Melody Lin
Melody's Story

Melody joined Watsi on April 18th, 2016. 48 other people also joined Watsi on that day! Melody's most recent donation supported Fadumo, a student from Somalia, to fund life-changing surgery.

Impact

Melody has funded healthcare for 7 patients in 5 countries.

Patients funded by Melody

Gabriela is an 18-month-old baby, living with her parents in Tanzania. She is the second born out of two children. Gabriela’s parents are small scale farmers, and her father also is a religious teacher. Gabriela likes playing catch with the other children, and also scribbling things on paper. Ever since birth, Gabriela has had stuffy nose. She has trouble breathing especially at night when sleeping. When she was five months old, her mother took her to the hospital, where she was prescribed some medications. They did not seem to help, and a few months later, she took Gabriela to a different hospital for a more thorough medical examination. Gabriela was then diagnosed with enlarged adenoids. Adenoids, along with tonsils, are masses of tissue that trap contaminants as they pass through the nose and mouth, as well as produce antibodies to fight infections. Sometimes they will become inflamed and infected, and the swelling will compromise breathing. When this happens frequently, it is often better to have the tissues surgically removed. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, tells us that for $488, Gabriela can have her adenoidectomy procedure. The total cost covers the procedure itself, supplies, medications, and inpatient care for three days. Following her recovery, Gabriela will no longer have difficulty breathing with exercise or while sleeping. “My hope is that my daughter will be able to breath without any problems, and continue with normal growth,” Gabriela’s mother shares.

$488raised
Fully funded

“I want her to continue growing, so she can be the right size for her age and be a healthy girl,” shares Mildred’s mom. Meet Mildred, a 22-month-old infant from Guatemala. Our medical partner, Wuqu’ Kawoq (WK), tells us, “Mildred lives with her brother and sisters and parents in a humble one-room house with a tin roof. They live in a rural mountainous community, where most people speak Kaqchikel. Mildred is a smiley little girl and loves to eat beans. Her favorite thing to do is to play with her brother's teddy bear. Her father works in the fields harvesting corn. Her mother works weaving traditional maya textiles, which she sells to make extra money for the family. Although both her parents work hard, they do not make enough money to even feed her one piece of fruit, vegetable or egg per day,” Mildred was diagnosed with acute malnutrition. “Mildred is below the average height and the average weight for her age,” WK reports, ”She currently is not consuming enough calories and enough quality foods. As a result her physical growth is stunted, and we worry her mental growth will be stunted as well.” As a result of food insecurity and marginalization, indigenous Guatemalan villages have the highest rates of stunting in the world. In addition to growth stunting, malnutrition can lead to lower IQ, heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. $512 will fund the treatment Mildred needs to address her nutritional deficit and improve her low energy and subsequent limited mental potential. This involves micronutrient and food supplementation, deworming medication to rid Mildred of a parasitic infection, and nutrition education for her parents. With these combined efforts, Mildred will recoup her weight and height and strengthen her immune system, laying the foundation for a healthier future.

$512raised
Fully funded