Peruvian boy to have facial surgery in St. Pete

Monday, December 1, 2008

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Eisten, 8, of Peru, is missing a piece of bone in his face causing cerebral spinal fluid to collect there. Watch the story Watch Video

PINELLAS COUNTY (Bay News 9) -- A Peruvian boy will undergo facial surgery at All Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg for free.

The 8-year-old boy named Eisten has a birth defect. He is missing a piece of bone in his face, causing cerebral spinal fluid to collect there.

Members of the Bell Shoals Baptist Church in Brandon raised money to bring Eisten to Florida for the surgery. They met the boy while on a mission trip. Doctors are performing the surgery for free.

Eisten's mother has nine other children. Speaking through a translator, she says she's overwhelmed and extremely grateful.

"I never thought of this wonderful thing that happened to us and I never thought to come here to the states," she said. "He attended school once but the other boys laughed at him, they wanted to touch the lump he has."

Eisten worked the fields with his family instead of going to school. While he's in the U.S. he is learning his alphabet and numbers so he will be ready to go to school when he gets back.

Eisten and his mother will stay with church members until he's well enough to return to Peru. His father stayed behind to care for the other children.