Michal is a little girl in Pakistan who was born this year with a cleft palate. This makes it extremely difficult for her to feed and she needs urgent surgery to repair it - without the surgery she will have serious problems for the rest of her life. Michal's uncle, N, is a friend of mine and he has told me her story.
This surgery is not free in Pakistan and the few charities offering free treatment for the poorest families struggle to meet the overwhelming demand for their services. The average monthly salary in Pakistan is around £246 so meeting medical fees can be a real challenge. Michal's family want to be sure she has good treatment and they have budgeted for up to £1,000 for the operation and all the medical costs of staying in hospital in the nearest big city, Islamabad.
My friend N has recently been granted asylum in the UK having had to leave Pakistan for his own safety (which is why I have not used his full name and there are no photos of them on this page). His family were also in danger and had to move overnight to a new home and find new work. This disruption means that money is tight for them all and N and his family have a big task to raise the funds for Michal's treatment.
Surgery is best done when the baby is very young and, as parents, they want to do the best they can for their child. Michal has the opportunity to have an operation in January 2025, provided funds can be found to pay for it. I have therefore agreed to support N by sponsoring this Go Fund Me page to help him try to raise £500 to ensure that basic treatment is available for Michal. Any donations over that target will enable the family to meet additional medical costs as they occur. Even small amounts can add up towards the total and help Michal's family get her the treatment she needs. Thank you for helping.