Success! Daliza from Cambodia raised $1,500 to fund spinal surgery.

100%

$1,500 raised, $0 to go

$1,500

raised

to go

Daliza's story
Daliza's update

March 2, 2020

Daliza is fourteen years old, and enjoys reading, cooking, and going for walks around the village with her family. She has one brother and two sisters. Her favorite subject in school is Khmer Literature, and she hopes to become a teacher when she gets older.

Since Daliza was ten years old, she started to develop scoliosis, causing a curvature in her spine. She often feels uncomfortable while sitting in class and sleeping, and cannot walk well. Spinal surgery will help to correct the curvature in her spine, and ensure that, as Daliza gets older, her spine will remain straight.

“My daughter’s spine gets worse everyday. I hope that I will no longer worry about her condition and she will be comfortable and can return to school again.” -Daliza’s Mother

Daliza is fourteen years old, and enjoys reading, cooking, and going for walks around the village with her family. She has one brother and t...

Photo of Daliza post-operation

March 26, 2020

Daliza underwent spinal surgery.

Daliza’s spinal surgery was a great success! Her surgery took several hours, but she is now resting well in the recovery ward. Surgery has corrected her spinal position, allowing her to sit, stand, walk, and sleep without discomfort.

Spinal correction surgery is very important to make sure that, as Daliza grows older, her condition does not worsen over time. Daliza will spend the next two weeks working with the physiotherapist to improve her mobility. Her family is so happy that her operation went well and she can now return to her studies without any problems.

“I am so happy that my back is looking better than before, and that I can sleep well and return to school,” she shared.

Daliza's spinal surgery was a great success! Her surgery took several hours, but she is now resting well in the recovery ward. Surgery has c...

March 2, 2020
PROFILE SUBMITTED
Daliza was submitted by Lindsay Bownik, Stakeholder Relations Officer at Children's Surgical Centre.
March 3, 2020
TREATMENT OCCURRED
Daliza received treatment at Kien Khleang National Rehabilitation Centre in Cambodia. 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.
March 3, 2020
PROFILE PUBLISHED
Daliza's profile was published to start raising funds.
March 26, 2020
TREATMENT UPDATE
Daliza's treatment was successful. Read the update.
May 10, 2020
FULLY FUNDED
Daliza's treatment was fully funded.

Funded by 38 donors

Treatment

Spinal Surgery

Cost Breakdown
Diagnosis
Procedure

On average, it costs $1,589 for Daliza's treatment

Watsi raises $1,500 and other contributions cover the rest

Hospital Fees

$160

Medical Staff

$810

Medication

Supplies

$611

Labs

Radiology

Symptoms
Impact on patient's life
Cultural or regional significance

What kinds of symptoms do patients experience before receiving treatment?

Patients experiencing severe back pain may also experience fever and chills, unexplained weight loss, sudden bowel and/or bladder incontinence, and severe, continuous abdominal pain. Back pain may be caused by vertebrae, the small bones of the spine. The back conditions for which surgery is recommended include degenerative disk disease, spondylolisthesis, spinal stenosis, scoliosis, fracture, infection, and tumor.

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

Patients with severe back pain experience difficulty walking, sleeping, sitting, riding a motorcycle, working, going to school, and carrying out everyday tasks. If the pain affects a patient's ability to work or go to school, the patient will be unable to earn money to support his or her family or continue his or her education. Patients may experience discomfort and difficulty breathing.

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

Cambodian culture emphasizes the importance of working hard and earning money to support the family. When a patient is unable to work, he or she may feel helpless or may experience financial difficulty.

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

What does the treatment process look like?

There are several types of spinal surgeries performed to treat back pain: Spinal fusion: This is the most common surgery for back pain and is used to keep the spine stable after injury, infection, or a tumor. The surgeon joins the spinal bones (vertebrae) together. In a spinal fusion for scoliosis, the surgeon attaches rods, hooks, wires, or screws to the curved part of the backbone to straighten and stabilize the spine. Laminectomy: In this procedure, the surgeon removes parts of the bone, bone spurs, or ligaments in the back. This relieves pressure on spinal nerves and can ease pain or weakness. Foraminotomy: The surgeon cuts bone at the sides of the vertebrae to widen the space through which nerves exit the spine, relieving pressure on the nerves and easing pain. Diskectomy: A disk, the cushion that separates the vertebrae, can slip out of place, pressing on a spinal nerve and causing back pain. In a diskectomy, the surgeon removes all or part of the disk to relieve pain. Disk replacement: A surgeon removes the damaged spinal disk and inserts an artificial one between the vertebrae. Interlaminar implant: The surgeon implants a U-shaped device between two vertebrae in the lower back. This device helps keep the space between them open and eases pressure on the spinal nerves. Bone grafting will also be performed to support the spine and stimulate bone healing.

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

The patient will be able to work or go to school without pain.

What potential side effects or risks come with this treatment?

As with any operation, there are potential risks associated with spinal surgery. These include: Infection: Antibiotics are regularly given to the patient before, during, and after surgery to lessen the risk of infection. Bleeding: A certain amount of bleeding is expected, but this is not typically significant. Pain at bone graft site: A small percentage of patients will experience persistent pain at the bone graft site. Recurring symptoms: Some patients may experience a recurrence of their original symptoms. Nerve damage: It is possible that the nerves or blood vessels may be injured during these operations. These complications are very rare. Blood clots: Another uncommon complication is the formation of blood clots in the legs.

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

Spinal surgery is not widely offered in Cambodia, especially for low-income patients who cannot afford treatment. Children's Surgical Centre (CSC) provides this procedure free of charge. Patients travel to CSC by bus, taxi, or motorbike from all over Cambodia.

What are the alternatives to this treatment?

Patients that do not seek a surgical procedure may try exercises and medication. However, these forms of treatment may not be effective.

Meet another patient you can support

100% of your donation funds life-changing surgery.

Chanthorn is a 21-year-old mango farmer from Cambodia. He lives with his mother and older brother in the village where he grew up. He has four other siblings, and they live in nearby villages with their families. One year ago, while Chanthorn was lifting a crate of mangoes, he suddenly experienced a sharp pain in his back. The pain persisted and he noticed a curvature in his spine. He experiences chronic daily pain due to his injury. Chanthorn's injury has prevented him from working on the farm. He also used to enjoy playing soccer every evening with his friends in the village, but is unable to due to his injury. Chanthorn traveled five and a half hours to our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre, for a diagnosis and treatment. On March 20th, our surgeons will perform surgery to align his spine using implants. This procedure will ease his pain and allow him to return to work. Our medical partners are requesting $1,500 to fund his procedure. The costs will cover surgery and in-patient care, including physiotherapy. Chanthorn's mother said, "I hope my son will feel healthy again and be able to return to work on the farm."

Vichheka is a 26-year-old from Cambodia. Along with caring for her daughter, Vichheka and her husband sell grocery products from their home. When Vichheka was a toddler, she fell off the front stoop of her home, possibly creating a left hip deformity. Her parents brought her to Children's Surgical Centre (CSC) for examination; it was decided that surgery was not needed at the time. Since then, she has suffered from frequent spasms down her left leg, made worse by prolonged periods of standing while working. A relative suggested she return to CSC to determine if there was a solution to her ongoing pain. Now doctors would like Vichheka to undergo contracture release surgery on her rectus femoris, a muscle in the upper leg to finally heal her condition. After recovery, Vichheka should be in less pain. Now, she needs $572 to fund her procedure. Vichheka shared "I hope I can walk easier with no more pain after this surgery, so I can help my husband and raise my child."

Khin is a 43-year-old rice farmer in Cambodia. She is married and has four children. Her husband and eldest son are also rice farmers and her other three children are still in school. On March 2nd, Khin fell off a motorcycle during a rainstorm and fractured her left tibia and femur. She underwent surgery at a local hospital in Kampong Thom, and an external fixation frame was applied to support the healing of the fractures. However, an open wound remains on her lower left leg. It is swollen and painful making it difficult for Khin to walk. She is unable to work outside in the rice fields or to help her family with daily chores. Fortunately, our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, can help. On April 5th, surgeons at Kien Khleang National Rehabilitation Centre will perform a skin graft procedure to heal Khin's chronic open wound. Khin is able to contribute $100 but needs your help to fund an additional $487 for the procedure. Khin said: "After surgery, I hope I have no more infection so I can walk my son to school and work with my family to grow rice."

Daliza's Timeline

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Funded by 38 donors

Treatment

Meet another patient you can support

100% of your donation funds life-changing surgery.