Aaron's Story

Aaron joined Watsi on March 5th, 2015. Nine years ago, Aaron joined our Universal Fund, supporting life-changing treatments for a new Watsi patient every month. Aaron's most recent donation traveled 8,600 miles to support Say, a mother of three and refugee from Thailand, to fund a hysterectomy.

Impact

Aaron has funded healthcare for 106 patients in 13 countries.

Patients funded by Aaron

Say is a 31-year-old woman who has lived with her family in a refugee camp for more than 10 years after fleeing the conflict in Burma. She is a homemaker who lives with her husband, elderly father, and three young children who are all attending school. The income for Say’s family comes from cash cards provided by an organisation in the refugee camp. Say’s husband works as a delivery driver outside the camp but he has been unable to work since December 2023 because Say’s father and eldest son have health issues that require support. Their monthly income is not enough to cover their living expenses and they sometimes need to borrow food before their cash card is refilled. Basic health care is provided by the International Rescue Committee (IRC) in the refugee camp free of charge, but not advanced care like Say needs. In 2022, Say began having pain, discomfort, and pressure in her abdomen. She was diagnosed with an ovarian cyst and has been advised to undergo a total abdominal hysterectomy which will remove her uterus and cervix. If left untreated, Say's symptoms will continue to worsen and put her at risk for further health complications. Say is scheduled to undergo a hysterectomy on February 22nd. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to cover the cost of her procedure and care. “I will look for a job as a nursery teacher in the camp, I used to do this before I had to stop. Thank you so much to the donors who are helping us pay for my surgery and thank you to BCMF. May you all be healthy, and God bless you,” shared Say.

$630raised
$870to go

Linn is a 50-year-old woman from Burma. She is divorced and lives with her mother and son in Karen State - a conflict area near the border of Burma and Thailand. She works as a shop vendor, selling steamed sticky rice with chicken and pork, and her mother is retired. Her 12-year-old son is in the fifth grade in Burma. Linn also cultivates vegetables in her garden and usually cooks meals using them. Linn enjoys watching movies in her free time, but she has not been able to do so for a while now. One year ago, Linn began to experience blurred and double vision. Currently, Linn cannot read, see, or walk well and requires a caregiver to assist her with daily activities. These symptoms have made it increasingly difficult for her to see clearly. Linn was diagnosed with retinal detachment, a condition in which the retina pulls away from the supportive tissue in the eye, resulting in vision loss. If left untreated, she could lose vision completely. Linn is scheduled to undergo surgery to reattach her retina. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF), requests $1,500 to cover her procedure and care costs. After her surgery, Linn's vision will hopefully be restored, and she will resume her daily activities comfortably. Linn expressed, "I am very pleased to receive help and I am relieved that I can also stay at BCMF's patients' house in Chiang Mai. I wish for the success of my eye surgery. After recovery, I hope to restart my previous business again."

$932raised
$568to go

Alazar is a sweet boy from Ethiopia. He is the seventh child in his family. Five of the children are girls and two are boys. He loves to sing songs, go to church, try martial arts, and drink juice. His dad is diabetic and his condition causes him to faint often. He has government health insurance and gets treatment in a local government hospital. Because of his condition, Alazar's dad cannot work. His mom makes traditional bread and sells it on the street to feed her children. She makes her bread by firewood and this makes it hard for her to always have the smoke of the wood making the bread. She is the only one who works for income in their family, but her older children help with housework. They bring water from the spring carrying it on their back. She proudly sends all her children to school. Alazar underwent an earlier colostomy, in which the end of the colon is brought through an opening in the abdominal wall. This surgery is often performed to bypass bowel malformations, but colostomies are usually temporary and may call for closure. In Alazar's case, his colostomy requires closure in order to restore bowel function and prevent future complications. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,009 to cover the cost of a colostomy closure for Alazar. The surgery is scheduled to take place on January 9th and, once completed, will hopefully allow him to live more comfortably and confidently. Alazar's mom said: “After he gets the treatment and heals I will praise my Lord. I will tell everyone who knows me about the hand of God. I did ask God ‘to heal my baby. You gave me this child; don’t take it away from me. I always cry and pray.’ I hope God has heard my prayer leading me to you. I will go to my church and testify what God did to all community in the church.”

$431raised
$578to go

Peter, a 27-year-old, earns a living as a sales representative specializing in selling computer accessories. His income primarily stems from commissions earned through this endeavor. However, his earnings have been insufficient to cover the costs of his required surgery. Currently residing with his parents, both engaged in casual labor – his father on construction sites and his mother in various manual occupations – Peter finds himself in a challenging financial situation. As the eldest among three siblings, he carries the responsibility of being the firstborn. Unfortunately, he has no medical insurance to alleviate the impending medical expenses. On August 5th, Peter was involved in an accident that caused a fracture on his left leg and left him immobile. He has a broken tibia bone that can only be treated through surgery. He has been scheduled for a fracture surgery, where the orthopedic doctors plan to insert a nail to help the bone heal without a deformity. Yet, he cannot raise the required amount for the procedure. Currently, he can get by with the help of crutches and occasional support from relatives. Thankfully, the skilled surgeons at our medical partner's facilities, African Mission Healthcare, are ready to assist. Scheduled for August 9th, Peter is set to undergo a fracture repair intervention known as open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF). This surgical process aims to restore his ability to walk comfortably and reduce the pain stemming from the fracture. He is currently reaching out for your assistance in raising the required $1,500 to cover the expenses associated with this intervention. Peter says, “A few days ago, I was well. Suddenly, I am unable to work because of the injury. I hope to go back to work once I get the surgery.”

$1,500raised
Fully funded

Jasmin is a young mother of three from Philippines. Her partner, Crisanto Olivar, works as a food handler and earns $155 a month for their family. The couple has 3 children and Jasmin brings them to school every day. She shared that due to family problems, Jasmin was only able to finish her first year in high school which gave her a hard time finding employment, so to help with household expenses Jasmin sells drinks near their house and earns around $2 a day. In 2017, Jasmin began to experience troubling symptoms, including back pain, abdominal pain, and nausea. In 2018, she was diagnosed with gallstones and was advised to undergo a surgery immediately. Due to financial constraints, she suffered the pain for years until she heard about treatment offered at our partner care center. After seeking treatment through our medical partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines (WSFP), Jasmin is scheduled to undergo a cholecystectomy on October 21st. A portion of the cost of the procedure is being supported by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and WSFP is raising the remaining $1128 to cover the cost of Jasmin's surgery and care. Jasmin says, "The surgery will be a big help for me and my family because there is no way we can afford the cost of the procedure, hospitalization and medicines for my treatment. I dream of having a long life and to see my children finish school and live a nice life. So I am very grateful to the people who will help me make my dream come true."

$1,128raised
Fully funded

Baraka is a 15-year-old boy who is in fifth grade, and resides with his uncle in Arusha. Seven of Baraka's ten siblings have passed away, as has his mother, after a prolonged bout of ill health. Baraka's father lives in a different region of the country, and has entrusted his care to the uncle, who has six children of his own. When Baraka was a young child, he fell onto a lighted stack of firewood while playing. He sustained severe burns - which were successfully treated - but which have left him with residual scar contractures around his mouth, and on and under his arm. Baraka lived with these contractures for a long time, until he met a neighbor, who told Baraka and his uncle about Plaster House. Baraka's uncle was unable to bring Baraka to Plaster House, so their neighbor, Charles, undertook to do so. Baraka is looking forward to treatment, as the contractures have negatively affected his confidence when he is interacting with other people. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Baraka receive the care that he needs. On August 16th, surgeons will perform burn contracture release surgery, which will enable Baraka to have improved mobility, functionality and appearance. Now, he needs your help to fund this $874 procedure. Baraka says: “I desire an improvement in my facial appearance. Right now, I lack confidence in how I look. I hold the hope that this treatment will bring about a substantial transformation in my appearance.”

$874raised
Fully funded

Leah is a 48-year-old mother of four from Kenya. She buys and sells old newspapers for a living. Her husband works as a casual laborer on construction sites. Leah lives in a two-room monthly rental house with her family. She does not currently have active medical cover. About three months ago, Leah noticed a painful lump on her right breast while taking a bath. She visited a nearby facility for a checkup, and was referred to Kenyatta National Hospital in Nairobi. However, she had difficulty receiving prompt medical. Three weeks ago, Leah realized the lump was growing and more painful, and sought care again. She visited Kijabe Hospital, where she underwent review by the general surgery team, and several tests, including a mammogram and core biopsy, were requested. Ultimately, Leah was diagnosed with breast cancer. She needs surgery to remove the cancerous mass, but cannot currently afford the amount required for her to undergo the procedure. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), can help. On August 21st, Leah will undergo a mastectomy at AMH's care center. During the procedure, surgeons will remove the impacted breast tissue to rid her body of breast cancer and to prevent the cancer from metastasizing. AMH is requesting $1110 to cover the cost of Leah's procedure. After treatment, Leah will hopefully return to a cancer-free life. Leah said, “I am in so much pain, especially on my right breast. The cancer has greatly affected the whole chest, and I feel so worried. I need to get surgery to stop these cells from spreading. ”

$1,110raised
Fully funded