https://blackthorn.io/
Blackthorn's Story

Blackthorn joined Watsi on November 4th, 2021. Five years ago, Blackthorn joined our Universal Fund, supporting life-changing treatments for a new Watsi patient every month. Blackthorn's most recent donation supported Tasmiya, a five-year-old girl from India, to fund burn contracture release surgery.

Impact

Blackthorn has funded healthcare for 229 patients in 15 countries.

Patients funded by Blackthorn

Tasmiya is a bright, curious five-year-old girl from India. Tasmiya's father works in the carpet industry; her mother is a homemaker. Her favourite fruit is mango, and like any child her age, she wants to run, play, and go to school with her friends. She is the second of four daughters, and her father describes her as a girl who loves to study. Her face lit up whenever school was mentioned, but her injury made it difficult for her to continue her education. About a year ago, Tasmiya was playing with a friend when she accidentally fell into hot water, causing severe scald burns. The burns covered a large area of her chest, affecting both sides, including tissue near her breasts and chest wall, as well as her right thigh. As the burns healed, they left thick, raised scarring across her chest and thigh, and most disabling of all, a scar contracture at her right elbow that has pulled the joint out of its normal position. The contracture in the right elbow has left her unable to fully extend or use her arm normally. Simple daily tasks like writing, dressing, and carrying a school bag are difficult for her right now. Tasmiya has not been able to go to school or continue her education, something her father says weighs on her, since she loves learning. As she grows, the scarring on her chest also carries the risk of restricting normal development if left untreated. Tasmiya's family learned about our medical partner, G.S. Memorial Plastic Surgery Hospital and Trauma Center, and sought treatment. On September 2nd, specialty surgeons will perform a burn contracture release surgery. This will release the contracture and help restore use of her arm, allowing her to write and carry a school bag, dress herself, and do everyday things other five-year-olds do without a second thought. Now, she needs help to fund this $1,442 procedure. Tasmiya's father shared, "I am happy that she will have her surgery done, and I am confident because my neighbour, who had severe contractures, was treated here and is fully healed. I have full faith in Tasmiya's recovery."

$919raised
$523to go

Ruth is 36 years old and a single mother of three from Malawi. She also has one grandchild from her firstborn. Ruth has experienced multiple family losses. Both of her parents and her two siblings are deceased. The only surviving relative is her uncle, who is physically disabled and fully dependent on her for care and support. She earns a living by selling tomatoes. In 2003, Ruth began to experience troubling symptoms, including a small swelling on the right side of her neck. Over time, the swelling grew bigger and began to affect her health. She developed symptoms including loss of voice, neck pain, headaches, and frequent coughing. After 15 years, she finally sought medical attention and was diagnosed with a goiter, an abnormal enlargement of the thyroid gland. The thyroid is the gland located in front of your neck and produces thyroid hormones. These hormones are responsible for functions such as metabolism, growth, and other bodily functions. She needs surgery to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Ruth receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on May 2nd at our medical partner's care center, Partners in Hope Medical Center. Surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. This procedure will cost $1,015, and she and her family need help raising money. Ruth shared, "My only hope is you; I tried all that I could, but failed. I am looking forward to your support."

$1,015raised
Fully funded

Sroeung is 43 years old and a rice farmer from Cambodia. Her husband works alongside her on the farm to support their four children. The family lives a simple life and relies mainly on seasonal rice farming income. In her free time, she manages household chores and takes care of her children. About one month ago, Sroeung experienced sudden dizziness and fell, injuring her left elbow. After the fall, she felt pain and was unable to bend or lift her elbow properly, which made it difficult for her to perform farming work and daily household activities. Initially, she sought treatment from a Khmer traditional medicine practitioner, but her condition did not improve. Later, she visited a private clinic where an X-ray examination revealed an elbow dislocation. The doctor advised her to seek specialized orthopedic treatment. After learning about our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC), from her mother, she traveled 2.5 hours to receive further evaluation and care. On March 3rd, Sroeung will undergo a reduction procedure on her left elbow. She can contribute $25, and needs help raising $427 more to fund her procedure and care. With proper treatment and recovery, her elbow function is expected to improve, allowing her to move her arm more comfortably, return to farming activities, and care for her family with less pain and difficulty. Sroeung shared, “Since I fell, my elbow has been very painful, and I cannot move it properly. It makes daily work difficult for me. I hope this treatment will help my arm heal so I can use it normally again and take care of my family.”

$427raised
Fully funded