“I have abdominal pain and prolonged bleeding. Unfortunately, I have no money for treatment,” shares Kamakune, a 34-year-old small-scale farmer who lives in Uganda. “Because of this condition, I would rather be resting at home, but I can't do that because I have to work and get money to take care of my son and myself.”
Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF), tells us, “About two years ago, Kamakune felt a small swelling in the lower abdomen. She went to a health unit, where she was diagnosed with fibroids and was given medicine, which did not help.”
Fibroids are benign tumors that grow within the muscle tissue of the uterus. They are very common—an estimated 80 percent of women have them in their lifetime. 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.
Treatment for Kamakune is surgery—a total abdominal hysterectomy—to remove her uterus and cervix. $250 pays for Kamakune’s surgery, medicine, and a five-day hospital stay.
“After surgery,” says AMHF, “Kamakune will recover fully. She will have an improved quality of life and be relieved of her symptoms. She will be able to concentrate on her farming.”
“Thank you for bringing us help,” says Kamakune.