How Untreated Hernias and Hydroceles Impact Children’s Lives

For many children, hernias and hydroceles should be nothing more than a minor medical issue, a simple day surgery and a short recovery. But in parts of the world where access to healthcare is limited, these treatable conditions can rob a child of comfort, confidence, and even their education.

At Humanity Direct, we help children access the surgery they urgently need. And we’ve seen first-hand just how much suffering a small, untreated condition can cause.

What Are Hernias and Hydroceles?

• A hernia happens when part of the body—often the intestine—pushes through a weak spot in the abdominal wall. It often appears as a painful lump, especially during movement.

• A hydrocele is a build-up of fluid in the scrotum, causing swelling that can lead to discomfort and difficulty walking or sitting.

These conditions are common, straightforward to treat, and rarely dangerous—if treated early. But without access to surgery, they can cause years of pain, shame and disruption.

The Impact of Delayed Surgery on a Child

For children living with untreated hernias or hydroceles, the effects are more than physical. They touch every part of their lives:

• Pain and discomfort during normal activities like walking, sitting, or playing

• Difficulty sleeping, leading to fatigue and poor concentration

• Embarrassment or bullying due to visible swelling or discomfort

• Social isolation, especially among older children

• Missed school days, affecting education and future opportunities

• Emotional distress, including anxiety, confusion or low self-esteem

In some cases, untreated hernias can become life-threatening if they become strangulated, cutting off blood supply to internal tissue. But most of the time, the damage is slower—and just as devastating.

Why Children Don’t Get the Treatment They Need

In Uganda and other low-resource countries, the cost of surgery can be more than a family earns in a year. Even where public hospitals exist, travel costs, hospital fees, medication, and aftercare make access impossible for many.

So children wait. And as they wait, their condition worsens.

What Humanity Direct Is Doing to Help

We believe no child should grow up in pain because of where they were born. That’s why Humanity Direct funds 100% of the cost of surgery, including the operation, anaesthesia, hospital stay, medication, and follow-up care.

With help from donors like you, we fund surgeries for children with hernias and hydroceles as well as many other common but life-altering conditions. We work closely with local doctors and hospitals to identify urgent cases, and provide children with safe, timely care.

The impact is immediate:

• Children return to school

• Pain disappears

• Shame is replaced by confidence

• Families find relief and hope

One Small Operation Can Change Everything

A hernia repair might seem like a small thing. But to a child who’s been in pain for months or even years, it’s the key to getting their childhood back.

By funding a single surgery, even if its not a surgery covering hernias and hydroceles you’re giving a child freedom: to play, to laugh, to learn, and to live without pain.