Robert DickersonUNIVERSAL FUND MEMBER

Robert's Story

Robert joined Watsi on April 21st, 2021. Five years ago, Robert joined our Universal Fund, supporting life-changing treatments for a new Watsi patient every month. Robert's most recent donation supported Gedeon, a bright student from Haiti, to fund preparation for cardiac surgery.

Impact

Robert has funded healthcare for 61 patients in 11 countries.

Patients funded by Robert

Brian is 10 years old and a student from Kenya. He is the youngest of four children. He was born with a condition known as Hemiplegic Cerebral Palsy (CP), which has greatly affected his mobility. Brian cannot walk and only crawls from one place to another. This has made daily activities difficult for him and his family. After his birth, his mother was referred to a nearby hospital for specialized care. Brian underwent several physiotherapy sessions, hoping to see improvement. Unfortunately, his condition did not get better. As a widow, Brian’s mother works tirelessly, taking on casual jobs like crushing stones into ballast and selling them, to provide for her family. Despite the hardship, she has never given up on finding help for her son. Brian attends a special school within their village that supports children with different disabilities. Brian was diagnosed with clubfoot on his right foot. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. This causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Fortunately, Brian traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, AIC Cure International Hospital. There, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on February 20th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,286 to fund Brian's clubfoot repair. After treatment, he will be able to walk on his feet, play with other children, become more independent, and continue with his education without limitations. “When I first learned about my son’s condition, I was in great shock. I did not know what the future would look like for him,” Brian’s mother recalls softly. She added, I hope to see my son receive treatment, walk on his own, play and interact freely with other children, and continue with his education without any challenges.”

$919raised
$367to go

Hikma is a charming 20-month-old girl who lives with her parents and older brother in Ethiopia. Her parents were small-scale farmers until they were displaced due to war in their area. Now, her mother is a dedicated home maker, and her father works as a daily laborer. As with many other displaced families, it has been difficult for them to afford their daily necessities. Hikma was born with an anorectal malformation, a congenital condition that can lead to a complete or partial intestinal blockage. However, the symptoms were not obvious until she was around one year old. Her mother was deeply distressed by what she observed and immediately informed Hikma’s grandmother, who then began seeking for medical assistance. To avoid social stigma, however, the family tried to keep Hikma’s condition private. Eventually, the grandmother came across a Catholic missionary organization, which connected the family with a field coordinator of our medical partner's care center, BethanyKids Myungsung Christian Medical Centre (BKMCM). With the support of relatives and the Catholic missionaries, Hikma's family raised funds to travel to Addis Ababa. Upon arrival at the hospital, doctors explained that Hikma would need a series of surgeries to eliminate bowel dysfunction. The family was relieved and encouraged to hear that Hikma could be helped. Presently, Hikma has already undergone the first surgery, a colostomy creation, and recovered well. Now, Hikma needs support for her second surgery, which will occur on April 20th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of Hikma's procedure and care. After her recovery, Hikma will no longer experience bowel dysfunction or be at risk of developing health complications in the future. Hikma’s mother said, “I would like to thank you sincerely for your support and the services you provided. Thank you again. I truly hope my child will grow up to be a wonderful woman.”

$1,500raised
Fully funded

Catherine is a 37-year-old mother of five children in Kenya. Her husband, the family's sole breadwinner, runs a small electronics repair shop. His income supports the family's basic needs and the children's education. Catherine was in good health until four months ago, when she began experiencing persistent headaches that did not subside. She initially took pain medication, but when the pain failed to improve, she sought medical attention. Further medical scans revealed a brain tumor accompanied by fluid buildup, which was responsible for her severe and continuous migraines. Two months later, Catherine’s condition had significantly worsened. She was no longer able to walk independently, and her body gradually became paralyzed. She lost the ability to speak and is now confined to a chair, fully dependent on her husband and children for feeding and movement from one place to another. She underwent a surgical procedure to drain the fluid from her brain and was later referred to our medical partner's care center, AIC Kijabe Hospital this month, for specialized care. Catherine now urgently requires a craniotomy to resect the brain tumor to prevent further neurological damage and deterioration of her condition. Since the onset of her illness in August, the family has endured immense emotional and financial strain. Despite multiple treatments, Catherine has not shown significant improvement. Her health insurance coverage has been exhausted, and the family is unable to raise the funds required for the surgery. Catherine’s family is seeking support to enable her to undergo the needed surgery and begin her journey toward recovery. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Catherine receive treatment. On October 18th, she will undergo a craniotomy at AIC Kijabe Hospital. Now, Catherine's family needs help to fund this $1,500 procedure. Catherine’s daughter says, “Watching our mum go through this has been incredibly painful. We are doing everything we can for her and hold on to hope that she will recover.”

$1,500raised
Fully funded

Henry is 41 years old and a father of two from Malawi. Before his illness, he worked full-time as a security guard at a local church near his home in rural Lilongwe. Since the operation, he has been unable to resume work and now depends largely on his wife, who has also been unable to engage in farming because they spend most of their time in and out of hospitals. As a result, their children have also suffered the impact of this financial and emotional strain. One year ago, Henry began to experience troubling symptoms, including severe abdominal pain, difficulty standing upright, blurred vision, and blood in his urine due to intestinal perforation following a motorbike accident. He underwent surgery where a stoma was created to divert intestinal waste while his intestines healed. Henry has lived with this stoma for over a year, enduring both physical and emotional challenges. Fortunately, his wound has now healed, and he is ready for a reversal procedure to restore normal intestinal function, but he needs financial support. Physicians need to perform a laparotomy to open up the abdominal cavity to treat his condition. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,244 to fund Henry's surgery. On November 11th, he will undergo surgery at our medical partner's care center, Partners in Hope Medical Center. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully greatly improve his quality of life. “My condition is unbearable; I truly need God’s intervention. I have experienced firsthand how real stigma can be,” said Henry during the assessment.

$1,244raised
Fully funded

Adam is a six-year-old boy from Burma. He lives with his mother and elder sister in Tak Province, Thailand. Adam’s father lives in Bangkok, Thailand, working as a day laborer on a construction site. His mother is a homemaker, while Adam and his elder sister are both students. Originally from Burma, the family fled to Thailand for their safety and to seek better job opportunities in May 2025. On August 19th, 2025, while Adam was playing with his friend at school, he slipped, fell, and landed on his right elbow. He cried out in pain and was taken to the hospital, where he received an X-ray. Adam sustained a fracture on his right upper arm. He needs surgery for the fracture to heal. He cannot use his right arm and relies on his mother for eating and other daily activities. He has also had to temporarily stop attending school due to his condition. With the help of our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, Adam will undergo surgery to reset his fractured bones and ensure proper healing. The procedure is scheduled for September 9th and will cost $1,500. This procedure will help Adam to be free from pain and able to return to school to continue his studies. Adam’s mother expressed her gratitude, saying, “Thank you so much to this organization and the donors for assisting with my son’s treatment costs. We feel immense happiness because of your help. We cannot express with enough words how thankful we are. Your support has decreased the burden on our family during this difficult time.”

$1,500raised
Fully funded

Channy is a 21-year-old university student from Pursat province, Cambodia. She is the middle child of three siblings. Her older brother sadly passed away two years ago, and her younger brother, age 18, works in a clothing factory. Her father is a security guard, and their mother stays home to manage the household. Channy is in her third year at the Royal University of Phnom Penh, majoring in Khmer literature. In her free time, she enjoys reading books and helping with household chores. When Channy was 14, her parents took her to a clinic because they thought her back looked abnormal and she was in pain after sitting for long periods in school. At that time, she was diagnosed with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis - an abnormal curvature of the spine that appears in late childhood or adolescence - but her parents could not afford any further care for her. These symptoms interfere with her ability to focus on her studies and affect her participation in academic life. Additionally, she has faced discrimination from classmates due to her physical appearance, which has been challenging both emotionally and socially. After a local clinic suggested she visit our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, Channy is scheduled to undergo surgery on August 11th. This surgery will correct her spinal deformity, relieve her pain, and restore her confidence. Channy’s family can contribute $100; they still need help raising $1,400 to cover the full cost, including the surgery, implants, hospitalization, post-operative care, and physiotherapy. Channy said: "After the surgery, I hope that I will no longer have pain so that I can finish my degree. I hope this surgery will improve my back, and I can find a job to help my family."

$1,400raised
Fully funded