Dan's Story

Dan joined Watsi on June 15th, 2018. One year ago, Dan joined our Universal Fund, supporting life-changing treatments for a new Watsi patient every month. Dan's most recent donation traveled 7,400 miles to support Leun, a 49-year-old farmer from Cambodia, to fund leg surgery so he can walk more easily again.

Impact

Dan has funded healthcare for 21 patients in 6 countries.

Patients funded by Dan

Bitambaki is a 75-year-old man and a father of five children. Bitambaki shared with us that he did not proceed past Class 6 in school, as he lost his parents when he was young. Currently, he tends to his small banana and coffee plantation to make ends meet. For two years, Bitambaki has struggled with a right inguinal hernia which he has been managing with pain medication. He feels pain from the swell especially when he bends or strains his muscles. He also experiences a burning sensation when passing urine. When his pain became more severe, Bitambaki was advised to visit Nyakibale Hospital, where doctors diagnosed him with a hernia and recommended he undergo repair surgery. The surgery would reduce the chances of complications, such as a strangulated hernia. However, he is not able to meet the cost of his care, especially as he has not been working due to his condition. Bitambaki appeals for financial support. Fortunately, on March 9th, he will undergo hernia repair surgery at our medical partner's care center. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $230 to fund Bitambaki's surgery. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully allow him to live more comfortably and confidently, and return to full mobility without pain. Bitambaki shared, “I first had a similar swelling on my left side of my inguinal region. After an operation, I was fine. I hope that after this operation, I will have my health restored and can continue with farming.”

$230raised
Fully funded

Yin Yin is a 27-year-old woman from Thailand. She lives with with her husband, her sister-in-law, her sister-in-law’s husband, her niece and her niece’s two small boys. Her husband, who is the only one supporting her financially, works as a cleaner at a shopping mall. In her free time, she likes to read Burmese novels. Three years ago, when Yin Yin worked as a cleaner in Bangkok, she felt tired, had no appetite, had memory loss and frequent urination. She was brought to a hospital where she was told she has a blood clot in the back of her head. She had it removed surgically, which her employer lent her money for. On December 6th and 8th, Yin Yin had two seizures. She and her husband sought treatment at Mae Tao Clinic, where she was admitted. She does not remember what happened but was given medication and told to come back if she felt unwell. On January 14th, however, she came back to the clinic, complaining of soreness in the back of her head where her first surgery took place. She also reported continued blurry vision, memory loss and fatigue. When the weather gets cold, she feels stiff and sore in her neck and hands. MTC thought she might have encephalitis but needed a CT scan to confirm her diagnosis. Unable to pay, MTC referred her to Watsi Partner Burma Children Medical Fund for assistance in accessing further treatment. Doctors want Yin Yin 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, is requesting $414 to cover the cost of Yin Yin's CT scan and care, scheduled for January 28th. “It has been very difficult for me, but my husband gives me encouragement,” said Yin Yin.

$414raised
Fully funded