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?MU KLEIN KLEIN – 10 Months Old

Mu Klein Klein is a very small 10 months old girl. She was born at Mae Tao Clinic, as of about one month of age, her mother Ma Htway knew there was something seriously wrong with her daughter’s health. Mu Klein Klein has a VSD or Ventriculo-Septal Defect. This means there is a hole between the right and left sides of her heart. In her case, it is a large hole and it results in severe inefficiency of her heart muscle. It needs to be surgically treated in order for her to have a hope for a healthy future. Now, because of her heart defect, Mu Klein Klein has never grown very well and is very small; instead of looking like kids her age, she is seriously thin, and has the appearance of 6-month-old infant.

She has visited the Mae Tao Clinic approximately twice a month since birth with a repetitive, recurrent series of infections – usually of the lung, along with failure to thrive, malnutrition and poor weight gain.  She is very weak and, as a result is not able to play like other children.  Finally, on a recent visit, medics at the clinic discovered her heart defect and now she is waiting for funding so that she can see a specialist in order to undergo a surgical correction. Her mother says she doesn't crawl and is too weak to attempt to pull herself up. She has little hope that her daughter will ever be able to walk should her condition not improve. 

Mu Klein Klein's illness has taken a serious toll on her and her family.  Because her daughter is so weak, Ma Htway (her mother) is unable to work outside of the family's home. The family lives outside of Mae Sot and need to travel to the clinic by public transport.  This is costly but also dangerous as the car is often stopped by the police who demand bribery fees.  The last time she traveled with her daughter to come to the clinic the police took all of the money she had:  1000 baht ($31).  Mu Klein Klein's father works odd jobs.  When he is able to get work, he usually makes 60 baht for a day's wage.  This amount has not been enough to care for Mu Klein Klein and her older, 3 year old brother.  He has had to go and live with his grandmother in Mae La camp.

Mu Klein Klein's mother dreams and hopes that one day her daughter will be healthy and strong enough to enjoy life.  While a heart operation sounds scary, Ma Htway says she would be excited about the prospect of a cure for her daughter's illness.  She only wants her daughter to be well.

Rotary Fund have kindly agreed to sponsor Mu Klein Klein’s surgery

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