T
Tapani NenonenUNIVERSAL FUND MEMBER

Finland
Tapani's Story

Tapani joined Watsi on March 18th, 2014. Twelve years ago, Tapani joined our Universal Fund, supporting life-changing treatments for a new Watsi patient every month. Tapani's most recent donation traveled 5,200 miles to support Sarai, a mother of four from Malawi, to fund a thyroidectomy.

Impact

Tapani has funded healthcare for 124 patients in 12 countries.

Patients funded by Tapani

Hillary is a 28-year-old man from Kenya, full of determination and hope despite the many challenges he has faced. He completed school until the fourth grade, and he dreams of continuing his education and building a better future for himself and his family. He currently works as a farmer, growing maize, beans, and seasonal potatoes on a modest plot of land. Though hardworking, his income is minimal. He lives with his parents and contributes what he can to help support his siblings’ education. Tragedy struck on February 21st, when Hillary was involved in a road traffic accident. He was riding a motorcycle that lost control and collided with another motorcycle. He was taken to the hospital and was found to have multiple serious injuries, including a deep laceration to his forehead, wounds to his knee and thigh, and significant trauma to his left leg. Imaging revealed a fractured jaw and a distal femur fracture. Due to the severity of his injuries, Hillary was urgently taken to the operating room, where he underwent irrigation and debridement of the wounds and was placed in a long-leg posterior splint for support. He later underwent a second procedure to stabilize his femur with an external fixator. His jaw was also surgically repaired using arch bars and open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF), restoring the structure of his face. During recovery, Hillary has remained resilient. He has followed strict precautions, including non-weight-bearing movement and a liquid diet. He is now able to move with crutches, though his mobility remains limited, and his ability to speak and smile is still affected by the jaw fixation. Hillary has returned to the hospital for the next stage of his care: removal of the external fixator and complete surgical repair of his femur to restore function fully. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner care center can help. On April 2nd, Hillary will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation, to restore stability and function to his leg. To make this possible, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,014 is needed to fund his surgery. Hillary says, "I thank God for this far towards my recovery, please assist me, and looking forward to complete healing. I will go back to school, and I promise to help others too in the near future."

$1,014raised
Fully funded

Markon is a spirited young boy, full of life and energy from Ethiopia. He enjoys playing with his father, engaging with his surroundings, and sharing joyful moments with his brother and family. Living in a modest iron-sheet house, Markon’s family consists of his hardworking father, a daily laborer in home finishing, and his caring mother, a devoted housewife. Together, they navigate the challenges of life with their four children, three sons and a daughter. However, their lives took a difficult turn when Markon’s mother fell gravely ill, forcing the family to sacrifice their home to fund her treatment. Their financial situation became increasingly precarious, and the burden weighed heavily on his father, especially after Markon’s mother lost her eyesight due to her illness. Despite these hardships, Markon’s father persevered, striving to provide for his family’s needs as best he could. Over a year ago, Markon started to complain about discomfort around a sensitive area in his body. Concerned, his parents took him to a local health center, where he was referred to a specialized hospital. Markon was diagnosed with cryptorchidism, a condition in which one or both of the testicles remains undescended. He needs surgery to reduce his risks of developing hernias, testicular cancer, and fertility problems in the future. Markon will be receiving assistance from our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH). Fortunately, he is scheduled to undergo corrective surgery on February 20th and AMH is requesting $754 to cover the total cost of his procedure and care. Markon’s father expressed, "I hope for my child to receive the best possible care and lead a joyful life. I am deeply grateful to the staff at BKMCM and to all the generous donors who support children like my son. Helping these children is truly a blessing, and I believe that through this support, they will be empowered to flourish and thrive."

$754raised
Fully funded

Moses is a 27-year-old man from Kenya. He is single and lives with his parents. He earns a living selling second-hand shoes, while his father works as a construction worker. On January 1st, 2026, Moses was involved in a road accident. He was traveling on a motorbike when another motorbike lost control and struck him on the right side, causing injuries to his right arm and right leg. He was taken to a nearby hospital, where first aid was administered, and he was subsequently discharged. Moses later came to our medical partner's care center, AIC Kijabe Hospital, for further treatment and has since undergone several surgeries to manage injuries to his arm and leg. His recovery has been steady; however, further imaging revealed that his jaw was fractured and requires a mandible ORIF. Since the accident, Moses has been unable to open his mouth and has been on a liquid diet. He is currently in pain and requires surgery, but his insurance coverage has been fully exhausted. The family already has an outstanding hospital bill and has been unable to raise additional funds. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner can help. On January 16th, Moses will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation. This procedure will enable him to undergo the necessary surgery, begin his recovery, and resume a normal diet. Now, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,115 to fund this procedure. Moses says, “I am in constant pain. My mouth feels stuck, and I haven’t been able to eat properly since the accident.”

$1,115raised
Fully funded

Adija is a 74-year-old woman from Malawi who is married and has two children. She grows rice on a small scale and is mainly supported by her granddaughter. Ten years ago, Adija began to experience troubling symptoms, including a swelling on her neck. Though small, she still reported to the hospital for support, but they incorrectly treated the condition as tonsilitis, and the swelling kept on growing bigger. Not tiring in her journey to get help, Adija returned to the hospital three years later after noticing that swallowing was becoming tough. She was then diagnosed with a goiter and referred to the national hospital for proper management. For the past seven years, she has been visiting the hospital for surgery to no avail. At the beginning of this year, Adija's condition became worse -- she could not breathe well, could not walk long distances, had frequent coughs, and sometimes could choke while sleeping, altogether making it challenging for her to live peacefully and eat comfortably. Fortunately, when she was taken to the hospital in May due to her condition, she was referred to our medical partner's care center, Partners in Hope, for urgent attention. There, the doctors performed tests, and she was diagnosed with a colloid goiter, an abnormal swelling of the thyroid gland. The thyroid is the gland located in front of the neck and produces thyroid hormones. These hormones are responsible for functions such as metabolism, growth, and other bodily functions. Adija needs surgery to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Adija receive treatment. On June 24th, she is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy at Partners in Hope, during which surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. She contributed a co-pay toward her care and needs help raising $1,015 to fund her treatment. Adija said, "If only I can be assisted, I will be very happy again. As an old woman, I wish to live a happy life in my last days of life."

$1,015raised
Fully funded