Little 6-year-old Leland Shoemake began to complain about headaches, his parents, Amber and Tim, thought that something was wrong but they didn’t realize how severe this situation was.
Doctors revealed to them that Leland had been contaminated with Balamuthia mandrillaris, which is a free-living amoeba that can cause brain and spinal cord damage. While this illness is somewhat rare, it can enter the body when dirt containing the amoeba comes into contact with cuts or wounds.
Wanting their child to feel his best, they allowed doctors to treat Leland immediately at the hospital. However, Leland’s condition was only getting worse. Read the full story here ▶
