but continues to live and work in the area to give her family in Kenya a better quality of life.

When daughter Miracle was born in July 2018, her umbilical cord was wrapped so tightly around her neck that she was unable to breathe. Florence said the medical team at the small Kenyan hospital - which did not have an incubator - "did everything possible" to save Miracle.

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In a desperate attempt to warm her and ultimately save her life, Florence claims doctors and nurses placed the newborn baby in front of a fan heater. But tragically, as a result, Miracle sustained severe burns to her head and upper arm. The blistered burns then became infected, and the infant was taken to a larger hospital where she underwent several operations.

Florence wrote on her Gofundme page: "Her tiny body was hooked up to pain relief and drips of antibiotics helping her fight off septicaemia. The burn has left Miracle with severe scarring on one side of her head and her upper arm and permanent damage to her hair follicles causing the inability to grow hair.

Miracle has been left with scarring on her head, and is unable to grow hair from the site -Credit:Submitted
Miracle has been left with scarring on her head, and is unable to grow hair from the site -Credit:Submitted

"But I can't thank the nurses, doctors and consultants enough for saving my baby. The work they did day in, day out, was amazing and means I have the most beautifully natured, smiley daughter who I love with all my heart."

Florence said her "greatest fear" is that Miracle, now aged six, will be subjected to bullying due to her burn scars and her not having hair on a quarter of her head.

The fundraiser continues: "As a six-year-old bubbly and bright girl, Miracle may not yet fully understand the consequences of her early trauma. However, my greatest fear as her mother is that now she is at school she will be ostracised and bullied, leading to her losing her sense of self, her confidence, and her self-esteem."

Florence hopes to raise £7,000 for Miracle to travel to the UK and undergo a tissue expansion procedure at a hospital in Wakefield, which will create extra skin to repair the damaged tissue on her head. Because Florence and her family are not British citizens, they are not entitled to free healthcare.

Sadly, Florence said she posted on Facebook for help in raising the funds - but was met with a barrage of racist abuse.

Florence has set up a fundraiser in a desperate bid to raise £7,000 for Miracle to undergo a life-changing operation -Credit:Submitted
Florence has set up a fundraiser in a desperate bid to raise £7,000 for Miracle to undergo a life-changing operation -Credit:Submitted

She told Hull Live: "I posted on Facebook sharing the fundraiser, but people accused me of stealing their jobs and gave me racist abuse. It felt horrible because I was only asking for help for my daughter. I was very disheartened."

The Gofundme continues: "The entire procedure costs approximately £7,000 which will cover her travel expenses, the initial installation of the silicone balloon expander, the subsequent removal of the balloon, and the redistribution of the new skin to repair the scarred skin. This would be the perfect present I could give her before her 7th birthday, but I cannot do it without the help, kindness and support from others.

"Any donation, big or small, will get Miracle one step closer to having the operation that she needs to repair some of the damage and give my precious baby a more positive future."

You can donate to the fundraiser by clicking here.