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TUCSON - There is a special little boy who needs help. The call comes from across the globe in Uganda. His name is Lewis and he is in desperate need of surgery. African Children's Charities, a local based organization, has arranged to have it done in Tucson. They are now asking for donations to help get him here.

While AIDS is rarely in the news these days it is a disease that has devastated the country of Uganda. The disease has left millions of children orphans and in many cases abandoned. Little Lewis is one of those stories; a child who contracted a crippling illness and was left to die. He was found in a place that African Children's Charities Board Member, Jay Murray, says, they would not have had to travel far to bury him, "Two years ago, Lewis was abandoned", he said, "left outside of a cemetary, in the weeds, left there to be on his own."

Fortunately he was found and turned over the the African Children's Charities. The organization sponsors an orphanage in Uganda. Lewis was small for his age and it was determined he was around three at the time. Murray says they also discovered the little boy was suffering from a debilitating condition, "We found out that he had had TB in his spine and that caused the disorder where his spine went out and went back in. The TB has been arrested, but without some care that's the way his spine will be for the rest of his life."

Lewis has trouble walking and is in constant pain. Fortunately a local area hospital has agreed to do the surgery. The African Children's Charities is now reaching out to people in Tucson to help them get him here so he can have the operation. It is estimated that the cost to bring Lewis and a caregiver to Tucson will be around $10,000.

This Friday and Saturday the African Children's Charities will hold a rummage sale to raise money for the trip. The event is being held, on both days, at 3025 W. Canyon Brook Trail, Tucson, AZ 85742. Donations can also be made at any Bank of America branch, just mention you would like to donate to the African Services account. For more information call Jay Murray at (520) 797-0828.