Joel Ramin
Joel's Story

Joel joined Watsi on December 29th, 2019. 13 other people also joined Watsi on that day! Joel's most recent donation supported Dorcas, a 3-year-old girl from Tanzania, to fund second stage leg surgery so she can walk well.

Impact

Joel has funded healthcare for 21 patients in 6 countries.

Patients funded by Joel

Angel is 10-month-old baby girl. She lives in a small rental house in Nairobi, Kenya with her parents and older sibling. Angel’s parents do not currently have stable jobs. Her mother used to sell fruits, however had to stop to take care of Angel. Her father, now the sole wage earner of the house, is a tailor but does not earn much. The earnings they receive are just enough to take care of the family. As a result, they can not raise the money that is needed to cater for Angel’s hospital bill. Angel has been diagnosed with hydrocephalus, a condition in which excess fluid accumulates in the brain and increases intracranial pressure. Over the December holidays, Angel and her family visited her grandparents, however during this time she became persistently unwell, which caused her parents' concern to grow. They took her to a facility nearby and along the way her grandmother noticed that her head looked bigger than normal, and her eyes were not as they used to be. Upon arrival, the doctor immediately referred them to another specialist. facility in Nairobi. She was then examined and booked for surgery in April of this year. After returning home, the parents continued to watch as Angel grew weaker day by day. A family friend heard about their child’s condition and referred them to our medical partner's care center, BethanyKids Hospital. On arrival, she received another examination and was promptly scheduled for a shunt insertion surgery. If not treated, Angel will experience severe physical and developmental delays. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $720 to cover the cost of Angel's surgery to treat her hydrocephalus. The procedure is scheduled to take place on February 9th, during which surgeons will drain the excess fluid from her brain. This will relieve the pressure inside her head, and greatly improve her quality of life. With proper treatment, Angel will have the chance to develop into a strong, healthy young girl. Angel’s father says, “This is a condition that we have never heard of before and didn’t know how to go about getting her care. It is very difficult for a parent to see their child in a situation when they do not have finances to help them.”

$720raised
Fully funded

Stuwart is a 5-year-old boy and the only child in his family. He's a playful and friendly boy who is currently having a hard time walking due to his legs bending outwards. Stuwart is still in class one and he loves counting numbers and drawing. His father works as a bodaboda driver to be able to support and care for his family. His income is not much but helps them make ends meet. Early this year, Stuwart started having pain in his knees when he woke up and tried to stand. This went on for a few weeks and when his parents saw how much he was suffering they decided to seek treatment for him at a local hospital. Stuwart was diagnosed with bilateral genu varus (knock knees). His parents were informed that Stuwart will need to have surgery to correct both of his legs and prevent them from becoming further deformed and causing Stuwart pain. At that time, he was supported by Watsi last July to undergo surgery. He has now developed a genu valgus where his legs are now bowing outwards. To help stop this, Stuwart needs another surgery to correct this condition. This condition is typically caused by an excessive accumulation of fluoride in the bones, which often stems from contaminated drinking water. As a result, he has pain and difficulty walking. His parents are asking for help to support his secondary surgery. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $880 to fund corrective surgery for Stuwart. The procedure is scheduled to take place on January 7th. Treatment will hopefully restore Stuwart's mobility, allow him to participate in a variety of activities, and greatly decrease his risk of future complications. Stuwart’s mother says, “His legs were straight, but over the months he has been walking we have noticed his legs are now bowing outwards. We will be so grateful if our son can be supported again.”

$880raised
Fully funded

Susan is a mother of three, with her eldest child now 23 years, and two twins who are 17. She used to work at a salon in Nairobi, but the owner closed the business at the beginning of the year. She has been out of work since then and husband works as a casual laborer in a pharmaceutical firm, which recruits them in intervals depending on the availability of funds. She has applied for national health insurance coverage, but it is not yet approved and her doctors have recommended that she undergoes her surgery as soon as possible. Susan first noted a lump in July so she visited a facility in Nairobi and was treated with pain medication and an ointment. She felt better, but the pain recurred after two months. Due to the pain, she went to a government clinic and was advised to visit a higher-level facility. She opted to visit our medical partner's care center Kijabe Hospital after a recommendation by a neighbor. However, Susan is not in a financial position to pay for the surgery and is appealing for financial assistance. Susan has been diagnosed with breast cancer. Without treatment, the cancer may spread to other organs. A mastectomy, a surgery to remove breast tissue, has been suggested to rid her body of breast cancer and to prevent the cancer from metastasizing. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1110 to cover the cost of a mastectomy for Susan. The procedure is scheduled to take place on December 6th. After treatment, Susan will hopefully return to a cancer-free life. Susan says, "My family and my kids are my motivation. This lump is just increasing in size and pain. I hope I get the treatment I need.”

$1,110raised
Fully funded