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. Eleven years ago, Michael joined our Universal Fund, supporting life-changing treatments for a new Watsi patient every month. Michael's most recent donation traveled 8,800 miles to support Mesa, a fourth-grader from Cambodia, to fund contracture release surgery on his hand.

Impact

Michael has funded healthcare for 137 patients in 17 countries.

Patients funded by Michael

Mesa is 10 years old and a Grade 4 student from Cambodia. He lives with his parents and younger brother in Kompong Spue Province. His parents run a small shop where they take photos for students and print documents. He enjoys math at school, looks after his younger brother, and plays football with friends in his village. His favorite meal is lemongrass sour soup with eggs. When Mesa was one year old, he was burned by hot water, causing an injury to his left hand. He received a skin graft to the back of his hand at a governmental hospital, followed by a release of the fourth web space about a year later. He has since developed burn scar contractures between the second, third, and fourth fingers. The scars between his fingers restrict the spaces between them and make it difficult for him to fully straighten his left-hand fingers. He sometimes struggles to hold objects, and the appearance of his hand makes him feel shy around other people. Mesa's family learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, and sought treatment. On September 15th, surgeons at CSC will perform a burn contracture release surgery to help open the tight spaces between his fingers and improve the movement of his left hand, making it easier for him to straighten his fingers and hold things. Now, he needs help to fund this $652 procedure. Mesa's father said, “I hope this surgery will help my son straighten his fingers and use his left hand more easily when holding things. I also hope that as his hand improves, he will feel less shy and more confident around other people.”

$110raised
$542to go

Ye Min is a 19-year-old young man from Burma. He lives with his parents, younger brother, and a younger sister. His father is unemployed due to a previous accident. His mother works as an agricultural day laborer, while his brother looks after their neighbor’s cows, and his sister helps with household chores. Ye Min is unemployed. Their family’s combined monthly income is not enough to cover their daily expenses, and with Ye Min’s medical condition, the family is now indebted to neighbours and friends for loans they've received to help them finance medical and living expenses. Ye Min was diagnosed with a heart condition that requires valve replacement. Heart valves control the flow of blood between chambers, but certain conditions may narrow the heart valve or cause the blood to flow backwards. Normal valve function is necessary to prevent long-term damage to the heart and lungs. Currently, Ye Min experiences significant limitations in his energy and physical capacity. He often has to rest after walking for not more than five minutes. His condition has prevented him from working, and he feels stressed about his health. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to help fund a heart valve replacement for Ye Min. The treatment is scheduled to take place on June 27th at our medical partner's care center, Kasemrad Prachachuen Hospital. Once completed, Ye Min will hopefully live more comfortably. Ye Min said, “Without surgery, I will not live longer, and now I cannot walk far or work due to my fatigue, which makes me sad.” His mother said, “I leave my son’s life in your hands. I believe that he would have died in Burma if we had not come here to receive surgery with the help of your organization. When I came here, I felt like half of my burden had been lifted when I saw that your staff were kind and caring. I would like to thank you very much ahead of time for being willing to help us.”

$958raised
$542to 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

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."

$1,031raised
Fully funded