zoe debenedetto
zoe's Story

zoe joined Watsi on December 24th, 2014. 76 other people also joined Watsi on that day! zoe's most recent donation supported BO Stumai, an infant from Tanzania, to fund a spina bifida repair surgery.

Impact

zoe has funded healthcare for 12 patients in 8 countries.

Patients funded by zoe

Erla is a 48-year-old woman from Haiti. In 2013, she felt a small pain in her right breast. Over time, the mass grew and Erla began to notice unusual secretions from her breast. “She decided to see a doctor in a neighborhood outside of Port-au-Prince,” says our medical partner, Project Medishare. “She could not unfortunately meet the doctor because there were too many people waiting. She stayed home all those two long years with pain until she heard a radio announcement about a hospital which has special services for people with breast masses.” “She decided to come and get diagnosed by having some lab tests done,” her doctor continues. “The result revealed that she had breast cancer. She spent six months following the process with a chemotherapy and now the time has come for her to be operated on to remove her cancer.” Erla needs a mastectomy to remove her breast, which will cost $849. She has very little money, especially since her husband passed away after the earthquake in Haiti. “She used to have a small business selling items of different sorts,” her doctor says. “Now, because of her sickness, she practically can’t do anything anymore. She is supported by her elder son who doesn’t have much money and can’t pay for the treatment.” “She wishes God to make the operation successful,” her doctor adds. “She hopes that you can help her take this important step in her treatment. Hopefully, she will be able to restart her small business.”

$849raised
Fully funded

Clari is a 32-year-old mother of two from a remote village in the jungles of Panama. She lives with her family in a humble wooden hut on the top of a tall, steep hill, spending her days running the family cacao farm, and raising her two children. Clari lives with failure of the two mitral valves in her heart. She is now experiencing heart failure from rheumatic fever and doctors have been managing her condition for almost four years. "Right now she sleeps poorly, is always out of breath, and has chest pain very frequently. Also her legs and stomach often swell up with fluid," explains our medical partner, Floating Doctors (FD). "She lives under the ongoing worry that she will have a major heart failure and die in her remote mountain community." This does not stop Clari from leaving her home each day to sell cacao to support her family. “She has shown incredible courage and responsibility,” FD says. For $1493, we can fund a mitral valve repair for Clari. This life-changing and life-saving operation will repair both of Clari’s mitral valves, potentially eliminating the need for medication and drastically increasing the quality of her life. While FD will cover the cost of food and travel to a hospital capable of carrying out this operation, we will cover the cost of her actual surgery, including the echocardiogram and heart bypass needed for a successful surgery. After this operation, Clari will be able to breathe easily again. She dreams of having another baby, watching her children grow up and a new chance at life without the burdens of her condition.

$1,493raised
Fully funded

Meet Htwe Yee, a 52-year-old mother and grandmother from Thailand. “Htwe Yee lives with her husband on the Thai-Burma border. Her husband supports them by working in construction. However, he only earns $9 a day and is already in his 60's and wants to retire. His income is enough to cover food costs but leaves very little for anything else” shares Burma Border Projects (BBP), our medical partner in the area. Htwe Yee has been diagnosed with a cervical polyp. “Htwe Yee suffers from abdominal and back pain," her doctors write. "She also experiences difficulty eating and breathing. She is already suffering from hypertension so she feels particularly upset about her current health situation." "Due to the pain she is not able to perform her usual tasks around her home such as cleaning and cooking," they continue. "She currently relies on the assistance of her two grandchildren aged thirteen and fourteen to help her with daily tasks for which she is very grateful." For $625, we can fund a procedure to remove Htwe Yee’s polyp. The BBP shares, “With treatment Htwe Yee can look forward to returning to a normal life, with less stress and pain. Treatment will also allow her grandchildren to focus on their studies rather than spend their time outside of school looking after their grandmother. She hopes they continue their education and possibly follow a career in medicine or education. Htwe Yee is looking forward to cooking again and being a better wife to her husband.” Together, we can help both Htwe Yee and her family!

$625raised
Fully funded

Meet Ah Dee. He is a shy five-year old from Burma. Ah Dee has Thalassemia, which is a type of blood disorder. He needs to get blood transfusions twice a month to stay alive. "We have tried our best to get treatment for our son, and if something happens then I won't regret anything because I know that I have tried my best. I will never stop and I will never lose my hope, I will continue to try and get my son treatment and I hope that he will be able to recover from his condition and live a healthy life,” his father told our medical partner, Burma Border Projects. Ah Dee’s day-to-day life is complicated. He is usually playful and has a healthy appetite after a blood transfusion, but soon after, his condition worsens up until his next transfusion. His stomach swells up and presses against his spleen, which causes him great pain and inhibits his appetite. It also forces him to sleep upright. He is confused by his health condition, and doesn’t understand why he needs frequent transfusions. Ah Dee needs to get a splenectomy (spleen removal). It’ll reduce his pain and reduce the frequency of blood transfusions too. It’ll also allow him to have a more stable lifestyle, and hopefully he will be able to go to school. Ah Dee’s parents cannot afford the cost of his surgery. His father works at a car dealership, and earns about $15 a month. His mother is at home full time, and is completely devoted to raising her children and taking care of Ah Dee, as he needs a considerable amount of care and attention given his health condition. Let’s work together to raise the $1,015 needed for Ah Dee’s surgery. It’ll offer relief to an anxious and caring family, and allow a little boy a chance to live a more normal life.

$1,015raised
Fully funded