Matteo LombardiUNIVERSAL FUND MEMBER
Matteo's Story

Matteo joined Watsi on July 11th, 2016. Four years ago, Matteo joined our Universal Fund, supporting life-changing treatments for a new Watsi patient every month. Matteo's most recent donation traveled 790 miles to support Valentino, a three-year-old boy from Bolivia, to fund heart surgery.

Impact

Matteo has funded healthcare for 75 patients in 16 countries.

Patients funded by Matteo

Alven is a hardworking father from Philippines. He is a single father, acting as both parents to his daughter. He has been separated from his wife for 18 years and lives with his siblings. Alven is a maintenance worker and shared that he is known to be a "workaholic". One year ago, Alven began to experience troubling symptoms, including extreme abdominal and back pain. The pain was so extreme, he could not go to work two days a week which has affected his income. In April, he went for a check-up at Ospital ng Paranaque, a general surgery hospital. Alven was diagnosed with gallstones, hardened deposits of digestive fluid that can form in the gallbladder. Alven has been advised to undergo a cholecystectomy, the surgical removal of the gallbladder. If left untreated, his symptoms will continue to worsen and put him at risk for further health complications in the future. After seeking treatment through our medical partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines (WSFP), Alven is scheduled to undergo a cholecystectomy on November 11. A portion of the cost of the procedure is being supported by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and WSFP is raising the remaining $1128 to cover the cost of Alven's surgery and care. Alven told us: "This assistance is a big help to me because my income is only enough to support my daughter and is not sufficient to support my surgery. Your help means a lot to me and my family. I hope that you continue to help others because I am truly blessed to be one of your beneficiaries."

$1,128raised
Fully funded

Sothany is a 23-year-old woman who lives with her mother and father in the Prey Veng province of Cambodia, where her parents are rice farmers. She has four brothers and four sisters. When Sothany was younger, her parents noticed that her spine was not straight; however, they could not afford proper healthcare for her. As she has grown up, she has had more noticeable changes, including uneven hips and shoulders, prominent ribs, and a shift of her waist and torso to the side. For the past few years, Sothany's disability has increasingly affected her breathing as her rib cage presses against the lungs, making it more difficult to breathe. Sothany is very self-conscious about her spinal deformity and limited mobility. As a result, she quit her job in a clothes factory and stays home with her mother. She makes homemade videos to sell lotions and creams on social media. Her parents first heard about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), in early 2020. However, they were unable to travel due to COVID pandemic travel restrictions. Today, Sothany's symptoms have greatly increased including muscle imbalance, pain, and difficulty breathing. Sothany and her parents traveled for two and a half hours to our medical partner to seek intervention for her disability. Sothany will undergo a posterior spinal fusion with implants at CSC's care center on August 1st. Sothany is contributing $100 to pay for her care, and CSC is requesting the remaining $1500 to fund the procedure. This will cover radiology, medications, surgery, and post-op physiotherapy care. Sothany said, "After surgery, I hope my spine will be straight. I want to walk with my friends and not have hard breathing, work to support myself, and not be ashamed of my back."

$1,500raised
Fully funded