Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital

Win is a 50-year-old man from Burma. He lives with his extended family in a village in Karen State, which is an area under conflict and violence. He and his wife have four children, and three grandchildren. Win, his wife, two sons and one of his sons-in-law are farmers, while his two daughters are homemakers. Win lost vision in his right eye in the middle of 2022. Two months after this occurred, the vision in his left eye blurred, until he could only perceive light. He was diagnosed with glaucoma in his left eye, and as a result of his impaired sight, he had to stop working. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to cover the cost of eye surgery for Win. On April 3rd, doctors at Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital will operate and, after recovery, Win will be able to see clearly again. Now, he needs your help to fund this $1,500 procedure. “I feel stressed and worried about my life," Win said. "I want to go back to work after my surgery.”

Meet Pati, a 16-year-old student from Burma. Pati helps his family on the farm and loves to listen to music in his free time. Pati was born with club foot in his left foot that impacts his mobility. Doctors want Pati to undergo a CT scan, a procedure in which x-ray images taken from several angles are combined to produce cross-sectional images of the body. This scan will help doctors with diagnosis and formulating an appropriate treatment plan. Pati is scheduled to undergo a CT scan on April 11th. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF), is requesting $469 to cover the cost of Pati's CT scan and care. Sharing about the challenges he has experienced, Pati said: "I always try to encourage myself, though. I feel happy to receive help from you. After I get treated, I want to study and work in Thailand. In the future, I dream about becoming a businessman.”

Su is an 11-year-old fourth grader from Burma. Her mother and father both work for Karen ethnic community based organizations. Su was born with club feet and a dislocated right hip. She underwent an operation at Chiang Mai Hospital in November 2022, with the help of Watsi donors. Her doctor wants her to undergo a CT scan to check how her hip is healing, following the surgery and ensure her condition is corrected. The CT scan will also allow Su's doctors to determine if she requires any additional treatment. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $469 to cover the cost of Su's CT scan, which is scheduled for May 25th, at Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital. Su’s father said: "I want my daughter to have the best: the best education, the best future, and the best family. I will support her and respect all of her ambitions."

Lu lives with her family in a refugee camp in the border area of Thailand. She works as a community health worker and enjoys cooking, watching TV, and playing with children in her free time. Over three years ago, Lu started to experience pain in her back and lower abdomen, accompanied by blood in her urine. She felt tired and had a low appetite. She was able to visit Chiang Mai Hospital and was diagnosed with kidney stones. Unfortunately, Lu's treatment was delayed due to a Covid outbreak in the camp. Additionally, she was unable to afford the procedure she needs. Fortunately, Lu was able to meet our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF). Lu's doctor wants to perform percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL), an operation to remove her kidney stones. Lu is scheduled to receive her operation on June 8th. BCMF is requesting $1,500 to help fund this procedure so Lu can return to being pain free in life. Lu said, "I love my job working as a community health worker in the refugee camp. But I cannot continue to work with this condition. Thank you BCMF and all of the donors for helping me."

Naw is a 47-year-old mother from Burma. Her whole family is now unemployed as they moved from Burma due to conflict near their village. She enjoys gardening and growing flowers in her free time. Naw was diagnosed with a heart condition that involves a malformation of her mitral valve, the valve between the left atrium and left ventricle. This valve controls the flow of blood, but certain conditions may cause blood to flow backward or the valve to narrow. Currently, Naw has difficulty breathing, tiredness, and trouble sleeping at night. She often has headaches and feels dizzy. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund a mitral valve replacement for Naw. The treatment is scheduled to take place on June 16th and, once completed, will hopefully allow her to live more comfortably. Naw said, “I felt very happy when I heard about you. I almost cried from happiness. I hope that I can recover completely. After I am treated, I want to get a suitable job that is comfortable enough for me because I do not want to feel tired like this again.”

Khin is a 28-year-old woman from Thailand. She lives with her parents and three elder sisters. Her family runs a small grocery store. Her elder brother works in a factory across the border in Thailand. In April 2020, Khin started to feel dizziness, headaches, and nausea. She also developed blurred vision, and her eyes became sensitive to light. Through Watsi, Khin received a CT and MRI and was diagnosed with pituitary macroadenoma. Khin underwent surgery in June. Following surgery, she no longer experiences headaches or nausea. While her vision is still blurred, it has become more clear. Now, Khin needs to undergo an MRI so the doctors can check the post-operative condition in her brain. An MRI imaging procedure uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce images of bodily organs. This scan will help Khin's doctors diagnose her condition and formulate an appropriate treatment plan. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF), is requesting $814 to cover the cost of Khin's MRI and care, which is scheduled for August 7th. Khin said, "I have hope again after my operation. Now, my vision becomes clearer, and I believe I will become completely healthy in the near future. I would like to thank you [BCMF and the donors] for helping me get surgery and effective healthcare."

Sai is a 26-year-old veteran from Burma. He lives at a dormitory for people with disabilities in the Internally Displaced Person (IDP) Camp in Shan State, Burma. He has been unemployed since his injury. In his free time, Sai likes to exercise and garden. However, he is currently unable to do these activities because of his health. In 2019, Sai was shot in his right upper thigh. Following the event, he underwent an X-ray examination which confirmed a fractured hip. A doctor immobilized his right thigh and hip by applying a cast. Nevertheless, he has been grappling with persistent discomfort in his right leg and hip. On July 11th, with the assistance of Watsi, he underwent a CT scan of his hip, revealing a malunion of the hip fracture. Sai's right hip and leg continue to be a source of pain for him, despite his regular use of pain-relief medications. Due to the pain, he cannot stand or walk on his right leg without the support of crutches, and his sleep is often disturbed at night as the pain intensifies during colder weather and nighttime hours. With the help of our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, Sai will undergo surgery to reset his fractured bones and ensure proper healing. The procedure is scheduled for August 10th and will cost $1,500. The procedure will help him walk easily again without crutches and resolve pain. Sai said; "I feel very happy to receive treatment in an advanced hospital with your help BCMF, Watsi, and my donors. I cannot wait to walk with my leg and become healthy again. Thank you very much."

Win Khaing is a 5-month-old baby girl from Burma. She lives with her parents in a village in Karen State. Win Khaing’s father has a small farm, growing rice, and sometimes catching fish and frogs, for their family to eat. Win’s mother has a small shop selling vegetables at home. Win Khaing has two brothers who are monks and live at the monastery. After Win Khaing was delivered, the doctor noticed that her right hip was dislocated and that her right leg looked dislocated as well. Win Khaing’s mother also noticed right away that her right leg looked twisted. Currently, when Win Khaing’s parents touch her right knee and hip, she cries a lot and they think this is because of pain. Her right leg is twisted outward, but she is able to move her right leg and bend her knee. Doctors want Win Khaing to undergo a CT scan, a procedure in which x-ray images taken from several angles are combined to produce cross-sectional images of the body. This scan will hopefully help doctors diagnose her condition and formulate an appropriate treatment plan. Our medical partner Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF) is requesting $693 to cover the cost of Win Khaing's CT scan and care, which is scheduled for August 17th. Win Khaing’s mother said, “I am worried about my daughter’s condition because she is my first daughter. When I think about my daughter’s future, I cry."

Saw Htoo is an 11-year-old boy from Burma who lives with his parents, 4 brothers and a sister in a refugee camp, in Mae Hong Son Province, Thailand. His parents fled to the camp from Karen State, Burma, due to the civil war in 2010. Saw Htoo is in grade 4 and his favorite subject is English. His father used to work as a day laborer before travel restrictions were imposed on camp residents after the outbreak of covid-19. Since then, both of Saw Htoo’s parents are homemakers. Although they receive a small monthly cash card to purchase food in the camp, as well as free basic health care and education, they struggle to make ends meet. For the past 5 years, Saw Htoo has been brought frequently to the hospital in the camp due to having urine in his blood. He has also experienced pain while going to the bathroom, developed a fever and pain in his bladder area. He received an ultrasound, an x-ray of his kidney, ureter and bladder (KUB) and an intravenous pyelogram (IVP) and was diagnosed with a renal stone in his right renal pelvis. At a follow-up appointment in August 2023, he received another IVP which indicated that the stone was increasing in size and doctors recommended Saw Htoo have surgery to remove the stone. Saw Htoo has been experiencing pain in his back, and he often needs to take leave from school because of the pain. Fortunately, our medical partner Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF) can help. Saw Htoo is scheduled for surgery on September 8th, and BCMF is asking for help to raise $1,500 to fund the procedure. Saw Htoo said, “I want to become a football player [in the future] because I love to play football.”