Help Yasin Get Life-Changing Surgery

Yasin is our remarkable 12 year old boy from Uganda. He is full of joy, love, kindness and a profound gratitude for life.

When we met Yasin over 2 years ago, he was living in circumstances in which a child should never live. We immediately connected with him on a level we could never have foreseen and have loved him as our own since. He gives us reason in our life and brings us so much joy. All we knew upon meeting him was that his feet "didn't work" and he had many significant unmet needs. We worked with a few incredible local social workers to help remove custody from an unsafe relative's home and placed him in a boarding school. Since then, we have been his unofficial guardians. At school, Yasin has access to his wheelchair for mobility, consistent food and clean water to grow, friends, teachers and caregivers who love him and for the first time in his life, the opportunity to learn at school. Education for children in Uganda, as it is not publicized, is a gift, one that many children (especially those with disabilities) do not receive. Yasin loves school and the only thing that rivals how hard he works at school, is how much he loves to play.

Which leads us to our next goal for Yasin: his physical health and mobility. When we were in Uganda earlier this year, we pushed past previous dismissals of his condition to fight for answers to the root cause of Yasin's paralysis from the knees down. After weeks of hospital visits, we received the unfortunate news that Yasin has a large tumor on his spinal cord that has also broken into two vertebrae on his spine. The surgery he needs is an extremely complex procedure and after months of extensive consulting with both doctors in the United States and Uganda, Yasin's best possible outcome will be receiving the surgery in the US under our care. We are so beyond grateful that a highly specialized neurosurgeon at Primary Children's Hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah has accepted Yasin's case.

Here's what's next and why we need your help. In order for Yasin to come in a timely manner, adoption (often a 2-3 year process) is not in the cards. There is not a faster track despite his urgent medical needs, so instead we are seeking to establish legal guardianship. While Yasin has not lived with his parents for many years, they are aware of his needs and love him. To maintain their integrity, as they are also people we love, all that is important to know is that their extenuating circumstances do not allow for Yasin to live with them safely full time. We all see the role of parenthood to Yasin as one we are honored to share. They are in full support of our involvement with Yasin and ultimately want what is best for him.

Guardianship does not equal citizenship and as such, Yasin's only timely way of entry into the US is a medical visa. In order to apply for the medical visa, we have to show proof of funds for Yasin's surgery in entirety. Again, without citizenship, he will not qualify for any form of insurance. While we would happily pay off his medical debts for the rest of our lives, our concern is the timeline. The sooner we can prove the funds to bring Yasin here, the sooner his urgent needs can be met.

Yasin's road ahead is not an easy one but he is one tough kid. God has led us to this point and we believe He will lead us through it. We are grateful for the love you have already shared with Yasin in hearing his story. He is our boy, and we want to honor his privacy and dignity. It is with a sacred heart that we share this and we also ask for the same respect when sharing with anyone you feel who can contribute.

Financial Breakdown:

Legal Guardianship Fees: $3,500

Travel and Visa for Yasin: $3,100

Surgery & Hospital fees: $105,000