Matthew Rowlinson

Australia   •   November 19th
Matthew's Story

Matthew joined Watsi on April 13th, 2019. 5 other people also joined Watsi on that day! Matthew's most recent donation traveled 4,100 miles to support Klo, a 5-year-old from Burma, to fund lens replacement surgery.

Impact

Matthew has funded healthcare for 22 patients in 7 countries.

Patients funded by Matthew

Liezel is a 42-year-old woman from the Philippines. Liezel previously worked as a teacher but decided to take a break due to the emotional impact of losing her parents and a close friend, which affected her ability to work effectively. Her family supports her as much as they can. One year ago, Liezel began to experience troubling symptoms, including severe pain, bloating, and nausea even after drinking a glass of water. She also reported pain in her right side and back, sometimes making it difficult for her to breathe. Initially, these symptoms subsided. However, last month, she again began to feel bloated and frequently belched, and then experienced another severe pain attack. Liezel went to our medical partner's care center, Our Lady of Peace Hospital, for help. She was found to have gallstones and advised to undergo a cholecystectomy, the surgical removal of the gallbladder. If left untreated, her symptoms will continue to worsen and put her at risk for further health complications in the future. Our medical partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines (WSFP), is helping Liezel undergo surgery on October 26th. A portion of the cost of the procedure is being supported by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and WSFP is raising the remaining $1,128 to cover the cost of Liezel's surgery and care. Liezel shared: "I am grateful for the financial assistance of the foundation, particularly with the anticipated expenses of my surgery. I appreciate your help especially since this will be a significant help during an unexpected and challenging time. I hope that the foundation continues to extend its support to others who are in need."

$1,128raised
Fully funded

Michael Angelo is an active, playful two-year-old boy from the Philippines. His mother shared that Michael Angelo loves watching nursery videos on the phone and has shown interest in books at home. His father earns a minimum wage working as a sprinter delivery driver, while his mother is a homemaker. In February 2024, Michael Angelo had pneumonia. The attending physician had a suspicion about the child's medical condition, but to confirm, they were directed to a pediatric surgeon. Michael Angelo was diagnosed with polycystic kidney disease and a further diagnosis of bilateral undescended testes was made. His mother was advised that Michael Angelo would need to undergo orchidopexy procedure to move the undescended testes into the scrotum. This would reduce the risks of infertility and development of cancer. Michael Angelo's condition has already placed financial constraints on his family due to ongoing treatment, lab works and prescribed medications of the new diagnosis. It has also taken an emotional toll on his mother, who wishes that she would be the one experiencing the illness on behalf of her baby. Our medical partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines, is helping Michael Angelo receive treatment. On May 9th, surgeons at Our Lady of Peace Hospital will perform an orchidopexy procedure, to relocate the testes and improve his quality of life. A portion of the cost of Michael Angelo's treatment is being supported by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, but his family still needs help raising $1,212 to fund the procedure. Michael Angelo's mother says: "Despite having an income, we came to a point of financial breakdown when illness struck our baby. There are so many challenges, we prayed every day that someone would come and help us, especially since we do not receive so much help from our families and relatives. We were surprised to receive support from people that did not know us, it was very unexpected. We would like to extend our gratitude to all those who have come to our aid."

$1,212raised
Fully funded

Joselito, a 59-year-old father from the Philippines, works as a taxi driver and earns minimum wage. His income is insufficient to provide for his family of five, prompting him to take on extra jobs to make ends meet. Twenty years ago, Joselito began to experience troubling symptoms, including severe pain on the left side of his stomach, which radiated to his back. Initially, he tried drinking a lot of water to ease the pain, and it subsided. When he consulted with a doctor he was asked to take an ultrasound, but could not due to financial constraints. At the onset of an extremely painful episode, Joselito was rushed to a nearby hospital and was diagnosed with gallstones. He was advised to undergo a cholecystectomy, the surgical removal of the gallbladder. He was informed that if left untreated, his symptoms would continue to worsen and put him at risk of further health complications in the future. Unable to cover the cost of the necessary surgery, he was prescribed pain medication instead. Fortunately, Joselito then sought treatment through our medical partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines (WSFP). He is scheduled to undergo a cholecystectomy on March 27th. A portion of the cost of the procedure is being supported by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and Jose is seeking support for the remaining $1,128. Joselito says, "Since I started to feel the symptoms attack more often, I had to reduce my work hours and this took a toll on the family's income and expenses. While my family worries about my health, I am worried that I will not be able to give them what they need because of my condition, so I deeply appreciate the assistance I am receiving for my medical care."

$1,128raised
Fully funded