Furkan CengizUNIVERSAL FUND MEMBER
Furkan's Story

Furkan joined Watsi on May 16th, 2015. Eight years ago, Furkan joined our Universal Fund, supporting life-changing treatments for a new Watsi patient every month. Furkan's most recent donation traveled 3,700 miles to support Kyaw, a father and farmer from Burma, to fund fracture repair surgery.

Impact

Furkan has funded healthcare for 98 patients in 12 countries.

Patients funded by Furkan

Kyaw is a 25-year-old father from Burma. He used to work as a farmer and a day laborer, but he had to stop working seven months ago due to his accident. Kyaw's family grows paddy for their consumption and raises chickens and pigs. During his free time, Kyaw enjoys exercising. In April 2023, Kyaw fell from a tree while collecting honey, resulting in a fracture in his right femur. Since then, he has experienced significant pain and swelling in his right leg, making it difficult for him to walk. Currently, Kyaw relies on crutches to get around. With the help of our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF), Kyaw will undergo surgery to reset his fractured bones and ensure proper healing. The procedure is scheduled for November 15th and will cost $1,500. The surgery is essential for Kyaw's recovery, as it will alleviate his pain and help him walk comfortably again. Kyaw said, "I was shocked and disappointed after knowing that the surgery would cost more than 40,000 baht (approx. 1,335 USD). I want to get the surgery and recover, but I have no idea who will support me and where I can get that much money. If I recover, I will work and support my family. Now that I learned that BMCF will help me get surgery, I feel so happy and excited."

$699raised
$801to go

Mai is a 46-year-old mother from Thailand. She resides with her husband, and son in a refugee camp along the Thai-Burma border. She works as a seamstress, her husband sells snacks and her son is a tutor. Mai has been unwell since 2015 and doctors advise her to undergo a hysterectomy. If left untreated, Mai's pain and symptoms will continue to worsen and put her at risk for further health complications. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of her procedure and care. Mai said, "I felt very happy when I found out that Watsi would support my treatment. Thank you so much for your assistance. It means a lot to me and my family.”

$743raised
$757to go

San is a 43-year-mother of two from Thailand. San and her husband stay apart and San works as an agricultural day laborer. Her son lives with his own family and her daughter is a second grader. During her free time, San used to read the news on her phone. In 2020, San began to experience occasional abdominal pain and an urge to vomit, along with tiredness and unusual colored urine. She was then diagnosed with multiple gallstones and cholecystitis, an inflammation of the gallbladder. San has been advised to undergo a surgery to remove the gallbladder. If left untreated, San's symptoms will continue to worsen and put her at risk for further health complications in the future. After seeking treatment through our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF), San is scheduled to undergo her surgery on September 14th. BCMF is requesting $1,500 to cover the cost of San's procedure and care. San cried and said, "Thank you for helping me. It is not just saving me but also saving my daughter from becoming a motherless child. You have helped me continue my life with my loved ones. I do not know how to express my heartful and profound gratitude to you all. Thank you so much.”

$823raised
$677to go

Lay is a 29-year-old mother from Thailand. She lives with her husband, son, uncle, aunt and two cousins in a refugee camp. Originally from Karen State, Burma, they fled to the refugee camp in March 2023 due to airstrikes in their village. Lay is a homemaker; her husband, uncle and aunt are unemployed, while her son is in preschool. One of her cousins is a teacher, while the other one is a student. During her free time, Lay enjoys weaving Karen shirts and bags for her family, as well as occasionally to sell. She also enjoys raising chickens and pigs and foraging vegetables in the forest. Lay is currently expecting her second child. Her doctors recommend that she deliver via a caesarean section (C-section) because she gave birth previously through a C-section. This way, doctors can ensure the safety of both mother and child. Our medical partner Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF) is helping Lay undergo a C-section scheduled on August 11th. This procedure will cost $1,500, and Lay and BCMF are asking for your support to fund the surgery. Lay shared, "I want to stay in the refugee camp. If I have the opportunity to do so, I would love to be resettled in another country.”

$966raised
$534to go

Kennedy is a 28-year-old young man from Muchatha, Kimabu County in Kenya. He is the first born in a family of three children. His single mother has her own small business selling groceries. Kennedy just completed college and started working by riding a motorbike to earn money for his bus fare and to assist his mother in caring for the family. Unfortunately, on June 26th, as he was riding the motorcycle to pick up a customer, he was involved in a road traffic accident; he was hit by a vehicle and was hit on the right leg. He was brought to Nazareth Hospital and an x-ray showed an open fracture of the tibia on his right leg. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner African Mission Healthcare (AMH) can help. On June 29th, Kennedy will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation so that he will be able resume his job of driving a motorcycle. Kennedy is able to contribute $148 to the surgery, and he needs help raising $1,049 to fully fund the procedure. Kennedy says, "This is not the way I thought of my life. I kindly plead for help so that I can undergo this treatment. I can’t wait to see myself able to work again and support my mom."

$396raised
$653to go

Meet 42-year-old Khin who lives with her husband in Thailand. Both Khin and her husband work in a wool factory. In March 2023, Khin felt overwhelmingly tired. She received an injection at a local clinic, but she didn't feel any better. A few days later she became dizzy, and fainted. Subsequently, she developed back pain and gastrointestinal issues. She has now been diagnosed with a myoma - or uterine fibroid - and advised to have her uterus and cervix surgically removed, to prevent future health complications. Khin is scheduled to undergo a total abdominal hysterectomy on May 25th, at Mae Sot General Hospital. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of her procedure and care. Once she has recovered, Khin's overall health should improve, and she will be free of the pain that currently lives with. Khin said: “When I first heard that I would need surgery, I felt stressed because I have no money. But when I learned that I have a donor, I felt relieved. In the future, I will continue to work in the factory.”

$744raised
$756to go

Bramwel is a 10-year-old boy from Makindu, in Makueni county in Kenya. He lives with his grandmother while his mother works in Nairobi. Because he was born deaf he attends a school that specializes in educating deaf students. Since birth, Bramwel has lived with a clubfoot, which significantly affects his mobility. He walks on tiptoe and falls often. His grandmother brought him to the clinic in Makindu, seeking help for her grandson. With the assistance of our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, Bramwel is now scheduled to undergo angular deformity correction surgery on May 8th. This surgery will enable him to walk confidently and continue his studies. Bramwel and his family need your help to fund this $1,224 procedure. “As the grandmother of Bramwel, I would love to see him walk like other children and continue living a normal life. Any help to cater for his surgery will mean a lot to us,” Bramwel’s grandmother told us.

$662raised
$562to go

Ma Tin is a 41-year-old mother from Burma. She lives with her husband and three sons in Karen State - an area with conflict and lots of uncertainty and insecurity for the people who live there. Her husband is a day laborer and her three sons are students. Ma Tin is a homemaker but she also sells vegetables sometimes to earn extra money. Her husband's income is usually enough to cover their basic needs, but they sometimes rely on financial support of their adult children. In her free time, she enjoys playing with her children. She is currently expecting a baby and her doctors recommend that she deliver via a caesarean section because she started to leak amniotic fluid at 32 weeks. On April 3rd, she experienced pain and the doctor scheduled her to undergo an emergency c-section to ensure the safety of both mother and child. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is helping Ma Tin undergo a C-Section on April 4th at Taw Win Thu Kha Hospital. This procedure will cost $1328, and Ma Tin needs your support. Ma Tin said, "When I learned that I would need a c-section, I lost hope. I thought about giving birth at home and if I were lucky, I would be able to give birth like before [without complications]. If not, I would die. Now that I was told that there would be donors to help pay for my c-section, I felt so happy. You are a miracle that appeared in my life to help me when I needed it with the cost of my surgery. Thank you so much to all the staff and donors who are willing to help me."

$1,328raised
Fully funded

Hser is a 30-year-old midwife from Burma. She lives with her husband and eight other colleagues in the staff housing of the clinic she works at. Hser is a midwife, and her husband is a medic. In her free time, she enjoys going fishing with her husband and friends, weaving Karen clothes, and visiting the villagers nearby. Around June 2020, Hser felt she had a mass. Thinking it was not serious, she did not go to a hospital for treatment until April 2022. At the hospital, a doctor gave her medication for three months, but the mass did not decrease in size. Currently, Hser's experiences uncomfortable symptoms from the mass. Hser sought treatment through our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund. She is now scheduled to undergo mass removal surgery on March 8th. Hser needs help raising $1,500 to cover the total cost of her procedure and care. Hser said, "I am married, but I don’t plan to have children yet because my husband and I are both busy working as health workers for our community. So, I am very worried that I won't be able to have children anymore because of my condition. However, I have a loving and kind husband who understands me in every way, and he told me not to worry and feel sad. We cannot help but stay strong, helping and encouraging each other."

$1,500raised
Fully funded

Paul is a 44-year-old herdsman and small-scale farmer living in Kenya. His wife sells vegetables at a local market, and together, she and Paul have four children. In February 2023, Paul was walking home one evening when he was hit by a speeding motorbike. He was rushed to a nearby health center where first aid was administered and an X-ray was performed. The X-ray revealed that his left leg had been fractured. As a result, he is finding it challenging to walk and sit upright. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, can help. On February 8th, Paul will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation, at AIC Kijabe Hospital. The procedure will help him regain his mobility, and allow him to return to work, which is critical to his ability to support his family. African Mission Healthcare Foundation is requesting $1,500 to fund this procedure. Paul says: “I cannot walk because of the fracture. I need treatment to be able to use my legs.”

$1,500raised
Fully funded

Da is a 64-year-old woman from Thailand. She lives alone and she is retired. Her daughter, who works as a day laborer, supports her with basic living cost and takes care of her when she is sick. On January 5th, after Da finished taking a shower, she tried to pick her shirt from the bathroom floor and she suddenly slipped. She fell down on the floor and broke her left femour bone. Currently, she experiences pain in her left thigh. She can’t move her left leg and can’t even sit down. She can only slightly move her toes. There is no external wound but the swelling has gotten worse, which is a concern for her. With the help of our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, Da will undergo surgery to reset her fractured bones and ensure proper healing. The procedure is scheduled for January 9th and will cost $1,500. This procedure will free Da from her pain, and help her walk and look after herself again. Da said, "I was capable of doing my household activities before the accident. After that, I wasn’t even able to sit properly. I had to lie down all the time because my thigh is so painful. My daughter can't go to work because she has to take care of me." She also added, "After the treatment, I want to take care of myself without anyone’s help. I don’t want anyone to get busy because of me.”

$1,500raised
Fully funded

Kenenitu is a young child from Ethiopia. She is a beautiful baby who loves playing with other children. She developed bowel obstruction and an emergency colostomy surgery was done at our medical partner's care center BKMCM. The condition and care has been challenging for Kenenitu and her mother who has been affected psychologically. Kenenitu's mother is a single mom with four children. Her brother stepped in to help raise the children as her husband has left without support. Before giving birth to Kenenitu, her mother used to make injera, an Ethiopian cuisine, for a living. Currently, she is not working. The family received logistical support from an NGO to arrive at the hospital and Kenenitu's mother is staying at another NGO in Addis Ababa for medical follow-up and accommodation. Due to their financial situation, the family cannot afford the medical bills for Kenenitu's treatment. Kenenitu's mother has struggled emotionally with her daughter's condition. She said, "I wondered what was going to happen to her. I used to cry a lot and I was not in my normal mental condition. But when I heard that she could be treated, my hope was restored and I felt better." Kenenitu was born with an anorectal malformation, a congenital abnormality that leads to a complete or partial intestinal blockage. She needs to undergo a series of procedures to eliminate bowel dysfunction. Kenenitu is scheduled to undergo surgery to correct her condition on December 20th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of Kenenitu's procedure and care. After her recovery, Kenenitu will no longer experience bowel dysfunction or be at risk of developing health complications in the future. Kenenitu's mother said, "After receiving treatment, I hope she will start making stool... I want to take her to school and educate her."

$1,500raised
Fully funded