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AUNG THU RAIN MIN – 2 Months Old

Aung Thu Rain Min is 2 months old, born in a small village called Hway Ka Lote, just fifteen minutes outside Mae Sot, Thailand.  The day after Aung Thu Rain Min was born, his mother observed that he did not have an opening to pass stool, a condition called imperforate anus.  His father bought him immediately to Mae Tao Clinic, who then referred him to Mae Sot Hospital.  Aung Thu Rain Min was admitted to Mae Sot Hospital for one month during which time, he had a colostomy performed, meaning that the bowel is surgically bought to an opening in the surface of the abdomen.

Aung Thu Rain Min’s mother is originally from Karen state, Burma.  More than 15 years ago, she came alone to Mae Sot to obtain work, where she met her husband, also from Burma.  They have two other children; boys aged fifteen and five years old.  The eldest son has been working as a car mechanic since he was 13 years of age to help support the family, earning 500 Thai Baht  ($15) per month.  They had another child who died in Burma at the age of five during a trip home to visit grandparents, since they could not afford treatment. Aung Thu Rain Min’s father paints on construction sites, earning only 150 Thai Baht per day ($4.75), and has work 20 days out of a month. Aung Thu Rain Min’s mother describes how her husband’s wage is utilized for food, transport and basic living costs for her family. So, the additional cost of an unwell child is an enormous stress for them all, one which they clearly cannot afford.

Despite being 2 months old, Aung Thu Rain Min weighs a mere 3 kg, and appears pale with little energy as he lays in his mother’s arms.  He awaits further surgery for the formation of an anus and to close the colostomy, so that he will be able to pass stool normally, grow well and live a normal life.  The surgery will need to be performed at Chiang Mai cannot be performed until he has reached a goal weight of 7-10 kg, providing he obtains sponsorship for the cost.  In the meantime, he has a gauze pad over the stoma to collect faeces, secured only by a bandage around the abdomen.  This gauze requires changing and the site cleaned 6 times a day.  They currently have follow-up consultations fortnightly at Mae Tao Clinic, but getting there costs more money. Aung Thu Rain Min’s mother expresses feelings of hope and optimism now that her son is being cared for by Mae Tao Clinic, but is unable to envisage the consequences of not getting a sponsor for the surgery.

Rotary Fund have kindly agreed to sponsor Aung Thu Rain Min’s surgery

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