Michael LittletonUNIVERSAL FUND MEMBER
Michael's Story

Michael joined Watsi on May 6th, 2015. Eight years ago, Michael joined our Universal Fund, supporting life-changing treatments for a new Watsi patient every month. Michael's most recent donation traveled 1,900 miles to support Marvens, a toddler from Haiti, to fund prep costs for life-saving heart surgery.

Impact

Michael has funded healthcare for 94 patients in 12 countries.

patients you have funded

Benina is a cheerful woman with an infectious smile, she is married and has been blessed with five children, all boys. The first two children have completed their high school education; the other two are still in high school, while the youngest is in primary school. Benina and her husband own a piece of land where they primarily cultivate potatoes for their family's consumption and sell the surplus in the market. They also sporadically work on the farms of their neighbors to supplement their little income. This year, rainfall was very inconsistent, and the couple did not have any potato produce, thereby earning no income from their land. For the past 6 years, Benina has been experiencing severe abdominal pains, bleeding, and a persistent headache. She sought medical services from a clinician, who referred her to the obstetrics and gynecology department for further review. In 2019, the symptoms became severe, and she decided to visit a nearby health facility where she was given medication and sent back home. She experienced temporary relief from the condition, but it later reappeared. Benina made the decision to come to our partner's care center, AIC Kapsowar Hospital, because the situation did not get any better. After learning about her medical history, medical test were recommended which revealed that she had a hemoglobin level below 6, which is extremely low and dangerous. She was hospitalised and underwent a blood transfusion to boost hemoglobin levels and enhance blood quality. To help her heal she needs to undergo a hysterectomy, a procedure in which surgeons will remove her uterus. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $918 to fund Benina's surgery. On November 29th, she will undergo gynecological surgery at our medical partner's care center. Once recovered, Benina will be able to resume her daily activities free of pain. Benina says, "I have endured a lot while holding out hope that I may soon recover. Day by day, the symptoms are getting worse, and I've lost a lot of blood. I'm in a terrible situation, please support me to get this operation."

$918raised
Fully funded

Laurencia is a 9-year-old girl and the seventh born in a family of nine siblings. She is a student at the nearby primary school. Her parents are small-scale farmers who plant vegetables for sale and for the family's needs. Some of her siblings are in high school, so her father uses his small income to pay for their school fees and to provide for other family needs. They are from a semi-arid area which faces drought and most of their crops are sorghum and millet. There is a food and water shortage in the area, and they shared that bandits often attack them. Life has been quite challenging, but they have persevered. Laurencia came to AIC Kapsowar Hospital with a bandaged right arm. She had an x-ray from another facility, which showed that she had broken both the ulna and the radius after falling from a mango tree while harvesting mangoes. She is in pain and unable to use her hand. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner can help. On November 1st, Laurencia will undergo an open reduction and internal fixation surgical procedure to put the broken bones back in place. Her hand will be able to heal well and she will be able to use it again. Now, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $941 to fund this procedure. Laurencias’ father says, “This incident happened just when I was paying my other children's school fees. I am worried now that I cannot help my daughter when she is in need. Please help her so that she can be able to grow in a normal way.”

$941raised
Fully funded

Shwe is a 24-year-old woman who lives with her family in Burma and enjoys listening to Burmese pop music! Shwe previously worked in a factory, but she had to stop working last December when her health began to deteriorate. Her brother and stepfather both work as agricultural day laborers, and her sister-in-law and mother are both homemakers. The rest of her siblings are all waiting for schools to reopen so they can return to their studies. The schools were closed in February of 2021 following the Mayanmar military coup. About a year and a half ago, Shwe began to experience pain in her chest, as well as fatigue. She initially did not think that her symptoms were serious, but this changed after she fainted at work a few months later. After receiving an echocardiogram, she was diagnosed with mitral valve, aortic valve, and tricuspid valve regurgitation, which are all cardiac conditions that occur when the specified valve does not close properly. As a result, she experiences difficulty breathing, a rapid heartbeat, a lack of appetite, and trouble sleeping. She also feels very tired when walking longer distances. Shwe now needs cardiac surgery to help alleviate her symptoms and allow her to live more comfortably and confidently. However, once the doctor told her and her family the cost of surgery, they left the hospital because they could not pay for Shwe's needed procedure. Fortunately, they happened to meet a taxi driver who kindly told them about our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF). BCMF is now helping Shwe undergo cardiac surgery on August 12th at Pun Hlaing Hospital. Shwe and her family need your support to fund this $1,500 procedure. Shwe says, “When I recover fully, I will go back to work and work hard. I will save my money and support my family.”

$1,500raised
Fully funded