Meet Maxwell
A year ago, we introduced you to a little boy named Maxwell.
When we first met him, Maxwell was just 3 years old and dangerously malnourished.
He lived with his young, single mother, who worked hard as a farmer to provide food and care for their family, but without access to reliable healthcare or nutritious food, Maxwell’s health began declining significantly.
When his condition became critical, a local clinic connected his family with Love One International.
Our medical team examined Maxwell and diagnosed him with severe acute malnutrition with edema, a condition that causes swelling from excess fluid collecting in the body’s tissues. He had no appetite and was visibly distressed and uncomfortable with his skin peeling.
Why his weight went down
As his body rested and began to heal, Maxwell’s weight dropped further from 21.6 pounds to 19.8 pounds. That might sound like a setback, but it wasn’t.
When a child is severely malnourished, their body sometimes holds onto extra water, causing swelling in the body’s tissues called “‘edema”. Because that extra fluid has weight, it can make a severely malnourished child look bloated and weigh more than they would without the swelling.
As medical treatment begins and the child’s body stabilizes, the body finally releases the trapped fluid, and the weight on the scale drops so that real, healthy weight can be built back up.
That’s what happened for Maxwell!
His weight dropping was one of the first signs that his body was beginning to stabilize and heal.
The road ahead for Maxwell consisted of careful monitoring, medical and nutritional support, patience through setbacks, and loving caretakers present for the whole journey.
After several months of care, Maxwell regained healthy weight and was recovered enough to return home to his family!
Today, Maxwell weighs 31.5 pounds. He is in his first year of school and is currently enjoying his school holidays with his family! He is so energetic and loves playing football with his friends.
Walk the slow road with us
The Love Club is our community of monthly supporters. Ongoing support lets our team provide children like Maxwell with the consistent care they need.
Thank you for standing with Maxwell, his mother, and so many other families, not just for a moment of crisis, but for the journey toward lasting health and thriving.