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KEITH B HOLLEBONE

Real estate investor/Home renovator

United States   •   March 22nd
Keith's Story

Keith joined Watsi on August 8th, 2023. 13 other people also joined Watsi on that day! Keith's most recent donation traveled 8,800 miles to support Sovannary, a seven-year-old girl from Cambodia, to fund a tonsillectomy.

Impact

Keith has funded healthcare for 108 patients in 12 countries.

Patients funded by Keith

Sovannary is a 7-year-old student from Cambodia. She lives in a small community in Kandal province with her parents and two siblings. She is the middle child in the family. Her older sister is studying in Grade 7, and her younger brother is 4 years old. Her father works as a truck driver, often spending long hours away from home to earn income for the family, while her mother stays at home to care for the children and manage household chores. Sovannary is currently studying in Grade 2, enjoys learning mathematics, and dreams of becoming a police officer when she grows up. In her free time, she enjoys playing with toys with her brother. Her favorite foods are Tom Yum soup and grilled pork. For the past two years, Sovannary has been experiencing a sore throat, difficulty breathing and swallowing, and loud snoring at night. These symptoms make it hard for her to eat comfortably and sleep peacefully. Because she does not rest well at night, she often feels tired during the day and has difficulty concentrating at school. Sovannary was recently diagnosed with enlarged tonsils and adenoids, which, if not treated, will cause her symptoms to persist and possibly intensify over time. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $345 to fund a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy for Sovannary, which is scheduled to take place on March 2nd. Surgeons will remove her tonsils and adenoids, hopefully relieving Sovannary of her symptoms and helping her live much more comfortably. Her mother said, “When I hear her struggling to breathe and snoring loudly at night, I cannot sleep because I worry about her. I truly hope this treatment will help her breathe easily, sleep well, and live happily like other children her age.”

$345raised
Fully funded

Kena is eight-year-old energetic boy from Ethiopia. Kena is in the second grade and lives with his parents and his sister, but lately, his presence at school has been missed due to recurring bouts of tonsillitis. This chronic condition has temporarily sidelined him, pausing both his education and playtime. Two years ago, Kena began experiencing snoring, fever and recurring sore throats. This creates a difficult cycle of sick days that keeps him out of class and fun, active games he should be playing with his sister. He also experiences high fevers that keep coming back and a sharp, burning pain whenever he tries to swallow. This makes eating and drinking a daily struggle, often leaving him feeling completely exhausted and without energy. Kena was recently diagnosed with enlarged tonsils, which, if not treated, will cause his symptoms to persist and possibly intensify over time. Thankfully, our medical partner, Saglan Wajee General Hospital can help. They are requesting $700 to fund a tonsillectomy for Kena, which is scheduled to take place on March 4th. Surgeons will remove his tonsils, hopefully relieving Kena of his symptoms and helping him live more comfortably. Kena says "I am so excited for the opportunity to get back to school and play with my friends. I really miss eating the snacks I love! Because of my tonsils, swallowing feels like a sharp fire, which makes eating feel like hard work. I know my mom and dad are worried, and I think the best part for them will be seeing me smile and run around with all my energy again."

$700raised
Fully funded

Moyoura is a 12-year-old seventh grader student from Cambodia. She lives in Mondolkiri Province, a rural province of Cambodia with her parents and two younger siblings in a small home. Her father works as a cashew farmer, while her mother is a secondary school teacher who works hard to support the family. She is the eldest child; her younger sister is in Grade 5, and her baby brother is eight months old. She enjoys learning Khmer literature, and dreams of becoming a police officer when she grows up. In her free time, she helps her mother with household chores and listens to music. Her favorite foods are caramelized pork and grilled fish. For the past four years, Moyoura has been experiencing a sore throat, difficulty swallowing, a feeling of tightness in her throat, loud snoring at night, and recurrent nosebleeds about 3–4 times per month. The condition makes it difficult for her to eat comfortably and concentrate on her studies. The frequent throat discomfort, snoring, and nosebleeds also cause concern for her health and future development. Moyoura was recently diagnosed with enlarged tonsils and adenoids, which, if not treated, will cause her symptoms to persist and possibly intensify over time. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $345 to fund a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy for Moyoura, which is scheduled to take place on February 26th. Surgeons will remove her tonsils and adenoids, hopefully relieving Moyoura of her symptoms and helping her live much more comfortably. Moyoura's mother said, “I hope this treatment will help my daughter sleep peacefully, eat comfortably, and live like other children without pain or discomfort. I want her to grow up healthy and follow her dream.”

$345raised
Fully funded

Reaksa is a 25-year-old soldier from Cambodia. He lives in a small village in Takeo province with his elderly parents, who work as vegetable sellers at a local market. His wife works at a book factory. In his free time, he helps his wife with household work and grows vegetables around his home to support their daily living. Four months ago, Reaksa was involved in a traffic accident, causing paralysis of his right arm. He has been diagnosed with a brachial plexus injury on his right side. The brachial plexus is a nerve network that transmits signals from the spine to the shoulder, arm, and hand. Injuries to this nerve network can result in loss of function and sensation. He is unable to lift his right hand and sometimes feels pain in his arm and elbow. He has difficulty bending his elbow and using his hand for daily activities and work, which affects his ability to perform his military duties and support his family. Reaksa traveled to our medical partner's care center, Kien Khleang National Rehabilitation Centre, to undergo a brachial plexus repair surgery on February 24th. This is the only center in the whole country where this treatment is available. After recovery, he will gain movement and strength in his right arm, reduce pain, and improve elbow and hand function. This will allow him to perform daily activities and return to work more comfortably. Reaksa's family can contribute $100, but our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, needs help raising $637 to fund Reaksa's procedure and care. Reaksa said, “I hope this treatment will help my hand recover so I can work and support my family again.”

$637raised
Fully funded

Yeniya is a seven-year-old active and sociable boy from Ethiopia. He enjoys riding his bicycle and playing football with his friends. He has a keen interest in environmental science and loves spending time with his younger sister. Yeniya lives with his parents and his two sisters in a small one-room iron-sheet house. Their family home was destroyed two years ago during the construction of a new government structure, leaving them in a difficult living situation. Yeniya's mother is a dedicated homemaker, while his father works as a daily laborer. Together, they strive to meet their children’s needs. Yeniya's parents were unaware of his condition until last year, when Yeniya began experiencing pain in the scrotal area. His mother took him to a health center, where he was diagnosed with an undescended testis and advised that he would need surgical intervention. The doctor also expressed concern that the condition had not been addressed earlier and referred them to a specialized hospital. Overwhelmed with emotion, Yeniya's mother relayed the diagnosis to his father, and they took him to the referred hospital. Yeniya was placed on the surgical wait list. As months went by, his father frequently inquired about the status of the case, worried that the condition might get worse due to treatment delay. One day, eight months later, they received a call from the referral hospital informing them that Yeniya had been further referred to our medical partner's care center, BethanyKids Myungsung Christian Medical Centre (BKMCM). Yeniya has been diagnosed with cryptorchidism, a condition in which one or both of the testicles remains undescended. If left untreated, Yeniya has an increased risk of developing hernias, testicular cancer, and fertility problems in the future. Yeniya will be receiving assistance from our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH). Fortunately, he is scheduled to undergo corrective surgery on February 24th. AMH is requesting $754 to cover the total cost of his procedure and care. Yeniya's father said, "We are grateful for the opportunity for our son's treatment, and hope that the surgery will go well, and he will recover."

$754raised
Fully funded

Michael is a 10-year-old student from Kenya. When his mother was pregnant with him, she went through a very hard time. She had married into a different tribe, and this brought her a lot of pain. “I was rejected because I was seen as a foreigner,” she said quietly. “This made my pregnancy very difficult. Then my only son was born with clubfoot, and life felt too heavy to bear.” Clubfoot is a condition where one or both feet turn inward, affecting the bones and muscles. Michael lived with this condition on both of his feet for almost ten years without treatment. As he grew older, walking became painful and tiring. “My feet are very sensitive,” Michael said. “I cannot walk without my slip-on shoes. I want to walk fast or even run, but I cannot.” Many times, he leaned on walls for support while watching other children walk and play freely. His mother's pain grew deeper when her in-laws rejected her and her husband, saying their child was cursed. Michael’s father supported them at that time. But after everything they went through, they stopped looking for treatment, and Michael grew up with the condition. Even so, they still hoped that one day things would change. In 2025, that hope came back when they moved to a new village. A neighbor told Michael's mom about CURE Children’s Hospital of Kenya. Fortunately, Michael traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, AIC Cure International Hospital. At the clinic, the doctors examined Michael and quickly scheduled him for surgery. There, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on March 25th. While Michael is scheduled for surgery, his family cannot afford it. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,286 to fund Michael's clubfoot repair. After treatment, he will be able to walk easily and attend school without disruptions. "I am looking forward to getting better so that I can continue with my studies and engage with my friends in playing football," Michael told us.

$1,286raised
Fully funded