Bali burns boy appeal - Dhani needs our help

Previous Updates

FEB 2009
Achmad gets fitted for his prosthetic leg

In February 2009 Alan Crumlin and his wife Linda arrived from Perth WA with Achmad's new leg!
This is a very hi-tech leg. When it is fitted and working it responds like a natural leg.

Alan adjusts Achmad's leg. He is fine tuning the mechanism to match his natural leg.

This is the first time Achmad has walked without crutches for two years. As you can see, the leg does not respond correctly - which is why it needs to be sent back to Australia for further work.

To the left is an animated image.
It is 2MB in size so may take a while to load.

JAN 2009
Dhani's Operation - report by Nick Burgoyne

We're not sure how many operations Dhani has actually had, but it's the third one since we have been involved with helping him. And the second which you, our generous benefactors, have paid for. We thank you again, from the bottom of our hearts, as without your help, Dhani's face would now be in an awful state. This surgery was to relieve the pressure around his mouth and allow him better articulation. Post-Surgery Images - Click to Enlarge - Caution Graphic Content. Dhani in February 2009, one month after his second surgery. His face is much more mobile, the skin around his mouth more relaxed and Dhani is happier!

MAY 2008
Dhani's Operation - report by Nick Burgoyne

It is with great pleasure that by early May 2008 we had raised enough to pay for Dhani's first operation with us in its entirety. He met with Dr Asmarjaya on Monday 5th May and he was admitted immediately. He first operation was on Tuesday and during the four hours of surgery Dr Asmarjaya managed to remove scar and fatty tissues from Dhani's lower lip to enable it to move more easily and for Dhani to be able to close his mouth. His right ear was also divided and pinned back. We await the results but Gloria, who was present during the surgery, says all went very well.

Dhani will convalesce in the new wing of the Crisis Care clinic for 3 - 4 weeks. As he recovers, further images will be posted on this page - so please return often!

Maria is going to Lovina for the weekend of 23rd May and is hoping to make an appointment with the doctor for Ahmad on 26th May, so he can make the journey with her.

Newsflash ! May 11th 2008
Text Message from Gloria : Dhani can now smile, 5 days after the op. I am so happy for him. G

Dhani with Achmad immediately before surgery

Dhani with
Ahmad immediately before surgery

Dr Asmarjaya,
Gloria, Another
Specialist
Scrubbed In!

This is a
teaching hospital.
Here, students observe the
anaesthetic procedure

Students watching
the complex
surgery

The incision
1cm below
Dhani's lower
lip Approxi-
mately 10cm
in length

WARNING! GRAPHIC CONTENT!

Reconstructive surgery on
Dhani's ear

WARNING! GRAPHIC CONTENT!

Dhani, the
afternoon following surgery

Dressings cover
his right ear
and lower face

June 2008

Dhani Smiles!

For the first time in over a year, and thanks to your generous contributions, Dhani is able to smile (although his face is still tight) and eat reasonably properly! This is quite a milestone as it represents the first positive move forward since Maria 'discovered' Dhani in April 2008. As you can see below, there is still a long way to go before Dhani can function as any other little boy his age, but the long journey has begun with a momentous step! Thank you Everyone for all your support!

John Fawcett Foundation

On Sunday 8th June, Maria and Mark Savage took Achmad and Dhani to Sanur to meet a visiting consultant from Australia to analyse their medical requirements. There was good news all round tho a surprising development when we discovered that Achmad's arm was also damaged in the accident and remains in a fixed position. He had told no-one about this as he considers Dhani's needs to be the priority.

Dhani was examined by Dr Tim Cooper from Perth Hospital in Australia, who has outlined a course of treatment. It is recommended that Dhani and Achmad travel to Perth in October and Dhani has surgery on his mouth, ears and a tendon in one of his hands. (2009 - unfortunately this never happened as Dr Tims workload increased he was no longer able to spare the time. On suggestion of John Fawcett, Mark wrote to Fiona Wood of the McCombe Foundation)

Dhani will only be able to have surgery to improve the physical functionality of the damaged areas; he was always be scarred. He will need further skin grafts as his body grows and we hope these can also be undertaken in Australia.

Achmad needs further surgery on his stump. He needs a further amputation and for the nerve bundle in his leg to be implanted in his bone to 'ground' it - so he no longer feels such pain. After that, the John Fawcett Foundation can provide a fully flexible, modern prosthetic! It was suggested that Achmad has a further operation to place his arm in a 'bent' position to enable him to use it for close work. However, Achmad prefers to keep it straight so he will still be able to ride a motorbike.

23/04/2008
Gloria called last night and said that she had spoken to Ahmad, Danni's father. His words were basically that he thinks we might not want to help him as he lives in a house (ie not a shack). As he put it he "was successful" before his accident & that family were doing ok. However since his accident he has been unable to work & his wife cleans houses now for their income. They have put the house up for sale, as it was the only way to pay for Danni's ops.As yet they have not sold it. However if they did sell, the money would maybe pay for Danni's operations, but they would be left with nothing & have to find somewhere to live. Basically they have no money now to help Danni and therefore need help. They do have their house which is their only assett & it would be nice if they could keep that.

As I mentioned before Ahmad is a proud young and motivated man, who has kept his family well in the past and his only wish now is to do it again. Helping him with a prosthetic leg, will definately help his whole family. He just wants to support them himself in the future.

23/4/08
We have our weekly Rotary Club meeting and I will be addressing
our members to tell them of this little boys plight.

24/4/08
The weekly meeting yesterday raised nearly USD350 toward
Danni's operations.

26/4/08
Nick, Maria & I Travelled to north Bali to meet the family. Extensive video footage was taken which once edited we will put on this webpage. Some of the images are displayed on the page, including the photos of Dhani before the accident.

I will post more updates as information becomes available..