Thailand

Showing all patients at Mae Sot General Hospital

Khin is a 28-year-old woman who lives with her parents and three elder sisters in Burma. She is unemployed, but her family runs a small grocery store. Her elder brother works in a chicken factory across the border in Mae Sot, Thailand. In April, 2020, Khin started to feel dizziness, headache, and nausea. She also developed blurred vision and her eyes became more sensitive to light. At first, she thought she just needed eyeglasses, and went to an eye clinic in Yangon. The ophthalmologist tested her eye and suspected that her symptoms might be due to a brain tumour. She received multiple CT scans at hospitals in Yangon and she was diagnosed with a brain tumour, but her surgery kept being postponed due to COVID-19 and later the country's military coup. By late 2022, Khin's family were in debt and could no longer afford to pay for her surgery. Eventually, Khin decided to seek treatment at Mae Tao Clinic in Thailand, where she was told she may be able to receive free treatment. A medic from the clinic referred her to Mae Sot Hospital, where with the help of Watsi donors and BCMF, she received a CT scan. She was diagnosed with possible pituitary macroadenoma, and was told she would need surgery to remove the tumour. However, she would need to undergo a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in preparation for the surgery and to plan the best treatment plan. Currently, Khin's blurred vision is worsening. She can no longer see well, even during the day when it is bright outside. She also has pain in both of her eyes and sometimes around her eyes. She has a headache, which is more severe on the right side, dizziness, weakness and nausea. She has lost two kilograms within the past two weeks. Khin said, "I feel really sad as my vision is worsening with time. One time, I could not see my sister who was standing close to me. Thank you for supporting me. I believe they my vision will surely be fully treated. I am trying to encourage myself and stay positive amongst all of my difficulties.”

$0raised
$681to go

17-year-old Than Kyi lives in Mae Sot, Thailand. His parents moved from Karen State, Burma, five years ago to look for better job opportunities. Than Kyi was studying but he wanted to move to be with his parents, so he quit school and moved to Mae Sot. When Than Kyi was about 5 years old, he noticed a small growth on his upper right calf but did not worry about it because it was not painful. As he got older, the mass grew bigger. When he was about 10 years old, the mass was about the size of an egg and it started to get painful. His parents took him to a clinic in Mae Sot. After having an x-ray done, the doctor explained to the family that Than Kyi had an abnormal growth in his tibia which would need to be surgically removed. However, the doctor reconsidered and told them that since Than Kyi was still young it was better to wait before having the surgery. The doctor gave him an injection and some oral medications which made Than Kyi feel a lot better. Than Kyi did not have pain again until he was 14 years old. At this time the pain was so severe that it sometimes prevented him from sleeping. His parents again took him to the clinic in Mae Sot where he received the same injection and medicines as before. The pain abated but resumed a year later. He again visited the clinic and this time the doctor told his family that it was time for him to have surgery. Than Kyi’s parents could not afford to take him there. They decided to take Than Kyi to Mae Tao Clinic (MTC), a Watsi partner. Since then Than Kyi has been visiting MTC whenever he experiences pain. An x-ray that showed he has osteochondroma, a benign tumor that is an outgrowth on the surface of bones. He needs surgery to remove the tumor and relieve his current symptoms. Than Kyi's father shared that he has lost some customers because he frequently has to bring his son to the clinic. However, he said that his son’s health is more important than his customers. “I want to get well soon so that I can help my father," Than Kyi shared. His father added: “I’m very worried about my son, especially for his future. He will someday have to be on his own to support himself and he might not be able to if his condition would not be fixed."

$1,500raised
Fully funded

Saung is a 23-year-old woman, originally from Burma, who moved with her husband to Thailand in search of better job opportunities. Initially, Saung was a domestic worker in Tak Province, while her husband worked as a day laborer. After a while, Saung moved to Bangkok, where she could find higher paying jobs. Saung's husband followed her to Bangkok, but fell ill and was hospitalized, shortly after his arrival. When his health didn't improve, a friend suggested that Saung's husband should go to a clinic in Mae Sot for care. Saung went with her husband to look after him, and neither of them has worked for some time, as Saung's husband continues to receive treatment. In October 2022, Saung began to experience pain in her lower abdomen and pelvic area. While pain killers have helped, tests revealed that Saung has a tumor outside of her uterus. Because of the recurring pain - which keeps her from eating or sleeping appropriately - Saung sought help from our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, to secure the care that she needs. Now, she is scheduled to undergo mass removal surgery on November 30th, at Mae Sot General Hospital. She is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of her procedure and care, which will relieve her of pain and do away with the stress of her condition, while enabling her to return to work. Saung said: “If there are no donors for me, I will not be able to receive treatment. The doctor also told me that if I don’t receive treatment, the pain will still come back, and I will not be able to work happily. I felt hopeless at first, and I don’t know where to look for more money to borrow to pay for my surgery. Now, when I heard that there will be a donor for me, I feel less worried."

$0raised
$1,500to go

Phyo Ko is a 33-year-old man, living in Thailand with his wife and two young children. Originally from Burma, Phyo Ko and his family moved to Thailand in 2009, in search of better job opportunities. Phy Ko's wife stays home with the children, who are too young to go to school, while Phyo Ko works as a construction day laborer, earning under $12 a day. In early 2021, Phyo Ko and his friend were at work at a construction site, when scaffolding fell onto Phyo Ko's left hand and thigh. Initially, he used oil made from traditional medicine to ease the pain. However, a month after the accident, Phyo Ko noticed that there was a mass on his left leg, so he sought medical attention. The first doctor he visited could find nothing wrong, and sent Phyo Ko back home. His mass continued to grow in size, and the pain increased, making it impossible for Phyo Ko to continue working, so once again, he went to the hospital. This time, there were no doctors available to see him because of the pandemic. Finally, in April, Phyo Ko was able to receive a CT scan, thanks to our medical partner Burma Children Medical Fund and the Watis community. The CT scan revealed a hematoma, which requires surgical intervention. On June 16th, Phyo Ko will undergo surgery at Mae Sot General Hospital, to have the mass removed from his thigh. After the procedure, Phyo Ko should be able to walk, stand and work without pain, something he is unable to do now. Burma Children Medical Fund is seeking $1,500 to cover the costs of Phyo Ko's surgery. Phyo Ko said: "I would like to receive surgery soon so that the pain will go away. Before I received the CT scan, I was told that my leg could be be amputated because the mass on my leg is very big. However, after the CT scan, the doctor told me that they could remove the mass without amputation. I was so happy to hear this. I want to work and earn an income for my family after surgery."

$1,500raised
Fully funded

Thu Zar is a 21-year-old woman who lives with her parents, three sisters, and three nieces in Mae Sot near the Thailand-Burma border. Her family moved from Shan State in Burma to Thailand in 2008 in search of better opportunities. She used to work at a logistics company until two weeks ago when she quit due to her condition. Her parents run a small shop from their home, and her oldest sister is a cleaner at a restaurant. One of her other sister’s is unemployed and her third sister as well as her three nieces all go to school. In 2015, Thu Zar felt a small mobile mass in her chest. She did not feel any pain at the time and forgot about the mass. In 2019, she attended a workshop about reproductive health at her school, run by Mae Tao Clinic (MTC). During the workshop she remembered the mass and later when she was alone, she checked to see if it was still there. She felt the mass and thought that it had increased in size, but she did not experience any pain. The next day, she told the workshop trainer about the mass. The trainer told her to go to MTC for treatment. However, Thu Zar decided she did not want to take time off from school to go to the clinic, since she thought the mass was not causing her any pain or discomfort. Now, Thu Zar's condition has worsened and causes her great pain. She can only sleep on her back, because if she sleeps in any other position she experiences immense pain. Thu Zar sought treatment through our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund. She is now scheduled to undergo mass removal surgery on June 9th to heal her condition. She is raising $1,500 to cover the total cost of her procedure and care. Thu Zar is very worried about her health and told us, "I feel very sad and depressed with this condition."

$1,500raised
Fully funded