MARTHA SANDINO
MARTHA's Story

MARTHA joined Watsi on March 3rd, 2016. 20 other people also joined Watsi on that day! MARTHA's most recent donation supported Nkamaniki, a farmer from Kenya, to receive hearing aids.

Impact

MARTHA has funded healthcare for 4 patients in 3 countries.

Patients funded by MARTHA

“I would like to be a pilot when I grow up,” says Francis, an 11-year-old boy from Kenya. “Francis is a brilliant primary school student who is in standard four. He meets you with a cheerful disposition and confidence for a child his age,” shares our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). “Francis was sharp enough to notice that his left testicle was ‘missing,’” continues AMHF. “He mentioned it to his mother jokingly but she took it with seriousness.” Francis’ mother took him to the hospital where he was diagnosed with cryptorchidism—a condition in which one or both of the testicles fail to descend into the scrotal sac. “If not treated, Francis is likely to develop testicular cancer and/or hernia,” states AMHF. “He will also be at risk of infertility in the future,” and the condition has the potential to affect Francis’s self-esteem as well. In order to eliminate these risks, Francis requires single orchidopexy surgery. During this procedure, doctors will move the undescended testicle to the scrotal sac and fix it permanently in place. “With a menial income from subsistence farming and no external income, Francis’ parents are not able to raise the funds required for his surgery,” explains AMHF. “The family of three children resides in a two-room house in Central Kenya.” “Francis’s parents just want the best for their children,” says AMHF, and together we can help them achieve this by funding the $540 operation, which includes a three-day hospital stay and medication. “Francis is a very active child. If only I knew that he could have been treated, this would be far behind us now,” says Francis’ father. “But I am happy we are not very late to get him treatment. I don’t want anything affecting how my son views himself— I want him to have good self-esteem. I hope we get funding towards his treatment.”

$540raised
Fully funded

In December 2015, Maung Shwe was walking on a dirt road when an out-of-control motorbike crashed into him and fractured his leg. He sustained several flesh wounds that healed in the subsequent weeks. He first sought treatment on the day of the incident with a traditional healer but this was ineffective. Next, he visited the local village health worker who could only provide him with injections to relieve his pain temporarily. The care provided by the health worker cost him a lot of money. Treatment at a hospital would have been too costly for him. He has never sought out treatment at a Burmese hospital but heard they are expensive. Maung Shwe’s nephew works for Mae Tao Clinic (MTC) and he encouraged his uncle to visit. In March 2016, he borrowed a mount of money from his friend for food and transportation so he and his daughter could make the trip to Mae Sot. Maung Shwe is a 62-year-old man who has always lived in a village in Karen State, Burma. He is a retired farmer and currently lives with his daughter and son-in-law. His daughter used to be a domestic worker in Bangkok and his son-in-law is a subsistence farmer. They do not generate an income, but when his family needs money, they sell their leftover rice yield or their chickens and pigs. Maung Shwe's current symptoms include pain upon movement and the inability to walk. His daughter had to quit working as a domestic worker in Bangkok in order to care for him. She assists him with tasks like helping him walk, escorting him to bathroom, and cooking for him. There are no wheelchairs in his village, so his daughter must tend to him at all times For $1,500, Maung Shwe will receive the operation he needs to treat his fracture permanently. This cost includes surgery, casting, and rehabilitation. Following surgery, Maung Shwe should no longer suffer from pain upon movement, and he should be able to walk again.

$1,500raised
Fully funded