Michael SchonfeldUNIVERSAL FUND MEMBER

Bloom where you are planted

United States   •   https://upstreamapp.com   •   August 22nd   •   Upstream
Michael's Story

Michael joined Watsi on December 24th, 2015. Ten years ago, Michael joined our Universal Fund, supporting life-changing treatments for a new Watsi patient every month. Michael's most recent donation traveled 8,200 miles to support Eyu, an eight-year-old boy from Ethiopia, to fund corrective surgery.

Impact

Michael has funded healthcare for 133 patients in 17 countries.

Patients funded by Michael

Raffy is a father of four children—three sons and one infant daughter. The family resides in Parañaque City in the Philippines. Raffy works as a scrap collector and sells his finds at nearby shops. He earns enough to support his family's daily living expenses. However, Raffy admits that this income is just enough to cover their needs. His partner is a full-time housewife who remains at home to care for their children. He prefers that she not seek employment so she can focus on childcare and provide support during his current medical condition, further underscoring the family’s financial challenges and the significance of the assistance he needs. Three months ago, Raffy began to experience troubling symptoms, including constant pain in his stomach. He was diagnosed with a gallbladder disorder, known as cholecystitis, which causes discomfort due to inflammation. Raffy has been advised to undergo a cholecystectomy, the surgical removal of the gallbladder. If left untreated, his symptoms will continue to worsen and put him at risk for further health complications in the future. After seeking treatment through our medical partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines (WSFP), Raffy is scheduled to undergo a cholecystectomy on January 30th. A portion of the cost of the procedure is being supported by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and WSFP is requesting the remaining $1,031 to cover the cost of Raffy's surgery and care. Raffy shared, "Thank you so much to this foundation. If not for this program, I would not be able to get the operation I need. This is a big help to my family and me."

$600raised
$431to go

Kelvin is a lively five-year-old boy who lives in Kenya with his parents and older sibling. His father is a motorcycle taxi driver, and his mother is a farmer. He is an active boy who enjoys playing football. At home, he is very helpful and often assists his family with chores, including working on the farm. Kelvin was born with a significant misalignment in his right foot. This condition has affected his ability to stand upright and to walk with ease. Kelvin was also born with a heart condition, which took priority in terms of treatment. Thankfully, this condition was successfully treated, and Kelvin's family can now focus on treatment for his mobility issues. Kelvin has already received conservative treatments at several hospitals, but unfortunately, there has been no significant improvement in his condition. Thus, his parents decided to visit the CURE Mobile Clinic in Meru, where they were referred to our partner's medical care center, AIC CURE International Hospital. After a thorough assessment, Kelvin was scheduled for right tibia hemimelia reconstruction surgery. This surgery is expected to greatly improve his life, allowing him to stand upright, walk properly, and enjoy childhood like other children his age. Kelvin will undergo surgery on April 29th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,224 to cover the cost of Kelvin's procedure and care. Kelvin's mother shared, “I am praying that he receives treatment, recovers quickly, and can join school like other children."

$1,224raised
Fully funded

Hla is a 35-year-old woman from Burma. She lives with her two children in Tak Province, Thailand. She is originally from Bago Division, Burma, but she moved to Thailand in 2022 because the Burmese military was collecting money from people in her village, and she and her husband could no longer afford to pay. She was previously an agricultural day laborer, but has not been able to work since early July 2025 due to her medical issues. Her husband is also an agricultural day laborer who lives separately from her, as he works for a different employer. He provides about 2,500 Thai Baht per month for Hla, which is enough to cover her basic household expenses. In early July 2025, Hla noticed heavy vaginal bleeding. She tried to continue working, but that made the symptoms worse. On August 14th, she went to Mae Tao Clinic (MTC), where she had an ultrasound and the doctor told her she had an unidentified mass in her uterus. Currently, Hla continues to have heavy vaginal bleeding and abdominal pain, and it is particularly uncomfortable for her to walk due to the bleeding. Hla sought treatment through our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund. She is now scheduled to undergo mass removal surgery on August 27th. She is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of her procedure and care. Hla is worried because she can no longer work or look after her children. “My sister is looking after my children, But I am still worried about my family’s income and about feeding my children, who are still in school.” After her surgery, she looks forward to getting her children back and being able to work again.

$1,500raised
Fully funded

Misgun is a 12-year-old boy from Eritrea who loves playing football and drawing, especially pictures of saints. As his mother's first child, he brings immense joy to her life. He also has a younger sister - a toddler - with whom he enjoys playing volleyball. The bond between them is strong and full of joy! In 2017, Misgun and his mother fled their home country in search of safety and arrived at a refugee camp in Ethiopia. However, when conflict broke out in Northern Ethiopia, the camp became unsafe, prompting them to relocate to Addis Ababa with the help of friends. Along the way, they faced significant hardships but eventually reunited with family and began rebuilding their lives in the city, where Misgun's mother later gave birth to her second child. Life in Addis Ababa has been filled with challenges. Misgun's mother is a single mom living in a small studio in the city with her two children and cousin. She used to work as a domestic helper, but due to high blood pressure and recurring fainting episodes, she had to stop. Her cousin, who has also struggled to find work, has no steady income. Language barriers make it difficult to find work, and the family's survival has largely depended on the kindness and support of others and extended family members being able to occasionally send small amounts of money to help cover rent and basic needs. Misgun now attends a government school, where his education, school supplies, uniform, and meals are covered through a public feeding program for elementary students. Misgun was born with hypospadias, a condition that causes urinary dysfunction. Without treatment, he will continue to experience uncomfortable symptoms and will be at risk of future complications. Fortunately, Misgun is scheduled to undergo corrective surgery on June 24th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,293 to cover the cost of his procedure and care. Misgun's mother said, "I believe he will finally receive the surgery, and this chapter of our struggle will pass. I pray he will be able to live without shame."

$1,293raised
Fully funded