Childhood burns left Esther with severe scarring that prevented her from straightening her arm. Reconstructive surgery restored her mobility.
"Childhood burns left Esther with severe scarring that prevented her from straightening her arm. Reconstructive surgery restored her mobility."
When Esther was three years old, she suffered severe burns on her arm from a cooking fire accident. The burns healed, but the scar tissue contracted over time, leaving her unable to fully extend her arm by age 15.
"I couldn't raise my hand in class," Esther remembers. "I couldn't carry water or help my mother. People would stare."
The MolGen team's plastic surgeon, Dr. Carlos Rivera, examined Esther during a mission to Tanzania. He recommended a scar release surgery followed by skin grafting.
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"Burn contractures like Esther's are tragically common in developing countries," Dr. Rivera explains. "The surgery isn't complicated, but it requires specialized skills that aren't always available locally."
The surgery involved releasing the tight scar tissue and grafting skin from Esther's thigh to cover the area. After weeks of physical therapy, Esther regained full range of motion.
"I can do everything now," she says, stretching her arm overhead. "I want to finish school and become a nurse so I can help other people too."
Outcome
Full arm mobility restored through scar release and skin grafting.
Partner Hospitals
2 hospitals across Africa
