Elizabeth Ban

United States
Elizabeth's Story

Elizabeth joined Watsi on December 23rd, 2013. 50 other people also joined Watsi on that day! Elizabeth's most recent donation traveled 8,200 miles to support Elile, a three-year-old girl from Ethiopia, to fund a tonsillectomy.

Team
Impact

Elizabeth has funded healthcare for 390 patients in 17 countries.

Patients funded by Elizabeth

Heang is five years old and a first-grader from Cambodia. He is the middle of three children and lives with his parents in Kampot Province. His father works as a grocery seller, while his mother stays home to care for the children and manage the household. He enjoys reading and writing Khmer, watching cartoons, and playing with his little sister. He especially likes vegetable-filled soups. When Heang was two years old, he burned his left hand in a fire while his family was having a barbecue. He received treatment at a private clinic, but the injury later healed with scar tissue that gradually caused contractures in his left index and middle fingers. The tight scars restrict movement in his left index and middle fingers, making it difficult for him to fully straighten them. This may also affect his ability to grasp and hold objects comfortably with his left hand. When Heang's family learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), they traveled for five hours seeking treatment. On September 17th, surgeons at CSC will perform a burn contracture release surgery to give his affected fingers more flexibility and improve how he can move his left hand. This may make it easier for him to hold objects, play, and take part in everyday activities as he continues to grow. Now, he needs help to fund this $652 procedure. Heang's mother said, “I hope the surgery will help my son straighten and move his fingers more easily. I want him to be able to hold things with both hands, play with other children, and enjoy his childhood without his hand limiting him.”

$652raised
Fully funded

Ei is a 12-year-old girl from Burma. She lives with her parents, younger brother, and younger sister in Mae Sot District, Tak Province, Thailand. Originally from Yangon Division, Burma, the family moved to Thailand in 2021 in search of better job opportunities. Ei's father works in a sewing factory, while her mother is a homemaker. Both Ei and her younger brother attend a migrant school, while her younger sister is too young to attend school. The family lives in the dormitory of her father's workplace. In her free time, Ei enjoys learning Thai and English and doing her schoolwork. Ei was diagnosed with traumatic cataract of her right eye. She is experiencing blurred vision in her right eye, and she can only see objects close to her. She also suffers from right eye pain, is sensitive to light, and has to wear sunglasses when outside. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund lens replacement surgery for Ei. On May 21st, doctors will perform a lens replacement, during which they will remove Ei's natural lenses and replace them with an intraocular lens implant in each eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Now, she needs help to fund this $1,500 procedure. Ei's father expressed his gratitude, saying, "Thank you so much to this organisation and the donors for helping with my daughter's treatment costs. We feel immense happiness for your support, which relieves the hardship of our family. Without your help, we could not afford her surgery, and we almost decided to postpone her surgery. I hope you can continue to stand for patients who actually need support, like my daughter, for a very long time."

$1,500raised
Fully funded

Sovannareach is a six-year-old first-grade student from Prey Veng Province in Cambodia. He lives with his grandmother, who is a rice farmer, while his mother works as a factory worker to support him. His parents divorced five years ago, and he has remained close to his family. Sovannareach enjoys reading and writing Khmer, and he hopes to become a doctor when he grows up. In his free time, he likes playing football with his friends in the village. His favorite meals are lemongrass sour soup and eggs. Sovannareach was born with scoliosis, a condition in which the spine curves abnormally to one side, often resembling a “C” or “S” shape. As he has grown, his spinal curve has gradually worsened, bending toward the right side. The condition causes him pain and makes it difficult for him to sit comfortably for long periods. As a result, he sometimes struggles to concentrate in class and worries about being teased by his classmates because of his appearance. He also has difficulty walking, which affects his daily activities. In the past, Sovannareach had never received hospital treatment because his family could not afford it. However, a relative told his family about our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC). They traveled approximately four hours to CSC for a consultation and to seek specialized care. On August 11th, surgeons at CSC plan to implant a metal “growing rod” into his spine to help control the curvature while allowing his spine to continue growing. CSC is requesting $1,500 to cover the costs of his surgery, the implant, and post-operative care, including physiotherapy. Sovannareach's grandmother said, “I hope this treatment will help control my grandson’s spinal curvature as he grows and keep his spine stable. I want him to continue walking, playing, going to school, and enjoying his childhood without his condition limiting his daily life.”

$1,500raised
Fully funded

Patrick is a cheerful and energetic three-year-old boy from Tanzania. He is the firstborn of two children. Following his parents' separation, Patrick lives with his father, who has since remarried and now cares for Patrick, his younger half-sister, and the family by working as a bajaji (tuk-tuk) driver. Patrick has clubfoot on both feet. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. The tissues connecting the muscle to the bones are shorter than usual, and this causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Patrick's condition causes his feet to turn inward. As a result, he struggles to wear shoes and often falls when walking longer distances. Despite these challenges, Patrick remains active, playful, and full of joy. Determined to help his son, Patrick's father sought medical care at Morogoro Hospital, where a nurse assessed him and referred the family to our medical partner's center, Kafika House, for specialized treatment. Patrick will begin clubfoot treatment at Kafika House on July 14th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,171 to fund Patrick's clubfoot repair. After treatment, his feet will straighten, allowing him to walk confidently, wear shoes, and enjoy a more active childhood. Patrick's father said, "As a father, my greatest wish is to see Patrick walk confidently without falling. I am grateful that hope has found us, and your support will give my son the chance to enjoy the healthy future every child deserves."

$1,171raised
Fully funded

Sonich is an 18-year-old from Cambodia. He lives in a small village in Ratanakiri Province with his parents, who are rice farmers. He has one younger sister who is a kindergarten student. Because of his injury and the financial difficulties his family faces, he was forced to drop out of school in Grade 7, even though he wished to continue his education like other children his age. In his free time, he enjoys playing football with his friends in the village. Eight months ago, Sonich was involved in a traffic accident with another motorbike that caused paralysis of his left arm. After the accident, he was taken to a provincial hospital, where he underwent open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) surgery for a left clavicle fracture. Later, he noticed that his left arm had become very weak. His family brought him to several hospitals in the city, where doctors told him that he had nerve damage. However, the cost of treatment was prohibitive for his family. After six months, the metal implant was removed at the provincial hospital. Following that, he tried physiotherapy and Khmer traditional medicine, hoping his arm would recover, but unfortunately, his condition did not improve. Sonich learned about our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC), and sought medical advice. He has been diagnosed with a brachial plexus injury on his left side. The brachial plexus is a nerve network that transmits signals from the spine to the shoulder, arm, and hand. Injuries to this nerve network can result in loss of function and sensation. He experiences significant weakness in his right arm and cannot lift it or feel sensation from his elbow to his fingers. Sometimes he also experiences pain and stiffness in his fingers. This condition makes it difficult for him to perform daily activities and prevents him from continuing his education. Sonich traveled to our medical partner's care center, Kien Khleang National Rehabilitation Centre, to receive treatment. This is the only center in the whole country where this treatment is available. On March 12th, he will undergo a brachial plexus repair surgery. After recovery, he will regain movement and be able to use his arm more normally in daily activities. His family can contribute $100, but needs help raising $637 more to fund his procedure and care. Sonich said, “I am very grateful for the opportunity to receive this treatment. I hope my arm will become stronger so I can return to my daily activities and have hope for my future again.”

$637raised
Fully funded