United States
Tina's Story

Tina joined Watsi on November 9th, 2018. Eight years ago, Tina joined our Universal Fund, supporting life-changing treatments for a new Watsi patient every month. Tina's most recent donation traveled 8,300 miles to support Paw, a young woman from Burma, to fund a C-section to safely deliver her baby.

Impact

Tina has funded healthcare for 99 patients in 12 countries.

Patients funded by Tina

Ester is a 13-year-old student from Burma. She lives with her parents, her younger brother, and two younger sisters in a village in Karen State, Burma. Ester and her three younger siblings go to school while their parents are small-scale farmers. They also raise chickens and pigs, and they forage for vegetables in the forest for their own consumption. They also have a small garden where they grow betel nut trees, and they sell some of the betel nuts to earn a small income. Sometimes, Ester’s father also finds work as an agricultural day laborer. In her free time, Ester loves to help her mother with household chores and also play with her friends at school. She wants to become a teacher when she grows up. Ester was born with an atrial septal defect (ASD), a condition in which a hole exists between the two upper chambers of the heart. Sometimes ASDs may close on their own during development, but sometimes this condition requires surgery to repair the hole and prevent long-term damage to the heart and lungs. Ester is scheduled to undergo heart surgery on July 7th to correct her condition and improve her quality of life. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to help cover the cost of Ester's procedure and care. Ester's mother shared, "I would like to thank BCMF and your donors for your kindness and willingness to support my daughter. Without you, my daughter would not receive treatment as the cost is too high for us, and we cannot borrow such a large amount of money from our neighbours. On behalf of our family and our daughter, thank you to your donors and everyone willing to help my daughter.”

$972raised
$528to go

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

Happiness is a 45-year-old business lady from Malawi. She runs a small liquor shop from which she earns approximately $250 USD per month to support herself and her family. Happiness is a single mother of three children. She has a 10-year-old, 20-year-old, and 27-year-old. Two of her children have completed high school, while the youngest is currently in sixth grade. For ten years, following the birth of her last child, Happiness has been experiencing abdominal pain and fullness. Her symptoms worsened significantly starting in December 2025, prompting referral to Partners in Hope (PIH) Medical Center for urgent intervention. Since then, she has experienced persistent abdominal pain accompanied by intermittent swelling episodes, adding to her existing discomfort. On January 9th, Happiness reported to PIH again, where she underwent further evaluation. She has been diagnosed with multiple uterine fibroids with an umbilical hernia, requiring combined surgical management. Happiness will need to undergo a hysterectomy, a procedure in which surgeons will remove her uterus. Given her poor financial status, she appealed for support. Happiness believes that undergoing the recommended surgeries will restore her health, relieve her pain, and enable her to resume her small‑scale business to support herself and her children. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is able to help. They are requesting $1,363 to fund Happiness's surgery. On April 11th, she will undergo gynecological surgery at our medical partner's care center, Partners in Hope Medical Center. Once recovered, Happiness will be able to resume her daily activities free of pain. "Kindly help me, I have suffered, and I just need my peace of mind," said Happiness.

$1,363raised
Fully funded

Killiness is a 54-year-old farmer from Malawi, married with no children. She lives in rural Lilongwe, about 90 km from the city, and supports herself and her elderly, sick mother through small-scale farming. Her husband rarely visits, leaving her with full responsibility for the household. Her limited income barely covers their living expenses. For two years, Killiness has been experiencing severe abdominal pain and heavy bleeding. She sought help at a nearby facility and was referred to a larger hospital, where she continued receiving care. Due to financial challenges, she often had to forgo food to save money for transport. Her condition has greatly affected her ability to farm and provide for her mother, and she frequently misses her work due to pain and hospital visits. The illness has also isolated her socially and caused emotional distress. Kiliness was scheduled for surgery on October 22nd but elevated blood pressure led to postponement. She returned to the hospital on November 12th, only to face another delay due to long waiting lists. Feeling hopeless, she prepared to leave, but a doctor encouraged her to seek help at our medical partner's care center, Partners in Hope (PIH). She went immediately and was reviewed by a gynecologist. She has been diagnosed with uterine fibroids, which are non-cancerous growths in the uterus. She needs to undergo a hysterectomy, a procedure in which surgeons will remove her uterus. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,363 to fund Killiness's surgery. On December 9th, she will undergo gynecological surgery at our medical partner's care center, Partners in Hope Medical Center. Once recovered, Killiness will be able to resume her daily activities free of pain. Kiliness says, “Please help me. The pain has made life so difficult, but with surgery I’ll be able to farm again, care for my mother, and move forward with my life.”

$1,363raised
Fully funded

Nyi is a 38-year-old man from Burma. He lives with his wife and two children in Mae Sot District, Tak Province, Thailand. Now he is a general day laborer, while his wife is a homemaker. One of his children is attending kindergarten, and the other one is too young to enroll in school. Their monthly income is just enough to cover their expenses, and sometimes, their wife’s friend, who works in Bangkok, supports them with their household's basic needs. In May 2024, Nyi noticed a swollen mass that caused him pain and discomfort. He visited the local clinic, where he underwent a physical examination, and after that, he had excisional surgery and was treated with oral antibiotics and painkillers. After the surgery, the symptoms initially disappeared, but in April 2025, the symptoms reappeared. His symptoms persisted, so he was referred to our medical partner's care center, Mae Sot Hospital (MSH), in October 2025. Doctors advised him that he needs surgery to remove the mass. Currently, Zaw experiences pain, swelling, and discomfort. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is helping Zaw receive treatment. He is now scheduled to undergo mass removal surgery on November 6th. He is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of his procedure and care. Nyi expressed his feelings and said, “I feel depressed due to anxiety about my health. As a result of my condition, I have been unable to work properly, further reducing my family’s income. As a migrant, I faced financial difficulties and could not afford my treatment. However, thank you very much to the Burma Children's Medical Fund and the donors for assisting with my treatment costs. After I fully recover, I can go back to work and support my family.”

$1,500raised
Fully funded