Abraham WallinUNIVERSAL FUND MEMBER
Abraham's Story

Abraham joined Watsi on February 7th, 2017. Seven years ago, Abraham joined our Universal Fund, supporting life-changing treatments for a new Watsi patient every month. Abraham's most recent donation traveled 8,800 miles to support David, a 14-year-old boy from Cambodia, to fund spinal surgery.

Impact

Abraham has funded healthcare for 88 patients in 12 countries.

Patients funded by Abraham

Noah is a 3-year-old boy from Tanzania. He is the second-to-last child in a family of 4 children. His family resides in a remote village known in Simanjiro, Tanzania. Noah’s mother is a homemaker and also assists her husband with agricultural activities, given that farming is their primary source of sustenance and income. Noah takes pleasure in helping others and enjoys solving puzzles alongside his friends. When Noah was merely eight months old, he was crawling around the house and ventured into the kitchen alone, just as his mother was occupied with washing chores. Inadvertently, he encountered a pan which slipped from the stove, causing hot water to spill onto the left side of his body, resulting in severe burns on his left armpit and elbow. Noah’s parents swiftly transported him to the nearest medical facility for urgent treatment. After receiving initial first aid, he was subsequently discharged with instructions for proper wound care. Despite these efforts, his wounds took two months to fully heal. Even after healing, noticeable damage to the skin remained on his left axilla (armpit) and elbow, which subsequently restricted the range of motion in his left arm, leading to his discomfort while crawling. The gravity of the situation became apparent to Noah’s parents, who were initially unaware of the necessity for further medical intervention to enhance their son’s quality of life. Noah was diagnosed with burn scar contractures affecting his left axilla and elbow. The contractures tighten the skin around the arm such that he is unable to use his hand without discomfort. Recognizing the significance of their son’s well-being, Noah’s parents humbly seek assistance to ensure he receives the requisite treatment to enhance his quality of life. Fortunately, our medical partner African Mission Healthcare (AMH) is helping Noah receive treatment. On August 14th, surgeons will perform a burn contracture release surgery to enable him to use his hand with ease and improve his quality of life. AMH needs help raising $874 to fund the procedure. Noah’s father says, “We are excited for his treatment as this condition has made him less interactive with his peers, and we are hopeful for a positive outcome from the treatment."

$874raised
Fully funded

Ko Tin is a 34-year-old man from Burma. He lives with his parents and his younger brother in a village in Yangon Division, Burma. He used to be a driver before his condition got worse but now he has stopped. Currently, Ko Tin is living with his parents who are farmers and support him. The whole family’s income is just enough for their basic expenses and basic health care. Ko Tin has a wife who went to Thailand for work about four months ago but he has lost contact with her. When he has the energy and free time, Ko Tin likes playing football with friends. Ko Tin was diagnosed with a heart condition that requires replacement of the mitral valve, the valve between the left atrium and left ventricle. This valve controls the flow of blood, but certain conditions may cause blood to flow backward or the valve to narrow. In mid October, Ko Tin experienced fever, cough, body pain, difficult breathing, and severe fatigue when he walks a short distance. After he visited the cardiologist in Yangon Hospital, he was diagnosed with mitral valve regurgitation and doctor recommend that he should receive surgery. Currently, Ko Tin feels tired, coughs often, and is experiencing difficult breathing. Sometimes, he feels pain from his legs and his arms, and he cannot sleep well at night. He will feel extremely fatigued with shortness of breath when he lays down on the floor. He also cannot walk long distances. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund a mitral valve replacement for Ko Tin. The treatment is scheduled to take place at Pun Hlaing Hospital on December 3rd and, once completed, will hopefully allow him to live more comfortably. Ko Tin said, “I would like to recover as soon as possible. My parents are worried about me, and they have difficulty earning enough money to pay for my treatment. I hope my wife to return, and I would like to live as a happy family.”

$929raised
$571to go