Meet Hsa, a 27-year-old man from Burma. Hsa works on a rice farm and also makes coal from wood to sell so he can support his family.
Hsa came to our medical partner, Burma Border Projects (BBP), with a mass inside his nasal passage and adjacent sinus. “Hsa first noticed symptoms related to his condition six years ago when he was 21,” says BBP. “He said that he had difficulty breathing, had a sore throat, and a yellow-colored discharge started to drip from his nose.”
Hsa sought medical care on multiple occasions, but the medicines he received did not relieve his symptoms, BBP adds. “His head throbs, he cannot breathe well, and he has trouble hearing due to the drainage.”
“I have to miss work in the rice fields when my symptoms are particularly bad,” says Hsa. His inability to work prevents him from sending money home to support his family and pay school fees for his sisters.
With $1,500, Hsa can undergo surgery to remove the mass from his nose and sinus. Funding also pays for 15 days of hospital care immediately after surgery and two outpatient visits for follow-up care.
“It is expected that if Hsa has treatment for his condition, that he will be able to return to work so that he can earn money to support his parents and siblings,” BBP tells us. “He will no longer be in discomfort/pain and will be able to sleep well.”
“If I can get well, I will be able to make money and send it home to my family,” says Hsa.
