D
Dominic RandazzoUNIVERSAL FUND MEMBER

United States
Dominic's Story

Dominic joined Watsi on February 12th, 2015. Eleven years ago, Dominic joined our Universal Fund, supporting life-changing treatments for a new Watsi patient every month. Dominic's most recent donation traveled 8,300 miles to support Gay, a 23-year-old woman from Burma, to fund a C-section to safely deliver her baby.

Impact

Dominic has funded healthcare for 136 patients in 14 countries.

Patients funded by Dominic

Daw Win is a 66-year-old woman from Burma who lives with her daughter, grandson, and two granddaughters in Phop Phra District, Tak Province, Thailand. In 2022, the family fled their home in Bago Division, Burma, to escape nearby conflict. Daw Win is a homemaker, and her grandchildren are students. Her daughter is a teacher and also picks up work as a day labourer during school holidays. In late December 2025, Daw Win started experiencing lower abdominal pain and pressure around the mass when sitting. She has frequent urination and cannot sit for long periods of time due to the pain, preferring to lie down on her side. She has been diagnosed with a uterine myoma. She has been advised to undergo a total abdominal hysterectomy, the surgical removal of her uterus and cervix. If left untreated, Daw Win's symptoms will continue to worsen and put her at risk for further health complications in the future. Fortunately, Daw Win is scheduled to undergo her hysterectomy on June 11th. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of her procedure and care. Once recovered, this surgery will help Daw Win be free from pain and discomfort, and she will be able to spend time with her family and help with household chores comfortably. Daw Win said, "After surgery, I will return home to help with household chores and take care of my grandkids so that my daughter can go back to work full-time. Thank you so much to this organization and the donors for being willing to support my treatment.”

$995raised
$505to go

Chu is a 44-year-old woman from Burma. She lives with her sister and niece in Mae Sot District, Tak Province, Thailand. She left her home in Yangon Region, Burma, to escape violence after a military coup in 2021. Chu and her sister work at a church in Mae Sot, where they cook and clean for daily events and handle behind-the-scenes tasks for weddings, funerals, and parties. They rely on donations from the church and have no formal salary. The income she receives is enough to cover basic expenses for the family, including food and healthcare. In her free time, she loves to cook and bake desserts. After surgery, she wants to continue to make snacks and potentially start a business selling them on her own. Since 2023, Chu has been experiencing troubling symptoms, including right lower back pain and right lower abdomen pain. The pain worsens when Chu stands or sits for long periods of time. Her symptoms are exacerbated at work, but she continues her duties, taking oral painkillers to manage the pain. Doctors plan to perform a ureteroscopy, a procedure used to diagnose and treat kidney stones or ureteral blockages by passing a small, fiberoptic scope through the urethra and bladder into the ureter. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 for this procedure. The treatment is scheduled to take place on April 10th. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully alleviate her symptoms. Chu said, "I had nowhere else to look for money. After your organisation agreed to help me, I felt relieved. I have fled from my home and left my family to come here. However, I feel warm and supported by my church with basic needs. Thank you for helping me.”

$1,500raised
Fully funded

Celestine is a 28-year-old single mother of one child, living in Elgeyo Marakwet County in Kenya. She works as an informal teacher at a nearby primary school, under the Parents Teachers Association. Her income is KES 10,000 per month which she uses to support herself, her family and her child. Despite the challenges, she saves whenever possible and has a dream of one day she will be be formally employed, buy a cow and start practicing farming to improve her livelihood. For the past month, Celestine has been confined to a hospital bed. Her illness began after she slipped and injured her leg while crossing a river on her way home. Believing the injury to be minor, she did not seek urgent care and instead visited a nearby dispensary where her leg was dressed, and she was given some medications. Three days later, her leg became increasingly swollen and painful. She sought care at another facility, but as her condition worsened, she finally went to our medical partner's care center, AIC Kapsowar Hospital, where she was diagnosed with necrotizing fasciitis, a rapidly progressive inflammatory infection that kills the body's soft tissues. Celestine was taken urgently to the theatre and underwent surgical debridement of the infected limb, and the procedure was successful. Postoperatively, she was managed in the ward with regular wound care and placed on a wound vacuum to promote healing. A further debridement was planned, and her wound has since become clean and suitable for definitive coverage with a flap and skin graft to allow proper healing and recovery. Unfortunately, Celestine's prolonged hospital stay has accumulated significant medical bills. Celestine is therefore seeking support to help her complete her treatment, regain her health, and return to caring for her child and rebuilding her life. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Celestine receive treatment. On January 6th, surgeons at their care center will perform a contracture release surgery and skin graft, to promote wound coverage and bring her closer to discharge. Now, Celestine needs help to fund this $1,239 procedure. Celestine says, "I thank God for bringing me this far, and I see that I am approaching full closure of my wound. My doctor and the team are dedicated to make sure that my wound is getting better. I am hopeful that this will bring me closer to healing. I look forward to getting better so that I go back to teaching."

$1,239raised
Fully funded

Wien is an 11-year-old boy from South Sudan, whose family struggles to make ends meet. His parents depend on farming to provide for their four children, and they can barely cover their basic needs. Of their four children, only one is enrolled in school. Wien, who is now 11 years old, has not had the chance to attend school because of the family’s financial challenges. In early November 2025, Wien was playing with friends when he slipped and fell, injuring his right arm. The pain was so intense that he couldn’t move his arm at all, and he was rushed to a nearby hospital. Initial scans revealed that part of his arm was broken, and he would need surgery to repair it. Wien comes from a rural part of South Sudan, where local health facilities provide only basic first aid and lack the resources for specialized care, such as surgery. As a result, Wien's arm was bandaged, and he was sent home in excruciating pain. Unable to use his arm, Wien became entirely dependent on others for daily tasks; someone had to bathe him and help him dress. This was especially difficult for Wien, who is almost a teenager, already self-conscious about his growing independence. Due to the lack of specialized care in their area, Wien’s parents couldn’t afford the treatment he needed, and without intervention, Wien risked losing the full use of his right arm, potentially remaining handicapped for life. Thankfully, in December 2025, Wien was able to travel to our facility with the help of well-wishers. After a thorough examination, doctors confirmed that he required a fracture repair surgery. Unfortunately, the cost of the surgery remains out of reach for his family, who are seeking support so he can undergo the surgery Wien needs. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Wien receive treatment. On December 11th, he will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation. This procedure will help relieve his pain, repair the fracture, and restore functionality to his arm. Now, Wien's family needs help to fund this $1,500 procedure. Wien says, “I have to rely on someone to help me bathe and get dressed, and my hand is especially painful at night.”

$1,500raised
Fully funded