Mauricio Cuenca
Mauricio's Story

Mauricio joined Watsi on March 13th, 2015. 19 other people also joined Watsi on that day! Mauricio's most recent donation traveled 11,000 miles to support Samnang, a 28-year-old man from Cambodia, to fund surgery to improve his hearing.

Impact

Mauricio has funded healthcare for 46 patients in 10 countries.

Patients funded by Mauricio

Chaw is 20-year-old who lives with his parents and three younger sister in a refugee camp. Chaw's sisters go to school, his mother is a homemaker and his father and brother work as agricultural day labourers. Chaw's brother lives on his employer's land and sends the family what money he can every month. After his accident, Chaw stopped working on the same farm as his brother. In his free time, before his accident, Chaw liked to play football with his friends and visit with them. In 2020, Chaw was carrying corn to the peeling machine where he worked and he slipped and hit his left lower leg against the fan of the machine. Chaw was in a great deal of pain and was brought to the hospital. Chaw was told that his left lower leg was broken, and underwent surgery to insert a steel rod into his leg. This past January, Chaw noticed a mass on his left lower leg, where he had received surgery. The mass was very painful and felt hot to the touch. Over time, the mass increased in size until his whole lower left leg became swollen. Although he received surgery to remove the mass, Chaw's leg never fully healed. Eventually he was diagnosed with osteomyelitis and was told the steel rod in his leg would need to be replaced. Chaw is in a lot of pain and his lower left leg continues to be swollen and red. He cannot sleep well and needs crutches and assistance to move around. With the help of our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF), Chaw will undergo surgery to reset his fractured bones and ensure proper healing. The procedure is scheduled for September 6th and BCMF is raising $1,500 to cover the cost of this life-changing procedure that will help Chaw walk free of pain. Chaw shared, “I am happy that I will receive surgery with the help of the organisation [Burma Children Medical Fund] and I am thankful to all of the donors. In the future I want to get better quickly. I will find a new job and support my family.”

$1,500raised
Fully funded

Saing is a 74-year-old rice farmer. She is a widow and has one daughter, two sons, and six grandchildren. Her husband passed away during the Khmer Rouge regime, so she lives with her oldest daughter, who works in a garment factory. Saing used to be a rice farmer but shared that she can no longer work in the fields due to her declining vision. At home, Saing likes to listen to the monks pray on the radio and go to the pagoda. Four years ago, Saing developed a pterygium in her right eye, causing her itchiness, tearing, and blurry vision. Pterygiums are non-cancerous growths of the conjunctiva, a mucous layer that lubricates the eye. The growths occur when the conjunctiva is exposed to excessive sun damage, and the cells grow abnormally over the pupil. As a result of this condition, Saing has difficulty seeing things clearly and a hard time with day-to-day tasks. She used to cook for her daughter's family but finds it too difficult now. When Saing learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), she traveled for three and half hours seeking treatment. On April 22nd, she will undergo surgery to remove the abnormal conjunctiva from the cornea surface and replace it with a conjunctival graft to prevent a recurrence. CSC is requesting $225 to cover the total cost of her procedure, which includes medications, supplies, and inpatient care for two days. Saing shared, "I hope my eyes stop burning after surgery, and I can go outside and be more independent."

$225raised
Fully funded