Success! Rosemary from Malawi raised $650 to fund gynecological surgery.

100%

$650 raised, $0 to go

$650

raised

to go

Rosemary's story
Rosemary's update

May 22, 2019

Rosemary is a mother and grandmother from Malawi. She lives with two of her children and enjoys playing with her grandchildren in her free time.

Since 2017, Rosemary has been experiencing abdominal discomfort. She has been diagnosed with cancerous lesions of the cervix. She needs to undergo a hysterectomy, a procedure in which surgeons will remove her uterus.

Our medical partner, World Altering Medicine, is requesting $650 to fund Rosemary’s surgery. On May 23, she will undergo gynecological surgery at Nkhoma Hospital, our medical partner’s care center. The requested money pays for supplies, medications, and seven nights of hospital stay.

She says, “I look forward to returning to my business of selling tomatoes after returning home. There will be no problem, this program has helped us!”

Rosemary is a mother and grandmother from Malawi. She lives with two of her children and enjoys playing with her grandchildren in her free t...

Photo of Rosemary post-operation

June 4, 2019

Rosemary underwent gynecological surgery.

Her surgery was successful.

She says, “This has helped us so much in a very good way, thank you!”

Her surgery was successful. She says, "This has helped us so much in a very good way, thank you!"...

May 22, 2019
PROFILE SUBMITTED
Rosemary was submitted by Angela Quashigah at World Altering Medicine.
May 23, 2019
TREATMENT OCCURRED
Rosemary received treatment at Nkhoma Hospital in Malawi. Medical partners often provide care to patients accepted by Watsi before those patients are fully funded, operating under the guarantee that the cost of care will be paid for by donors.
May 23, 2019
PROFILE PUBLISHED
Rosemary's profile was published to start raising funds.
June 4, 2019
TREATMENT UPDATE
Rosemary's treatment was successful. Read the update.
August 7, 2019
FULLY FUNDED
Rosemary's treatment was fully funded.

Funded by 12 donors

Treatment

Hysterectomy

Cost Breakdown
Diagnosis
Procedure

On average, it costs $650 for Rosemary's treatment

Hospital Fees

$373

Medical Staff

$12

Medication

$236

Supplies

Travel

Labs

$22

Symptoms
Impact on patient's life
Cultural or regional significance

What kinds of symptoms do patients experience before receiving treatment?

Patients requiring hysterectomies at our medical partner's care center generally have one of three conditions: uterine fibroids, cervical cancer, or chronic bleeding. Women with uterine fibroids may experience chronic pelvic pain. Women with cervical cancer are often symptom-free and are only diagnosed upon screening. Finally, women with chronic bleeding experience atypical and excessive vaginal bleeding.

What is the impact on patients’ lives of living with these conditions?

These three conditions may impact the patient's life in different ways. Women with pelvic pain and bleeding may be unable to work or be active. Women who experience bleeding may feel weak, due to the loss of blood and inaccessibility of blood products in Malawi. Women with cervical cancer are at risk of cancer metastasis.

What cultural or regional factors affect the treatment of these conditions?

Cervical cancer is the top killer of women in Malawi, which has the highest rate of this type of cancer in the world. There are several factors that lead to these high rates, including early sexual initiation, high HIV prevalence, and lack of screening and treatment. Although health facilities nationwide are supposed to provide screenings, many do not. Therefore, women are never screened, and the cancer can progress to an untreatable stage. In addition, women with cervical cancer often experience no symptoms and may not go in for a screening. Women with vaginal bleeding may experience stigmatization. In Malawi, menstruation can be a challenge. It is difficult to keep fabric clean, as there is often little access to sanitary products.

Process
Impact on patient's life
Risks and side-effects
Accessibility
Alternatives

What does the treatment process look like?

A hysterectomy is a surgical operation to remove all or part of the uterus. Surgeons perform radical hysterectomies on women with cervical cancer. This is an aggressive surgical approach to combat cancer. Women with fibroids or bleeding may receive alternative treatments before a hysterectomy.

What is the impact of this treatment on the patient’s life?

For patients with cervical cancer, a hysterectomy is a lifesaving operation. Without treatment, the cancer will continue to spread and ultimately become untreatable. Chemotherapy has not been proven effective in treating cervical cancer, so a hysterectomy is the best option for women. Women with fibroids or bleeding will be able to return to their daily lives without chronic pain and bleeding.

What potential side effects or risks come with this treatment?

There are risks associated with any surgical procedure. In this case, there is a risk of damage to the ureters and the tubes that connect the kidney to the bladder, as they are near the reproductive system.

How accessible is treatment in the area? What is the typical journey like for a patient to receive care?

There is one public hospital in Malawi's Central Region that provides hysterectomies. Unfortunately, the wait time can be very, very long. Women may not be treated in time or may stop showing up for scheduled surgeries as they continue to be delayed. Other private facilities provide hysterectomies, but at rates that are unaffordable to our patients.

What are the alternatives to this treatment?

For patients with cervical cancer, there are no good alternatives. For patients with fibroids, it is possible to remove the fibroid alone. This procedure is often done on young women who are still of childbearing age. Some women with fibroids or bleeding receive hormonal treatment before attempting a hysterectomy. In many cases, less aggressive treatments are tried before the patient receives a hysterectomy.

Meet another patient you can support

100% of your donation funds life-changing surgery.

Phanith is an 18-year-old student who lives in Takeo province in Cambodia with his parents and two siblings. His mother works in a clothing factory and his father works in construction. In December 2021, Phanith was involved in a motorcycle accident. He lost consciousness and suffered damage to his brachial piexus or the network of nerves that branch off from the spinal cord in the neck and extend down into his shoulder, arm, and hand. In addition, he fractured the lower bone of his left arm. At a local hospital in Takeo province, he underwent an open reduction and internal fixation of his left radius, to repair the fracture. However, he still suffers from weakness, loss of sensation, and paralysis in his left shoulder and arm. Phanith lives in constant pain because the hardware from his surgery has become exposed and is infected. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, can help. On April 5th, Phanith will undergo a hardware removal procedure. Phanith is able to contribute $80 but needs your help to raise another $304 to fund the procedure. The removal of the hardware will eliminate the source of the chronic infection and allow surgeons to concentrate on rehabilitation for his brachial plexus injury. Phanith shared, "I hope I will have no more infection, be able to move my left arm, and be able to return to finish school."

Briven is a 2-year-old boy from Uganda. His parents are farmers who grow food for the family. He has two older brothers who are in school. Briven's father hopes his son will be an engineer in the future. Briven was born with hydrocele or a swelling in a sensitive area of the body. The doctors recommended surgery for him once he reached eight months. However, his parents couldn’t raise the funds needed. Recently, Briven has been in pain, unable to walk or play. Fortunately, on March 12, he will undergo hydrocele repair surgery. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $139 to fund Briven's surgery. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully allow him to live more comfortably and confidently. Briven's parents shared, “The only hope we have for a complete recovery of our child is by surgery, yet we have no money. We really need support.”

Sopheany is a 59-year-old grandmother who needs eye surgery to restore her sight. She lived alone in Kratie province since the untimely death of her husband eight years ago, but recently moved in with her youngest son, a rice farmer. Fortunately, she has five sons, two daughters, and 13 grandchildren who live in the province. They fill her life with joy and keep her busy. At home, she enjoys listening to music and local news. Sopheany, a rice farmer, now stays indoors due to poor eyesight. Three months ago, Sopheany developed a cataract in her right eye, causing her an intolerance of bright or low sunlight. She describes her eyesight as seeing through very dirty glasses and is frustrated she cannot recognize the faces of her grandchildren when they visit. When Sopheany learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for eight hours seeking treatment. On March 5th, doctors will perform small incision cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in her right eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Now, she needs help to fund this $253 procedure. Sopheany said: "I hope after surgery my eye can see better and I can go outside again."

Rosemary's Timeline

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Funded by 12 donors

Treatment

Meet another patient you can support

100% of your donation funds life-changing surgery.