Dominik Zdyb Lillemæhlum
Dominik's Story

Dominik joined Watsi on May 8th, 2015. 9 other people also joined Watsi on that day! Dominik's most recent donation traveled 5,700 miles to support Lim, a woman from Cambodia, to fund cataract surgery.

Impact

Dominik has funded healthcare for 4 patients in 4 countries.

Patients funded by Dominik

Moe Shwe is a 45-year-old woman originally from a village in Southern Shan State in Burma. She came to our medical partner with a diagnosis of myoma - a uterine mass. Moe Shwe moved to Thailand to work in a factory as a seamstress. She doesn’t know yet what her income will be because within days of arriving in Thailand she started to feel very unwell and worked for less than one week. Her husband still lives in Burma and works in his garden growing vegetables beside the family home. Currently the combined family income is not enough to cover daily expenses, therefore, they have been unable to save money and cannot afford health care costs. Moe Shwe has been experiencing symptoms related to her current health problem since early April, 2016. At that time she went to a clinic because she was having trouble passing urine. The doctor told her that she would need surgery and that the surgery cost would be 30,000 THB (approx. 1000 USD) but she could not afford this cost and returned home. One of her friends from the factory knew about Mae Tao Clinic (a Watsi partner) and encouraged her to attend the Clinic. On April 22nd, 2016 Moe Shwe came to the Mae Tao Clinic with her friend. Her abdomen was swollen and she had difficulty urinating. She also had sharp pain and numbness in her lower abdomen. At Mae Tao Clinic she received a blood test, urine test, and ultrasound. During her examination, the doctor detected a mass and she was diagnosed with a Myoma. Moe Shwe is currently unable to work because of her symptoms and she is very sad about her health problems and the effects they have on her life. She said that she does not have any siblings who can help pay for her treatment and even with the help of her daughter she is unable to afford treatment. She became so emotional that she began crying during the interview. Her daughter is waiting to hear if she has passed her Year 12 exams and will be accepted to university. "I am worried a lot and I cannot sleep well," Moe Shwe said. "I hope that I will be able to have surgery soon and when I get healthy again, I want to return to work in the factory and save money for my daughter’s university fees."

$1,500raised
Fully funded

Three-year-old Robinson lives with his mother, father, and twin brother in Tanzania. He enjoys playing with his cars and with other children. Robinson’s mother brought him to our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF), seeking treatment for hypospadias, a condition in which the opening of the urethra is not centrally located at the tip of the penis. In Robinson’s case, “the opening is to the anterior side,” explains AMHF. Robinson was diagnosed with hypospadias at two months old after his father noticed that he had an irregular urine flow. Doctors informed his parents that he would need surgery, but the procedure would not be performed until after his second birthday. Now, Robinson is old enough to undergo hypospadias repair. A surgeon will take tissue grafts from the foreskin or from the inside of the mouth to extend the length of the urethra so that it opens at the tip of the penis. “If not treated,” says AMHF, “as an adult, Robinson will have fertility problems.” Robinson’s mother is a small-scale farmer who grows onions and rice, and his father is a sheik. Together, they earn enough to pay for the family’s basic needs, but they have had difficulty raising enough money to pay for the surgery that Robinson needs. $837 covers the cost of Robinson’s surgery as well as the costs of 10 days of hospital care after surgery, lab work, imaging, and medicine. After surgery, “Robinson will be out of the risk of having fertility problems as an adult,” AMHF tells us. “I really hope my son will be well, get a good education, and later on have his own family,” said Robinson’s mother.

$837raised
Fully funded

"Three years ago, Myint started experiencing a tight pain in her abdomen and a need to pass urine very often," our medical partner, Burma Border Projects (BBP), shares about the 47-year-old woman from Burma. "She feels like she is carrying something in her abdomen and it is very heavy and hard." Last year, her condition worsened and Myint sought medical care in Thailand, where doctors diagnosed her with an ovarian cyst. Because of the high cost of the procedure, Myint was unable to receive the care she needs and has continued living with her painful condition. Myint lives with her older siblings and nephew, and "had a problem working because of her need to urinate very frequently," BBP shares. Her brother is a seasonal laborer and her sister sells snacks. Myint's condition has caused her to take multiple hospital trips, further draining her family's ability to afford her proper care that would ensure long-lasting improvements. "I am really worried about my condition since I can’t work and I do not have money to spend," Myint shares. After her most recent hospital visit, one of her brother's friends called to tell her about accessible care provided by BBP’s clinic. $1,500 covers the cost of blood work, her hospital stay, surgery to remove her cyst, and follow-up care to ensure that Myint recovers well. Proper care and treatment for her ovarian cyst will prevent future emergency hospital visits that repeatedly threaten her long term health. "After surgery, Myint should be able to go back to her house and see her family," BBP adds. "She will be able to start her new work by selling snacks with her older sister and make money."

$1,500raised
Fully funded