Seven-week-old Nhel Jhon Prado was diagnosed with congenital encephalocele, a rare birth defect that makes his head look like it has horns growing from it.

Nhel’s parents, Angel Puerto and Ronel Prado, both 20, have brought him home to Manila, Philippines. However, he still requires constant care because the “horns” are continuing to grow. The family hopes to have the defect removed, but they cannot afford the surgery at Pasig General Hospital.

“The doctors checked Nhel with an ultrasound but didn’t find any problems during my pregnancy. When he was born, they said my son was very lucky because his brain wasn’t affected or damaged.

We’ve never seen a child like this before, so we’re all trying to consider it a blessing, like our son is a special little unicorn. The family still doesn’t know how we’ll pay the medical bills. We just know that a surgery like this is beyond our means, but right now, the top priority is getting him the surgery,” Angel shared.

Initially, the “horn” was only the size of an egg, but in the last two months, it has swollen and doubled in size. The family still has to wrap the defect in cloth because the skin there is particularly sensitive and full of large blisters.