Success! Stanley from Kenya raised $542 to fund testicular surgery.

100%

$542 raised, $0 to go

$542

raised

to go

Stanley's story
Stanley's update

August 23, 2019

Stanley is a child from Kenya. He is a bright composed boy. Stanley, the seventh of seven children, is in pre-school and doing well in his studies. Stanley’s parents are subsistence farmers without an external source of income. They have other children to tend to who are in school with the firstborn in the fourth year in high school.

Stanley was diagnosed with cryptorchidism, a condition in which one or both of the testicles remains undescended. If left untreated, Stanley has an increased risk of developing hernias, testicular cancer, and fertility problems in the future.

Stanley will be receiving assistance from our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). Fortunately, he is scheduled to undergo corrective surgery on August 26th. AMHF is requesting $542 to cover the total cost of his procedure and care.

“I want to be a policeman when I grow up,” says Stanley.

Stanley is a child from Kenya. He is a bright composed boy. Stanley, the seventh of seven children, is in pre-school and doing well in his s...

Photo of Stanley post-operation

September 29, 2019

Stanley underwent testicular surgery.

Stanley had successful surgery to descend his testis. The surgery has greatly minimized the risk of suffering testicular torsion, infertility and testicular cancer.

“I will that God will bless you as you have blessed me,” says Stanley.

Stanley had successful surgery to descend his testis. The surgery has greatly minimized the risk of suffering testicular torsion, infertilit...

August 23, 2019
PROFILE SUBMITTED
Stanley was submitted by Joan Kadagaya, SAFE Senior Program Coordinator at African Mission Healthcare.
August 26, 2019
TREATMENT OCCURRED
Stanley received treatment at BethanyKids Kijabe Hospital (BKKH) in Kenya. 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.
August 29, 2019
PROFILE PUBLISHED
Stanley's profile was published to start raising funds.
September 29, 2019
TREATMENT UPDATE
Stanley's treatment was successful. Read the update.
October 24, 2019
FULLY FUNDED
Stanley's treatment was fully funded.

Funded by 14 donors

Treatment

Orchidopexy (Double)

Cost Breakdown
Diagnosis
Procedure

On average, it costs $542 for Stanley's treatment

Hospital Fees

$536

Medical Staff

Medication

Supplies

Labs

Symptoms
Impact on patient's life
Cultural or regional significance

What kinds of symptoms do patients experience before receiving treatment?

Normally, before a baby boy is born, the testicles move into the scrotum (the sac that holds the testicles). Sometimes, one or both testicles stay in the body cavity instead of moving into the scrotum. This is called undescended testicles or cryptorchidism. An orchidopexy is an operation to lower the testicles into the scrotum. A patient may need to have this operation on one or both testicles.

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

Ideally, the surgery should be performed before a child reaches two years old. Left untreated, this condition can lead to infertility. The higher temperature inside the body can affect sperm production. Men with both testicles affected are more likely to experience fertility-related issues than men with only one affected testicle. This condition can also cause inguinal hernia, in which the intestine protrudes through a weakened area in the abdominal wall. Only surgery can correct this condition, which can otherwise result in intestinal damage or death. Finally, this condition is a risk factor for testicular cancer. If surgery is performed early, this risk is limited.

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

Undescended testis is the most common birth anomaly in boys. This condition is present in about 1-4.5% of newborns, with a higher incidence in premature babies (30-45%). Unilateral undescended testis is four times more likely than bilateral.

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

What does the treatment process look like?

After surgery, the patient will stay in the hospital for an average of three days. The patient is continually monitored.

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

Treatment will reduce the risk of infertility, inguinal hernia, and testicular cancer.

What potential side effects or risks come with this treatment?

This condition is very treatable, and the procedure is low-risk.

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

There are few quality care centers in the region. Hospitals lack adequate resources and expertise to treat this condition.

What are the alternatives to this treatment?

An alternative to surgery is to use synthetic hormones that encourage the testicle to move into the scrotum. Hormone therapy is only recommended if the child’s testicle(s) are close to the scrotum. However, hormone therapy is not commonly available in Kenya. According to the guidelines published by the American Urological Association in May 2014, orchidopexy is the most successful therapy to relocate the testis into the scrotum. Hormone therapy is not recommended.

Meet another patient you can support

100% of your donation funds life-changing surgery.

Immaculate is a 22-year-old farmer from Uganda. She and her husband are expecting to deliver their baby but due to previous health complications and challenges accessing pre-natal care, her doctors recommend that she deliver via a Cesarean section to ensure the safety of both mother and child. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Immaculate undergo a C-Section on March 1st. This procedure will cost $207 and Immaculate needs your support. Immaculate says, ‘’Thank you, donors, for putting a smile of hope on my face. I have high hopes of having a safe surgery and I know I will receive a live baby. May God bless every one of you. I will be able to continue with my usual activities of farming and later I set up a grocery shop.’’

Chorng is a 60-year-old soup cart owner from Cambodia. He lives with his wife, two sons, and eight other family members on the outskirts of the capital city of Phnom Penh. His younger son is at University and the older son helps run their soup cart. When not working, Chorng helps around the house and listens to traditional Cambodian music playlists from YouTube. Just over one year ago, Chorng had an ear infection. This infection caused a cholesteatoma, or an abnormal skin growth, to develop in the middle ear behind the ear drum. For this reason, Chorng experiences hearing loss, pain, and ear discharge. He is unable to hear his customers and relies on others to help him. He also has trouble communicating with his family and neighbors. Chorng traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On February 28th, he will undergo a mastoidectomy procedure in his right ear. During this procedure, ENT surgeons will remove the cholesteatoma. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $926 to fund this procedure. This covers medications, supplies, and inpatient care. Chorng says, "I hope my hearing will improve. I want to be able to work more and talk with my customers."

Naw Sha is a 33-year-old mother who lives with her husband, daughter, sister-in-law, two brothers-in-law, two nieces, and nephew in a refugee camp in Mae Hong Son Province, Thailand. Originally from Karen State, Burma, she fled to Thailand with her family in 2012 due to armed conflict. Currently, she and her sister-in-law are homemakers, while her daughter, nieces and nephew go to school in the refugee camp. Her husband and her brothers-in-law are day laborers. During her free time, Naw Sha enjoys cooking, spending time with her daughter, nieces and nephew, and teaching them Burmese. Naw Sha is currently expecting her second child. Her doctors recommend that she deliver via a Caesarean section (C-section) because of her high-risk pregnancy. By delivering with a C-section, doctors can ensure the safety of both mother and child. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF) is helping Naw Sha undergo a C-Section on December 8th. This procedure will cost $1500, and Naw Sha needs your support in raising money to fund her care. Naw Sha said, “In the future, if I had an opportunity, I would like to work with a health organization in the refugee camp as a nurse to earn more money to support my family."

Stanley's Timeline

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Funded by 14 donors

Treatment

Meet another patient you can support

100% of your donation funds life-changing surgery.