Adam Cripps
Adam's Story

Adam joined Watsi on May 29th, 2014. 7 other people also joined Watsi on that day! Adam's most recent donation traveled 6,800 miles to support John, a young boy from Philippines, to fund malnutrition treatment.

Impact

Adam has funded healthcare for 24 patients in 7 countries.

Patients funded by Adam

Jemrose is a happy and hardworking young woman from the Philippines. Her mother left when Jemrose was eight years old, leaving her and her siblings to the care of her father, who works as a land laborer. She was not able to finish high school, because her father could not sustain sending them all to school. Jemrose has thyroiditis, or inflammation of the thyroid gland. The condition is characterized by a painful goiter [abnormal enlargement of the thyroid]. At the age of 14, she started working as a housemaid. At the age of 16, she started to get sick easily, and her neck started to swell. She was able to send herself to a doctor with the help of her sister, but could not sustain the daily medications. She cannot afford treatment because her family's income can barely sustain their daily needs. Having a goiter at a young age, without a mother to take care of their family, has been difficult for Jemrose. Whenever she is under stress or has a long day of work, her throat and chest get tight and uncomfortable so that she can't work well. She also easily gets nervous with little stimuli. Her condition has forced her to stop working. Before qualifying for surgery, she felt hopeless that she would not be able to get the treatment she needs. With $365, Jemrose can undergo a procedure to treat her thyroiditis. "The lump in her neck will be removed, and she will no longer experience pain and discomfort. Through the treatment, her condition will be prevented from progressing and becoming worse. She is now excited that after the surgery, she will be able to look for a stable job and have a chance to finish school. Jemrose shares, "Thank you so much for this help, because we really can't afford this treatment. I was eight years old when my mother left us and my father has worked so hard for us. I want to help him. I hope that after treatment, I can find a stable job to sustain our family's needs."

$365raised
Fully funded

Myo Win is a three-year-old boy who was born, and has lived most of his life, in Bangkok. He has three siblings; a sister and two brothers. The family relocated to their home in Burma when Myo Win’s grandmother passed away, and his parents have been working as day laborers on a farm. The family relies heavily on financial assistance from the Myo Win’s uncle who lives and works in Bangkok. Three months after birth, Myo Win developed a fever and was vomiting intermittently. They sought treatment at the Thai hospital; however, the symptoms worsened after several days as he suffered seizures and his head began to swell. Myo Win's parents did not return to the hospital as they lacked a health card and money, so they approached their employer in Bangkok who contacted several media outlets for help. The plea for public help was successful and Myo Win was seen by two different hospitals in Bangkok. At the second hospital, they noticed the increase in head size and intracranial pressure, so surgery was performed to insert a shunt to direct the cranial fluid to the abdomen. He was in the hospital for 25 days. Myo Win’s condition seemed to stabilize. Treatment in Bangkok was free as the public response covered the expenses. However in October of 2015, after the family moved back to Burma, he began to experience seizures, fever and vomiting attacks. The family took Myo Win to several different clinics for treatment, where it was found that Myo Win's shunt was malfunctioning due to blockage or infection. The only hospital able to perform surgery was out of financial reach for Myo Win's family. They were referred to Mae Tao Clinic (MTC), a Watsi partner, and told that Myo Win could receive surgery without charge through the Watsi program. Myo Win's present symptoms include abdominal pain, irritability, vomiting, constipation and difficulty urinating. $1,485 will cover the cost of the treatment Myo Win needs to get healthy. After the surgery, Myo Win will hopefully be able to run and play with his sister again. "My hope for my son is that he goes to school for an education and becomes a teacher," his mother said.

$1,485raised
Fully funded

Meet Flavio, an eight-year-old boy from Guatemala. “Flavio is the youngest of 3 children,” reports our medical partner, Wuqu’ Kawoq (WK). “Flavio likes to watch the chickens run around his front yard when he and his mother are home.” His father works in a cornfield as a day laborer, but his mother has to stay at home in order to give Flavio the attention he needs. “Flavio was born with down syndrome, but his mother did not know about it until he was so old that differences between him and the other children were obvious,” shares WK. “She took him to a therapy center, and they accepted him. However, therapy is expensive, and this little boy’s family has limited resources and cannot afford it on their own.” Flavio needs continued therapy and medical support to ensure that his development progresses. “Without intervention…he will not develop the tools necessary to allow any sort of independence, and thus will have to rely on his family for the rest of his life,” explains WK. With $1385 in funding, Flavio can receive comprehensive treatment that includes diagnostic workup through medical scans, physical therapy, micronutrient and antiepileptic medication, and 6-day accompaniment at Wuqu’ Kawoq’s treatment center. “There is no doubt that therapy and medical attention will not only improve Flavio’s health, but also his quality of life. Therapy will give him increased mobility and communication tools, thereby allowing him to be more independent and function better with his family and in society,” says WK. “Down syndrome is often time paired with health issues. Monthly medical checkups will allow us to monitor Flavio’s progress and assess his future needs. His mother will be counseled on how to provide care for her child, and will be supported by staff throughout the process.” Flavio’s mother is incredibly grateful for the chance to improve her son’s life. “I want what is best for my child,” she shares. “Thank you for your interest in helping us.”

$1,385raised
Fully funded

Meet Cho Than, a 53-year-old seamstress and mother from Burma who enjoys planting vegetables in her garden. Known within her community for her generosity, Cho Than often gives the vegetables that she grows to her neighbors and friends. Cho Than has a myoma, more commonly known as a uterine fibroid. Fibroids are benign tumors that grow within the muscle tissue of the uterus, or womb. They can be very small (invisible to the naked eye) or very large (melon-sized) and can present as a single mass or a cluster of several masses. An estimated 80 percent of women have uterine fibroids in their lifetime. While some women who have fibroids have no symptoms, others experience heavy periods, abdominal pain, or constipation. “Cho Than experiences severe pain in her back and lower abdomen,” shares our medical partner, Burma Border Projects (BBP). “She has difficulty urinating and it is painful for her to do so. Her condition makes it impossible for her to work and requires her daughter to care for her and support her financially.” The recommended treatment for Cho Than is a total hysterectomy and oophorectomy (surgical removal of the uterus and ovaries). $1500 covers the cost of the surgery as well as a seven-day hospital stay and one outpatient appointment post-surgery. “With surgery, Cho Than will be able to live without pain,” reports BBP. Cho Than looks forward to being healthy again and hopes to be able to return to work as a seamstress. She dreams of owning a small house where she and her daughter can live peacefully.

$1,500raised
Fully funded

Phete is a seventeen-year-old young woman from Haiti. Our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance (HCA), shares, “she is an excellent student and would like to go to medical school. When not in school she enjoys singing in her church choir, and spending time with her friends.” Phete has had difficulty pursuing these dreams due to a congenital heart defect. “She was born with a heart defect called patent ductus arteriosus, in which a hole remains open between the aorta and the pulmonary artery, allowing blood to pass through without obtaining oxygen,” HCA explains. “In developed countries, this would be fixed in the first few months of life," HCA reports. However, "Phete has been living with it into adulthood, depriving her body of the oxygen and blood flow it needs. This leaves her fatigued and sickly.” University Hospital of Martinique is subsidizing Phete's treatment with a $7,500 donation. For $1,500, we can provide overseas preparation and transportation for Phete. Surgery will consist of a small cut between her ribs to reach her heart, allowing for repair of the open duct. "Following closure of the defect, Phete should be able to live a normal life with no further symptoms from her heart condition,” HCA explains. With better overall health and restored energy, Phete will be able to enjoy her studies and friends, while continuing on her path to become a doctor. Phete tells us, "I have been worried about my heart problem for many years, and I want to thank everyone who is going to help fix it for me!"

$1,500raised
Fully funded