Peggy R., 3

Peggy is the second-born child in her family. Following the death of her eldest sibling, she now lives with her parents and younger sibling in a two-room house. Both parents depend on irregular casual work and survive on their daily earnings, making it difficult to meet the family’s basic and medical needs. When she is well, Peggy enjoys playing. Peggy had been healthy until she began developing recurring skin rashes that would disappear and later return. On one occasion, intensely itchy lesions appeared on her face and continued spreading as she scratched them. Painful lesions later developed on her back and legs, making it difficult for her to sit comfortably. As her condition worsened, her mother rushed her to the hospital for assessment and treatment. Peggy’s mother had previously heard about Helpster Charity from a neighbour whose child had received assistance at the same facility. Because the family could not afford the required medical care, she sought support from Helpster in the hope that Peggy could receive timely treatment.

The child has a guarded prognosis due to epidermolysis bullosa complicated by secondary bacterial skin infection. The extensive skin barrier disruption associated with EB increases the risk of persistent or worsening infection, delayed wound healing, fluid and nutritional losses, and systemic infection including sepsis. With prompt antimicrobial treatment, appropriate non-traumatic wound care, adequate pain control, hydration and nutritional support, the infection can resolve and the child may stabilize. Peggy received wound care, nutritional support, her pain managed and then was referred to another facility for further management and treatment