Craig's Story

Craig joined Watsi on August 8th, 2020. Six years ago, Craig joined our Universal Fund, supporting life-changing treatments for a new Watsi patient every month. Craig's most recent donation supported Paw, a young woman from Burma, to fund a C-section to safely deliver her baby.

Impact

Craig has funded healthcare for 73 patients in 14 countries.

Patients funded by Craig

Ester is a 13-year-old student from Burma. She lives with her parents, her younger brother, and two younger sisters in a village in Karen State, Burma. Ester and her three younger siblings go to school while their parents are small-scale farmers. They also raise chickens and pigs, and they forage for vegetables in the forest for their own consumption. They also have a small garden where they grow betel nut trees, and they sell some of the betel nuts to earn a small income. Sometimes, Ester’s father also finds work as an agricultural day laborer. In her free time, Ester loves to help her mother with household chores and also play with her friends at school. She wants to become a teacher when she grows up. Ester was born with an atrial septal defect (ASD), a condition in which a hole exists between the two upper chambers of the heart. Sometimes ASDs may close on their own during development, but sometimes this condition requires surgery to repair the hole and prevent long-term damage to the heart and lungs. Ester is scheduled to undergo heart surgery on July 7th to correct her condition and improve her quality of life. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to help cover the cost of Ester's procedure and care. Ester's mother shared, "I would like to thank BCMF and your donors for your kindness and willingness to support my daughter. Without you, my daughter would not receive treatment as the cost is too high for us, and we cannot borrow such a large amount of money from our neighbours. On behalf of our family and our daughter, thank you to your donors and everyone willing to help my daughter.”

$972raised
$528to go

Luis Angel is student from Colombia. He is a very outgoing, cheerful, intelligent, and quick-witted boy who loves to explore the world around him. He is an excellent student and excels especially in math. He really enjoys playing and interacting with other children. He also loves to dance, sing and has a deep love for animals. He is an affectionate boy who constantly shows his care for others. Eight years ago, Luis Angel was diagnosed with an umbilical hernia, a condition in which a small portion of abdominal tissue protrudes through the navel. Umbilical hernias usually cause mild discomfort or tenderness around the navel, especially when the child cries, coughs, or strains. They can also cause visible swelling, making the belly button protrude, which sometimes leads to discomfort. At this stage, Luis Angel experiences abdominal pain, which sometimes makes it difficult for him to engage in activities, such as playing or participating in sports. Although it generally does not cause severe pain, it does cause discomfort that makes it difficult for him to perform daily activities, such as playing, jumping, and fully enjoying his childhood. Additionally, if not treated properly, there is a risk of complications. Fortunately, on June 24th, he will undergo repair surgery at our medical partner's care center. Our medical partner, Clinica Noel, is requesting $1,005 to fund Luis Angel's surgery. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully allow him to live more comfortably. Luis Angel's parent shared, "To anyone who wishes to support my son financially, I would like to begin by expressing my sincere gratitude for thinking of a child’s well-being and future. Your help contributes to making my son’s dreams come true and gives him the opportunity to achieve a better quality of life. After the surgery, we hope he will be able to develop fully, without limitations, discomfort, or pain that prevent him from carrying out his daily and athletic activities. With this, he will be able to demonstrate his full potential and begin to chart his path toward fulfilling his dreams."

$493raised
$512to go

Ree is an 18-year-old young woman from Burma. She lives in Mae Ramat District, Tak Province, Thailand, with her mother, father, younger brother, husband, and son. She is a homemaker and looks after her one-year-old son. Her younger brother is a student. Her mother, father, and husband are subsistence farmers. When work is slow at the farm, they also work as day labourers. On 28th February 2026, Ree, her husband, and her son were driving back home from the market in the evening on a motorbike. Suddenly, they were hit from behind by a drunk driver, and all three of them fell from the bike onto the left side of the road. Nah suffered road rash on her face and leg, and realized that she could not stand up. Her son’s head was bruised and swollen, and on the left side of her husband’s body, there was also heavy bruising. An ambulance arrived on scene and took Nah to a nearby hospital. The doctor explained that her left ankle was fractured, requiring surgery. She was referred to our medical partner's care center, Mae Sot General Hospital. With the help of our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, Ree will undergo surgery to reset her fractured bones and ensure proper healing. The procedure is scheduled for March 7th and Ree needs to raise $1,500 to fund her procedure and care. This procedure will help Ree be able to walk and go back home to take care of her son, and she will no longer be in pain after treatment. Ree said, “I don’t even know what to say, but I feel sad. I have no idea where to look for funding for my treatment. I cannot walk and have to depend on my father for everything, and I miss my son at home.”

$1,500raised
Fully funded

Clemence is a small-scale farmer from Malawi. He is married and has two children. Five years ago, Clemence began to experience troubling symptoms, including abdominal symptoms whose cause was unclear. He moved between hospitals without improvement. In 2021, it was discovered that his esophagus was obstructed, and he underwent treatment. Fortunately, his symptoms reduced and he experienced some relief. However, in 2025, he began experiencing severe gastroesophageal reflux symptoms, including heartburn, chest pain, and regurgitation, sometimes causing food to come up through his nose, especially when lying down. This created a constant fear of choking in his sleep. During one of his recent hospital visits, he underwent an endoscopy. Doctors have now diagnosed him with a hiatal hernia, and he was urgently referred to our medical partner PIH for support where surgery is recommended. Physicians recommend a laparotomy, which is a surgery that opens up the abdominal cavity to treat his condition. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,244 to fund Clemence's surgery. On February 6th, he will undergo surgery at Partners in Hope Medical Center. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully greatly improve his quality of life. Clemence said, "Kindly help me to get better, I am afraid of eating in fear of choking that can cause death; food comes through my nose sometimes and I am very terrified now. I can no longer do anything to generate cash apart from spending."

$1,244raised
Fully funded