A toddler in England has a number of lung infections and at the age of 1, the docs tell her family that she cannot EAT food because it goes straight from her esophagus to her lungs. So for seven years, the family watches the little girl like an eyrie of hawks to ensure she doesn't sneak a snack. She gets a feeder device that pumps foodlike substances directly into her stomach at regular intervals and has to wear a backpack to school with the contraption in it. Grandma said ENOUGH and sought other solutions.
The girl's family asked for financial help from her community because the girl's life was difficult AND she kept WANTING to eat real food. Ultimately, their generous neighbors helped the girl and her family fly to Stanford to be examined by specialists in Palo Alto.
Diagnosis? SHE'S FINE. Swallow food, food goes to stomach, just like normal child. All the proof necessary was a barium test that showed what happened when the girl swallowed the liquid.
The United Kingdom: first world finances, first world military, third-world medical system.
Another triumph for semi-free market medicine.
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