'I was just shocked by what I saw': Boy born with organs outside his body to undergo life-saving surgery (WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGES)

'So I went thinking I'd see a little African boy with a swollen tummy... malnutrition and worms...'

Ethan Sulgo was born with Exomphalos, meaning his organs developed outside his abdomen.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - According to Daily Mail, The 3-year-old boy's stomach appears to have a large, mottled tumor growing out of him in a mass of purple flesh.

Little Ethan suffers from Exomphalos, which is a weakness of the baby's abdominal wall where the umbilical cord joins it. Unfortunately, this weakness allows organs such as the bowel or liver to sit in a loose sac surrounding the umbilical cord.

Ethan's father, Charles, was at work at a radio station in Ghana when a coworker's father, Dr. David Williams, came to visit her.

When Charles realized Williams was a medical doctor, he immediately asked if he would be willing to examine Ethan.

Dr. Williams met Ethan July 2015 and admitted to the Associated Press: "So I went thinking I'd see a little African boy with a swollen tummy....malnutrition and worms, and when I got there I was just shocked by what I saw.

"I'd never seen it before, certainly not in a two-year-old. I don't think I'd ever seen it in my career, I've been a doctor 20 or 30 years and I'd never seen this case.

"I wasn't sure at that time what would be involved, but I did look Charles in the eye and said I'd do what I could to help."

Initially Dr. Williams thought he could contact Ghanian or Nigerion surgeons to take care of the boy but there were no hospitals in all of Ghana with properly trained staff or even the right equipment to conduct the operation.

When Williams realized Ethan couldn't be helped, he turned to hospitals and surgeons in England.

A pediatric surgeon at the John Radcliffe Hospital offered to do the operation but it would cost Ł25,000 ($27,772.50).

Unperturbed, Williams launched a fundraising campaign in March to cover the cost of the operation, the flight and all additional costs.

The fundraising included cake sales, half marathons and help from Willing & Abel, a charity dedicating to help children in third-world countries.

Combined, the campaign raised roughly Ł51,000 ($56,655). All extra money will be donated to other children, Williams stated.

Ethan told Dr. Williams his family was known as "the family with the boy who's pregnant." Williams added: "They don't let the little boy go out of the house because everybody pokes his tummy and prods at him and makes comments.

"So when he's at home he will be able to go to school and have a normal life, play football and be a normal boy again. He's incredible really.

"He's a very happy child, a very happy disposition. Nothing seems to have fazed him really. He's met lots of people and he's very brave. But also he just gets on with it. He's just an adorable three-year-old."

Charles said the kindness shown by Dr. and Mrs. Williams is "bringing a lot of joy and excitement" to his family, adding, "it's a miracle."

The surgery was set for Wednesday, July 13 and an update from Willing & Abel stated: "Ethan and his father, Charles arrived safely on 13th June at Heathrow and were met by the Williams' Family.

"They have settled well into the Cotswold's home of the Williams. Unfortunately Ethan arrived with a chesty cough that the Consultant at the John Radcliffe hospital has now diagnosed a[s] pneumonia."

Due to the pneumonia, Ethan's surgery has been postponed until mid-July and the charity asked for prayers for a swift recovery.

Prayer for Healing

Jesus, Master Physician of all times,
We ask you to send your healing touch to the child Ethan Sulgo.
Bring him peace and dissipate all ailments to Your child.
Bring his family peace and blessings.
We ask for your abounding healing love to maintain Ethan's body and soul so he may fulfill his daily functions.
Thank you Father,
Amen.

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