Mark CarpenterUNIVERSAL FUND MEMBER
Mark's Story

Mark joined Watsi on July 22nd, 2015. Nine years ago, Mark joined our Universal Fund, supporting life-changing treatments for a new Watsi patient every month. Mark's most recent donation traveled 8,200 miles to support Romeo, a loving father from Philippines, to fund hernia repair surgery.

Impact

Mark has funded healthcare for 111 patients in 12 countries.

Patients funded by Mark

Romeo is a physically active father from the Philippines. Romeo currently lives with his wife since all their children already have their own families. They rely on Romeo's monthly pension which is just enough for their daily needs. Their children chip in for their expenses too but as a father, Romeo wants them to use the money for their own families instead of giving it to him and his wife. Romeo loves to play chess, jog, and play tennis. However, his symptoms now physically limit him. Last November, Romeo won a consolation prize of a sack of rice at a community raffle. When he lifted it, he felt pain but ignored it thinking about how happy his wife will be upon bringing home the prize. Since then, Romeo has dealt with inguinal hernia. This hernia causes him to feel weak and because of his condition, he cannot do physical activities like he used to. Fortunately, on February 16th, Romeo will undergo hernia repair surgery at our medical partner's care center, Our Lady of Peace Hospital. A portion of the cost of Romeo's treatment is being supported by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation. Our medical partner is raising the remaining $1,103 to cover the cost of his surgery and care. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully allow him to live more comfortably and confidently. Romeo shared: "My pension will never be enough to pay for a surgery to treat me. So thank you very much for helping me even though I am already old."

$302raised
$801to go

Martha is a 39-year-old mother from Kenya, the sole caregiver of her three children. Her daily work involves doing manual laundry for members within her community to support her family. Martha is very social and enjoys spending time with friends. On 17th March, Martha was crossing the road near her home when she was hit by a speeding vehicle. She sustained injuries on the left side of her body from her head, neck and hand, and an X-ray showed a closed fracture on her tibia and fibula (lower leg fractures). A CT scan of the head was done, and luckily there was no bleeding or skull fracture, only soft tissue injuries. The surgeon recommended an open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) procedure, which is a type of surgery used to stabilize and heal a broken bone. Unfortunately, Martha is unable to pay for this treatment. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Martha receive treatment. On March 21st, Martha is scheduled to undergo ORIF which will aid in joining the bones together and reduce the pain, restoring the functionality of her leg. The procedure will also prevent complications like malunion, or deformity. Now, Martha needs help to fund this $1,049 procedure. Martha says, "I will appreciate the assistance very much. I have no one to help me and help my children, so I appeal for support so that I can receive treatment, be able to walk again and resume my duty of taking care of my children.”

$248raised
$801to go

Thaw is a two-year-old boy from Burma. He lives with his parents and elder sister in Zee Kone Village, but his family migrated to Thailand four months ago to seek better job opportunities. His father works as an agricultural day labourer, while his mother is a homemaker. Thaw’s elder brother and sister take turns working as agricultural day labourers. Thaw’s mother carefully manages their income, and their combined family income is enough to cover their daily basic expenses. Thaw receives free healthcare services at Mae Tao Clinic (MTC). On 2 July 2021, Thaw was born through emergency caesarean section. His mother noticed on the following day, while cleaning Thaw’s body, that he was born with a worrying condition that makes it challenging to go to the bathroom. Thaw’s mother immediately informed the doctor, who then referred Thaw to hospital in Ayeyarwady Division. Unfortunately, due to a lack of facilities, he did not receive the necessary treatment at this hospital. He was subsequently recommended to go to Yangon Hospital. However, due to financial limitations, Thaw’s mother could not afford to take him to Yangon Hospital, leading her to cease efforts to seek Thaw’s treatment. Fortunately, Thaw was able to defecate through a fistula however Thaw began to experience troubling symptoms, including at present, Thaw is passing stool through the fistula, experiencing constipation with bowel movements occurring every four or five days, with a distended abdomen. Thaw has been diagnosed with imperforate anus with fistula and his doctors recommend a colostomy. A colostomy is a surgery that creates an opening for the colon through the abdomen. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1500 to fund Thaw's surgery at Mae Sot General Hospital scheduled January 31st. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully alleviate him symptoms. Thaw’s mother expressed her concerns saying, “I want my son to have a healthy, long life. I was always worried about him, and he couldn’t receive treatment due to lack of money. Now, with the help of BCMF and donors, he can undergo surgery. Thank you."

$758raised
$742to go

Yhair is the third child of his mother and father, who farm and raise cows in a rural area in central Bolivia. Shortly after being born, his mother noticed he struggled to breathe and took him to the doctor. Yhair was diagnosed with coarctation of the aorta, a condition in which the blood vessel leading from the heart is too narrow, causing blood to back up. This can lead to difficult breathing, heavy sweating, and irritability in an infant. Without treatment, it can lead to brain bleed, stroke, and enlarged heart. Our partner International Cardiac Alliance is looking to raise $1,500 to fund surgery for Yhair. During surgery, doctors will open the aorta up to a more normal size. After surgery, he will hopefully have improved breathing and activity tolerance. Yhair's mother shared: "I was very afraid to come to La Paz for the surgery, but I gathered all my courage and I am hopeful everything will be ok."

$1,500raised
Fully funded

Evania is a two-year-old toddler from Bolivia. She is the second child in her family who live in La Paz. Her father is a construction foreman and her mother is an administrative assistant for the construction company. Soon after she was born, her pediatrician detected a heart murmur, and a cardiologist diagnosed her with two cardiac conditions. One is a hole between the two lower chambers of the heart, and another hole between two major blood vessels near her heart. Evania also has Down syndrome. It is recommended to have surgery to repairs these holes in her heart. Our medical partner International Cardiac Alliance is requesting $1,500 to fund Evania's surgery. During surgery, doctors will sew both holes closed so that blood can no longer leak through them. After surgery Evania will have improved circulation and more ability to be active. Evania's mother shared: "Our family is so thankful that Evania has been chosen for this surgery and we are praying that all will go well!"

$1,500raised
Fully funded

Kalar is a 53-year-old woman from Burma. She lives with her mother and daughter in Htantabin Township, Yangon Division village. Kalar used to sell vegetables, but she stopped in October because her condition was worsening. Kalar's mother is a homemaker. Kalar's daughter left school three years ago because she couldn't afford the school fees. Currently, she is working in a restaurant. Their monthly income is not enough for their daily expenses, and they have to borrow money from their friends to make ends meet and pay for basic medical costs. In 2017, Kalar's upper abdomen was in pain, and she went to a hospital in the village. There, she received an ultrasound, and the doctor told her that she had a small stone in her gall bladder and she would need medication to reduce the stone. She felt much better after taking the medication, and she didn't go to any clinic or hospital after that. In October 2023, Kalar's symptoms returned, and she visited the hospital in the town where she received the ultrasound. At the hospital, the doctor confirmed that Kalar had a large gallstone and would require surgery to heal. She could not afford to pay for the surgery, so she received medication and returned home. Her condition gradually got worse. Kalar has not been eating or sleeping well and is in pain. After seeking treatment through our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF), Kalar will be able to undergo gallbladder removal surgery on November 18th. BCMF requests $1,487 to cover Kalar's procedure and care costs. Kalar said, "I was upset because I couldn't work and support my mother and daughter. Now, I am so happy! I want to say thank you to all of the donors for supporting my surgery."

$1,487raised
Fully funded

Anthony lives with his parents and two younger siblings in a mining city in central Bolivia. He is in the fourth grade and loves computer science. His parents co-own a small tailoring shop together. Anthony was born with a cardiac condition called Tetralogy of Fallot, which involves several related heart defects, including a hole between two chambers of the heart and a muscular blockage of one of the valves. These defects deprive his body of oxygen, leaving him weak and short of breath. During surgery, doctors will close the hole with a patch and remove the blockage from his valve. Heart surgery will allow Anthony to live a full, active life, and our medical partner International Cardiac Alliance is requesting $1500 to fund his life-saving procedure. Anthony can't wait to feel better soon and shared: "I am excited to be able to start running and keep up with my friends!"

$1,500raised
Fully funded

Kaleb is the only child of his mother and father; they live in La Paz, Bolivia. His father works in construction and his mother is a homemaker. Kaleb was born two months premature with a ventricular septal defect, or a hole between the two lower chambers of his heart. Blood leaks through this hole, leaving the lungs unable to obtain oxygen. This leaves Kaleb weak and short of breath, and making it hard for him to gain weight. Last year Kaleb underwent a surgery to prepare him for the one he currently needs. It stabilized his heart so he could gain some weight in order to safely have the congenital cardiac surgery. Our medical partner, International Cardiac Alliance, is able to help with his upcoming procedure. Kaleb and his family need help raising $1,500 for his surgery that will take place September 14th. Kaleb’s mother says “Our son has been in and out of the hospital and very sick ever since he was born. We hope he will have a chance to be a normal child after his surgery."

$1,500raised
Fully funded

Linn's Baby is a four-day-old girl who lives with her parents and three older sisters in a village in Thailand. She is so young, that she is not yet named. Her parents are day laborers. Linn's Baby was born with multiple health challenges including Down syndrome and congenital heart disease. In addition, her mother noticed that she wasn't passing stool, and when the doctors examined her, they discovered that she also has a condition known as imperforate anus. What this means is that Linn's Baby was born without an opening, which is a birth condition that occurs while the fetus is still developing in the womb. To address her condition, Linn's Baby will undergo surgery on August 4th at Mae Sot General Hospital, to place a colostomy, that will allow her to pass stool until she grows bigger and stronger, and better able to tolerate additional surgeries. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is seeking $1,500 to cover the costs of this procedure. Her mother said: "I cannot watch my daughter suffer from these conditions. I think she is crying because she wants breastmilk. She is my first baby born with such conditions. My other daughters are all healthy. I feel very sad for her.”

$1,500raised
Fully funded

Tha Zin is a 43-year-old woman from Thailand. She lives in a refugee camp in Tak Province with her husband and two sons. Tha Zin and her husband run a shop in the refugee camp. Their total monthly income is not enough to cover their basic expenses, and sometimes Tha Zin needs to borrow money with interest from her neighbor for her children’s school expenses. Tha Zin shared that in her free time she loves reading the Bible, praying, and knitting hats for her family. In 2022, Tha Zin started to experience pain when sitting. She also experienced bleeding in a sensitive area. In the refugee camp, they receive free basic health care from the International Rescue Committee (IRC). Tha Zin went to the hospital in the refugee camp, where they completed a physical examination, diagnosed her with severe hemorrhoids, and provided her with basic medication. While Tha Zin took the medication, she felt relieved, but after she finished her medication, the pain worsened, and she experienced increased swelling and inflammation. As time went on, the pain worsened. She felt it was harder to stand up, walk or sit. Currently, Tha Zin feels like she has less energy and has difficulty completing her everyday tasks. She also experiences difficulty sleeping due to her worries about her condition. Tha Zin sought treatment through our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund. She is now scheduled to undergo surgery on June 2nd at our partner's care center. Tha Zin needs your help to raise $1,500 to cover the cost of her procedure and care. Tha Zin said, “Because of my illness, I had to close my shop and leave my two children with my relatives. So, I worry about them. But I am thankful to those who will support my surgery because I cannot afford to pay for it by myself. When I recover, I will reopen my shop and pay back my debt that I borrowed for my children’s school expenses. If my family has the opportunity to do so, I want us to be resettled in a new country one day.”

$1,500raised
Fully funded

Todolem is a 73-year-old pastoralist - he breeds and takes care of a herd of cows, in order to support his large family. As they live in a semi-arid region of the country, which has been experiencing a shortage of rain, the family moves around a lot in search of water and pasture land for the animals. Todolem injured his arm three months ago when he fell while herding his cattle. He shared that he thought it was not a serious injury, so he went to an herbalist near his home, where he was given some medication. The injury did not improve, and while visiting a neighbor who had recently broken his leg, Todolem learned about our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare. Fortunately, surgeons at AIC Kapsowar Hospital can help. After being examined at the hospital, Todolem was scheduled to undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation, on May 16th. The surgery will enable Todolem to work again. Now, African Mission Healthcare is requesting $1,145 to fund this procedure. Todolem says: "My family has suffered since I injured my arm. They have lacked a lot of things, and I feel so bad when I see them suffer in my presence. I am humbly requesting assistance so that I may continue with my role as a family provider."

$1,145raised
Fully funded

Chanthy is a 41-year-old factory worker. She lives in Svay Rieng province with her husband, who is also a factory worker. Together they have one son who repairs cars and two daughters who are both students. Since Chanthy was 20 years old, she has suffered from ear pain, ear discharge and headaches around her left ear. This infection caused a cholesteatoma, or abnormal skin growth, to develop in the middle ear behind the ear drum. For this reason, Chanthy experiences hearing loss, tinnitus and ear discharge. She visited a government hospital two years ago for care, but she continues to have problems. Fortunately Chanthy traveled to our medical partner - Children’s Surgical Centre - to receive treatment. On March 22nd, she will undergo a mastoidectomy procedure in her left ear. Children’s Surgical Centre is requesting $926 to fund this procedure. This covers medication, supplies, and inpatient care. Chanthy is hopeful that after this surgery her hearing will improve and her headaches will disappear. Without care, she is concerned this illness might affect her health permanently.

$926raised
Fully funded