Kunal MandaliaUNIVERSAL FUND MEMBER
Kunal's Story

Kunal joined Watsi on May 5th, 2017. Six years ago, Kunal joined our Universal Fund, supporting life-changing treatments for a new Watsi patient every month. Kunal's most recent donation traveled 4,800 miles to support Happiness's baby, a newborn from Tanzania, to fund clubfoot treatment.

Impact

Kunal has funded healthcare for 84 patients in 12 countries.

Patients funded by Kunal

Happiness's baby is a newborn who is barely two weeks old. Happiness and her husband, James, have been blessed with a new baby, expanding their family to two children. They reside in Morombo, located in the Arusha region of Tanzania. Happiness is a stay-at-home mother managing the household and caring for their children, while James works diligently on their farm to provide food and sells surplus harvests for additional income. In addition to farming, James seeks casual day jobs to supplement their finances, yet despite their efforts, they find their income insufficient to cover all expenses. At times, they struggle to afford medical bills, particularly when faced with a poor harvest, making providing adequate meals for the family challenging. Happiness's baby was born with clubfoot of both feet, causing his feet to twist inward and downward. Concerned for their son’s future, the parents sought advice from the attending doctor, who recommended seeking treatment, as the condition is treatable. They were referred to our medical partner's care center for help. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. This causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Fortunately, Happiness traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, Kafika House. There, the team will begin clubfoot treatment on February 16th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $935 to fund Happiness's baby's clubfoot repair. After treatment and as he grows, the baby will be able to wear shoes and walk properly. Happiness says: “I want my baby to grow up with normal feet and never bear the burden of the condition he is born with.”

$65raised
$870to go

Aung is a nine months old baby boy from Burma. He lives with his parents, grandparents, aunt, uncle, and two elder sisters. His father works as a day laborer, while his mother takes care of the household. They also run a small farm where they grow rice for both their family to eat and to earn an income. However, their monthly earning is insufficient to cover their basic living costs and Aung's medical expenses. As a result, they are indebted. Aung was born at home with the assistance of a midwife. Neither the midwife nor the mother noticed any abnormalities at that time. However, the day after his birth, Aung's grandmother observed swelling in his left foot and genitals, as well as a mass on his right flank. Last May, Aung and his mother sought treatment at the public hospital in Yangon, where he was admitted. There, he underwent tests, including hormone evaluations, along with multiple X-rays of his chest, abdomen, pelvis, and both legs. The doctor informed his mother that a rare congenital condition was suspected, and that amputation might be necessary if there were any changes in his leg color or when he reached six months of age to prevent complications. Oral medications and bi-weekly follow-up appointments were provided. Over time, Aung's leg and scrotum swelling worsened. However, due to ongoing conflict near their village and financial constraints, Aung's parents were unable to attend further follow-up appointments. Doctors now want Aung to undergo an MRI, an imaging procedure that uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce images of bodily organs. This scan will hopefully help doctors diagnose his condition and formulate an appropriate treatment plan. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $968 to cover the cost of Aung's MRI and care, scheduled for January 26th. Aung's mother expressed, "I hope to witness my son's full recovery. His condition brings me immense sorrow, and I do not know why this has happened to him. I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to BCMF and the donors for helping my son. Once he receives complete treatment, my wish is for him to excel in his education and achieve success in life."

$496raised
$472to go

Asiyatu is a married mother of two children aged 8 and 3 years. Her first child is in 3rd grade and the youngest is in nursery school. She is a homemakerwhile her husband is an Airtel money branch manager earning about $208.72 per month from his business and he takes care of all the bills at home. They live in a three-bedroomed rented house costing $29.82 per month. Asiyatu likes chatting with her children and enjoys eating chips and vegetables. Asiyatu was well until 2020 after the delivery of her second child when she noted a small lump on her left breast that was not painful. She visited a nearby hospital but did not receive help. The husband took her to Kamuzu Central Hospital (KCH) after noting that the lump was getting bigger as time passed. She was brought to Partners in Hope Medical Center (PIH) for a lumpectomy which is a surgery that removes cancer from the breast through the removal of a tumor and a small rim of normal tissues around it, and a sample was sent for histology. In September, she reported back to PIH for histology results that revealed an Invasive Breast Carcinoma requiring a mastectomy. She was then referred back to KCH for surgery since the husband could no longer manage to pay for the surgery as he did with the previous one. She was scheduled for surgery the next year. Lately, Asiyatu has been experiencing needle-pricking pain that is becoming unbearable without pain-relieving medications, affecting her household chores. As a result of her pain, her husband took her back to the hospital in November for support where she was then referred back to PIH for urgent surgery seeking support under the Watsi program. Doctors at PIH confirmed the need for a modified radical mastectomy, a surgery. Their family is able to commit $89.45 to support her care and their family is raising the remaining funds. Asiyatu believes the surgical operation will help her get back home in good condition and continue taking care of her children and her caring husband. Asiyatu said, “I am ready to live with one breast as I hope to get rid of all my pains and have my perfect life back again.”

$790raised
$404to go