7:30am Thursday 18th March 2010
By Lawrence Dunhill
A TINY Haitian baby – who was trapped under rubble for two days following the recent earthquake - is now being looked after by a Buckinghamshire family.
Landina Seignon's parents have not been traced since the disaster and she had to have her right arm amputated after being pulled free from the debris in January.
Her “heartbreaking” story was discovered by a British surgeon who helped secure her safe passage for treatment in the UK - in what he thought was her only chance of survival.
Having received care in two London hospitals Landina is now being looked after by Najma Latif, a mum-of-three from Chesham.
Mrs Latif, 43, said: “Her injuries were so severe and she needed specialist care. It was a heartbreaking case because no family member could even be traced - she was completely isolated.”
“She's a lovely baby and smiles a lot. She seems perfectly happy despite all her injuries. I've been with her every day since she arrived in Britain.”
Landina, who is thought to be about four months old, was already in hospital to get treatment for severe burns and to remove some dead bone from her skull when disaster struck the Caribbean island on January 12.
The Trinity hospital in Port-au-Prince collapsed during the huge earthquake and Landina was "miraculously" found under the rubble two days later.
She had suffered additional, critical injuries and her right arm had to be amputated in Haiti. It is believed her mother was among the 200,000-plus who died as a result of the earthquake.
Mrs Latif said Landina is the only baby to be given permission to leave Haiti and it took “a lot of pushing” before she was allowed to fly to London.
The part-time programme manager is also a volunteer 'host mother' for children's charity Chain of Hope - which along with another charity called Facing the World, played a key role in getting Landina to Britain.
Mrs Latif has given a temporary home to more than ten sick babies from around the world and said her daughters Yasmin, 15 and Safia, 12, who go to Chesham High School and Zarah, nine, who attends Thomas Harding Junior School, enjoy looking after them.
She added: “I think it helps them realise there are children in the world without basic care.”
Landina's treatments have gone well so far and she is due back in hospital on March 24 for an operation on her leg.
Mrs Latif said Landina will have to go back to Haiti once she has had the treatment she needs.
Aid workers are trying to trace any of her surviving relatives, but if they are unsuccessful Landina will go to an orphanage or foster family in Haiti before being considered for inter-country adoption.
It is estimated that £100,000 is needed to pay for all Landina's reconstruction operations and long-term prosthetic needs, so a special fund has been set up by Facing the World.
Donations to Landina's care can be made at facingtheworld.net or by post to: Landina Fund, c/o Facing The World, 266 Fulham Rd, London SW10 9EL
To find out about becoming a Chain Of Hope host mother, see chainofhope.org or contact Sue Nott on 020 7351 1978.
Mrs Latif has thanked Waitrose and FMY Chemists in Chesham for donating nappies and baby milk for Landina.
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