M
Manmeet MagguUNIVERSAL FUND MEMBER

Manmeet's Story

Manmeet joined Watsi on March 12th, 2013. Four months ago, Manmeet joined our Universal Fund, supporting life-changing treatments for a new Watsi patient every month. Manmeet's most recent donation supported Legrand, a three-year-old boy from Haiti, to fund heart surgery.

Impact

Manmeet has funded healthcare for 5 patients in 5 countries.

Patients funded by Manmeet

Legrand is a preschooler from Haiti. He lives with his mother, who works as a farmer and market vendor, and his grandmother in a small agricultural community in central Haiti. Legrand has a congenital heart condition called patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), in which an opening between two major blood vessels near his heart. This causes blood to flow abnormally, placing extra strain on his heart and contributing to weakness and difficulty gaining weight. Legrand needs to travel to the Dominican Republic to receive treatment. On October 21, he will undergo a procedure in which doctors will use a catheter to place a small device that closes the opening between the blood vessels, allowing blood to flow more normally. Another organization, the Haitian Hearts Foundation, is contributing $5,000 toward the cost of his treatment. Legrand's family also needs help to fund the costs of surgery prep. Our medical partner, International Cardiac Alliance, is requesting $1,500 to cover labs, medicines, and check-up and follow-up appointments. It also supports securing travel documents for the family and travel costs for the social workers from our medical partner, who will accompany Legrand's family overseas. From Legrand's mother, "I know that God has blessed us to reach this hospital to take care of my son!"

$961raised
$539to go

Moo is a 40-year-old woman from Burma. She lives with her two children and husband in a refugee camp in Thailand. Her family fled Burma because a military airstrike hit her village. Moo is a homemaker, while her husband is an agricultural day laborer. Her two children are students in the camp. During her free time, she enjoys playing with her children and knitting hammocks. Mooo is pregnant, and doctors recommend that she deliver via a caesarean section because of a high-risk pregnancy. This way, doctors can ensure the safety of both mother and child. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is helping Moo undergo a C-Section on September 17th at our medical partner's care center, Tha Song Yang Hospital. This procedure will cost $1500, and Moo needs your support. Moo said, “I do not think that I will need to give birth through C-section. I was worried and could not sleep at night. Knowing that you will help cover the cost for me, I am relieved. Thank you so much for helping me and my family.”

$970raised
$530to go

Huzeyefa is a playful and cheerful 13-year-old boy from Ethiopia. He enjoys reading religious books with his brother and sisters, and helping his parents in their farming work. Huzeyefa and his family live in the Central Region of Ethiopia. He is the third child in a family of six children, and is currently in Grade 3. Huzeyefa condition was first noticed by his aunt when he visted her in Addis Ababa. While bathing him, she noticed that something was quite not right. Concerned, she took him to the nearest health centre, where he was referred to a higher-level hospital for further evaluation. “I was very anxious. My heart was broken, and I couldn’t sleep well. I was very worried when I heard that Huzeyfa needed surgery," his aunt shared. Huzeyefa 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. The doctors placed Huzeyefa on a long surgery wait list, and informed the family that he might have to wait for up to a year to undergo surgery. This news worried his aunt because Huzeyfa needed to return home to continue his education. In addition, his family could not afford the cost of surgery at a private hospital. Three weeks later, Huzeyfa’s aunt received encouraging news. The higher-level hospital had referred Huzeyfa to our medical partner's care center, BethanyKids Myungsung Christian Medical Centre (BKMCM). At BKMCM, Huzeyfa was scheduled for surgery on August 10th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Huzeyfa receive treatment, and is requesting $1,293 to cover the cost of his procedure and care. Huzeyfa's aunt shared: "Thank you so much for all your support, kindness, and care. May God bless you with good health, long life, and abundant blessings. I am truly grateful to each one of you. My prayer is that Huzeyfa will recover well, continue his education, and grow into a successful person with a bright future. Thank you all so much."

$1,095raised
$198to go

Nidhi is a 16-year-old girl from India. She lives in Mirzamurad, a village near Varanasi in northern India. She lives with her parents, two sisters, and a brother. Her father works as a halwai, preparing traditional Indian sweets to support the family. Nidhi is currently in the 9th grade and loves dancing. When she was just 2½ years old, Nidhi accidentally fell into a container of hot sugar syrup being used to make gulab jamuns, a sweet dessert. She sustained severe burns to her right chest and arm. Although she received wound care at the time, her family was unable to access reconstructive surgery. As Nidhi grew, the burn scars tightened and developed into contractures, affecting her right breast and elbow. These scars have restricted movement and altered her appearance during adolescence, a time when many young people become increasingly aware of their bodies and self-image. Nidhi's family learned about our medical partner, G.S. Memorial Plastic Surgery Hospital and Trauma Center, and sought treatment. On June 19th, specialty surgeons will perform a burn contracture release surgery to help release the tight burn scars on Nidhi’s right chest and elbow, improving both movement and comfort. The procedure is expected to increase the range of motion in her arm, making everyday activities such as dressing, writing, carrying schoolbooks, and participating in household tasks easier. The surgery will also address the contracture affecting her right breast, allowing for more normal development and reducing the physical discomfort and asymmetry caused by the scar tissue. By reducing the limitations caused by her burn scars, the surgery will allow Nidhi to participate more freely in school, social activities, and her favourite hobby, dancing. Now, she needs help to fund this $1,442 procedure. Nidhi shared, "I hope this treatment will make everyday activities easier for me."

$1,442raised
Fully funded

Radha has a hole in her heart. She was first diagnosed with this condition, known as an atrial septal defect, about nine years ago. At first, she experienced mild symptoms, including shortness of breath and pain while walking. Since then, her symptoms have drastically worsened, and she is now unable to walk even a few steps. Radha was married when she was 16 and has four children. Her husband works in India as a watchman, but he doesn’t earn enough to support their four children. Radha used to work as a mason to help provide for her family and ensure all her kids have the opportunity to go to school, and she is extremely proud that her eldest son finished high school. Radha was recently forced to quit her job, because she can no longer walk. She is responsible for her four children, and she is very worried about what will happen to them if she doesn’t get better. Doctors in Nepal believe that this surgery will alleviate her symptoms and enable her to continue caring for her family. Let’s make it happen!

$875raised
Fully funded