Sheri Coles
Sheri's Story

Sheri joined Watsi on January 5th, 2014. 5 other people also joined Watsi on that day! Sheri's most recent donation traveled 8,300 miles to support Phyu Zin, a student from Burma, for life-saving heart surgery.

Impact

Sheri has funded healthcare for 5 patients in 3 countries.

Patients funded by Sheri

"I wish to become an accountant when I grow up so I can help my mother with her business," shares Phyu Zin, a 13-year-old girl who is quick to smile and laugh. In school, she likes her math courses, and in her free time, she enjoys watching movies and spending time with school friends and her cousin. Phyu Zin lives with her parents, two older sisters, brother in-law, and niece in Burma. Her father works in the lumber industry, felling trees and sawing them into construction planks. The family’s average income is sufficient for their day-to-day needs, with limited savings and funds for healthcare expenses. At two months of age, Phyu Zin developed pneumonia with a fever and nasal drainage. Her parents took her to Kawkareik Clinic for medication. Upon examining the girl, the doctor detected a heart condition known as tetralogy of Fallot—a congenital disease comprising four different heart defects that cause oxygen-poor blood to flow from the heart to the rest of the body. Phyu Zin returned to the clinic three times in her first year of life for repeat incidents of fever. On each occasion, she was medicated for her immediate symptoms. When Phyu Zin was eight years old, her symptoms worsened. She was always tired, and exercise easily fatigued her. She was tired at school and could not walk far or fast. In addition, she experienced several spells of dizziness at school. Until two months ago, Phyu Zin was a student in the sixth grade. However, her declining health forced her to drop out of school, as she could not keep up with her class work and the large, noisy classes made her uncomfortable. Her current symptoms are difficulty breathing—especially when active—and she is easily fatigued. Her mother places cold compresses on her when her breathing is labored. The past several years have been very difficult for Phyu Zin's family, as so much time, energy and resources have been dedicated to Phyu Zin. They have been worried about their ability to secure treatment for her and were glad to learn about Mae Tao Clinic (MTC) from a family member. Phyu Zin's parents brought her to MTC, and the medics referred her to Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF) as a surgical candidate. For $1500, Phyu Zin will receive a complete diagnostic workup to assess her heart function and undergo corrective surgery to restore normal blood flow within her heart. Funding also covers the costs of 12 pre- and post-operative consultations, transportation to and from the hospital, and three weeks of hospital care during assessment and recovery.

$1,500raised
Fully funded

One-year-old Loyce lives with her mother, three siblings, and grandparents in a small village in Uganda. "When she is feeling good, Loyce enjoys playing with recycled items and making noise with them," shares our medical partner, the Kellermann Foundation. "Her mother is happiest when her children have enough to eat and are healthy. She dreams of someday owning a small shop selling household items." Loyce's mother carried Loyce and walked for 11 miles to the nearest hospital, seeking care for her daughter who is acutely malnourished. "Her mother is divorced and works as a farm laborer. She receives no help from the children’s’ father for their care," the Kellermann Foundation continues. Because her family cannot afford adequate food, Loyce experiences moderate oedema (fluid retention in the body), changes to her hair, and skin lesions. In addition, her development has been stunted. Our medical partner, The Kellermann Foundation, shares that due to her symptoms, “Loyce is not yet crawling, standing, or even beginning to talk." $375 will cover the cost of the medical intervention Loyce needs to treat her malnutrition. This includes a hospital stay, fluid, and nutrition education so Loyce can continue to recover after treatment. With immediate attention, Loyce will return to normal development patterns and may be able to avoid the long-term effects of malnutrition. “I am thankful for all the donors making a healthy life possible for Loyce," her mother adds.

$375raised
Fully funded