“Thank you for giving me this opportunity to be treated,” shares Editha, a 46-year-old woman from the Philippines. “I did not expect that what I have prayed for a long time was now been answered.”
Editha is a loving mother to five children, and loves cooking for them. Recently, though, her family has been worried about her. Not too long ago, she noticed a swelling in her neck, and that she was having trouble swallowing. She was eventually diagnosed with a goiter, meaning her thyroid gland—located at the base of the neck—is growing abnormally large.
Editha’s goiter causes her pain and makes her get tired easily. Because of these factors, Editha cannot work the long hours necessary to her job as a vegetable and rice farmer. Furthermore, she also feels depressed and embarrassed because of her goiter, which people sometimes make rude comments about.
Fortunately, there is a treatment for goiters like Editha’s. During a thyroidectomy, surgeons remove some or all of a patient’s malfunctioning thyroid gland, thus removing the source of the goiter. However, such an operation is not financially feasible for Editha. The harvest that she and her husband bring in from their farm work is just enough for the daily consumption and school expenses of their children.
But we can help. For $91, we can sponsor the thyroidectomy Editha needs. After surgery, she will be able to live a normal life and be free to do the things she can’t do currently—like working full shifts in the fields, carrying heavy objects, and walking down the street with confidence.
“Thank you for kind hearts that did not hesitate to help people like me,” Editha adds.
