K
Keith BallingerUNIVERSAL FUND MEMBER

United States
Keith's Story

Keith joined Watsi on November 5th, 2014. Twelve years ago, Keith joined our Universal Fund, supporting life-changing treatments for a new Watsi patient every month. Keith's most recent donation traveled 8,300 miles to support Paw, a 22-year-old woman from Burma, to fund a C-section to safely deliver her baby.

Impact

Keith has funded healthcare for 150 patients in 13 countries.

Patients funded by Keith

Hser is a 43-year-old woman from Burma. She lives with her two daughters and her husband in a refugee camp in Umphang District, Tak Province, Thailand. Her family is originally from Karen State, Burma, but fled to the camp due to the fighting in their homeland. In the camp, her older daughter is a teacher while her younger daughter is a student. Her husband sometimes works as agriculture day laborer outside of the camp, while she is a homemaker. In October 2025, Hser started to notice a mass on her left breast. The mass was very small, so she thought it might go away by itself. But a few weeks later, the mass was still there, prompting her to go to the clinic in the camp. She was referred to a bigger hospital, where doctors informed her she may have cancer and would need surgery to prevent the cancer from spreading. However, she did not have the financial resources to undergo surgery. In August 2026, the mass started to grow bigger and cause her pain. She visited our medical partner's care center, Mae Sot General Hospital, where doctors informed her she needs to undergo a mastectomy, surgery to remove her breast. Fortunately, our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, can help. On September 1st, Hser will undergo surgery, and she needs help raising $1,500 to help cover the cost of her procedure and care. Hser said, "When I learned that I have cancer, I started to worry - and even though I receive surgery, will I recover from it? When it started to be painful, I thought I would need surgery so that it wouldn't be painful anymore. When I heard from my daughter that there is an organization that could support me with surgery costs, I feel a bit better. If not for the support from donors, I would give up on surgery and choose to suffer, as I know my family could not afford it."

$1,018raised
$482to go

Eh is a 14-year-old girl from Burma who lives in an internally displaced persons camp in Karenni State with her sister’s family. She attends school there, where her sister works as a teacher, and her family relies on her brother-in-law’s work to meet their basic needs. Eh’s health challenges began in October 2025, when she developed persistent skin irritation and loss of appetite. At a local clinic, a physician identified signs of jaundice, including yellowing of her skin and eyes, and referred her for further care. Eh’s brother-in-law took her to a hospital at the end of January 2026, where she was diagnosed with a large cyst in her liver. Her doctor explained that the cyst is putting pressure on her liver and causing her symptoms, and that surgery is needed to remove it. Today, Eh continues to experience jaundice, skin irritation, and occasional headaches and stomach pain. Eh sought treatment through our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund. She is now scheduled to undergo surgery on March 24th to remove the cyst. Eh's family is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of her procedure and care. This procedure will relieve the pressure on Eh's liver and help resolve her symptoms, allowing her to return to her daily life. Eh's brother-in-law says, “I consider Eh as my own daughter, as she has been living with me for six years, and I feel bad for her that she has to suffer from this disease. I also worry for my wife and my son, who are living in the camp while I accompany her [Eh] for her treatment. Thank you to all the organizations that support us with her treatment.”

$1,500raised
Fully funded

Wabi is a two-year-old boy from Ethiopia. The cherished only child of two dedicated school teachers, he is naturally the absolute center of their world. Recently, however, their joy has been overshadowed by his recurrent and painful tonsillitis, causing the family considerable discomfort and worry. One year ago, Wabi started experiencing fever, snoring, pain, and difficulty swallowing. The condition inflicts severe pain and difficulty swallowing, turning every attempt at a meal into a frustrating, tear-filled battle. This constant physical discomfort, coupled with recurrent fevers and restless nights, has eroded his usual stability, rendering him irritable, exhausted, and anxious. His emotional distress is a direct reflection of the high stress and worry felt by his parents, whose lives are now completely dedicated to finding him relief. Wabi was recently diagnosed with enlarged tonsils, which, if not treated, will cause his symptoms to persist and possibly intensify over time. Our medical partner, Saglan Wajee General Hospital, is requesting $700 to fund a tonsillectomy for Wabi, which is scheduled to take place on October 18th. Surgeons will remove his tonsils, hopefully relieving Wabi of his symptoms and helping him live more comfortably. Wabi's parents shared, "Our deepest hope is to finally end this constant suffering: to see him eat, drink, and sleep without pain, to eliminate the recurring fevers, and to reclaim our energetic, cheerful boy who has been hidden by discomfort and irritability."

$700raised
Fully funded