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United States   •   https://bears-repeating.com   •   April 20th   •   Patch
Paul's Story

Paul joined Watsi on March 16th, 2015. Ten years ago, Paul joined our Universal Fund, supporting life-changing treatments for a new Watsi patient every month. Paul's most recent donation traveled 8,800 miles to support Reaksa, a barber from Cambodia, to fund hip surgery.

Impact

Paul has funded healthcare for 127 patients in 14 countries.

Patients funded by Paul

Reaksa is a hardworking barber from Takeo province, Cambodia. He lives with his parents and his sister, who works in a garment factory. His father is a truck driver, and his mother also works in a garment factory. In his free time, Reaksa enjoys listening to music and helping his parents with daily tasks around the home. In 2016, Reaksa fell down the stairs at his home, injuring his hip. Since then, he has suffered from ankylosis of the hip with severe flexion deformity, which makes it difficult for him to walk, sit, and maintain a normal posture. He also experiences back pain when sitting for long periods. After the accident, he was treated at a government hospital with medication, but his condition did not improve. He was referred to our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC), where doctors treated him with a cast. It initially relieved his pain and allowed him to walk without support. However, over time, his posture gradually worsened, and the hip deformity became more noticeable. On March 16th, Reaksa will undergo an uncemented hip replacement procedure on his left hip. Reaksa can contribute $100 for his treatment, and needs help to raise an additional $1,400 to cover surgery, a special prosthesis, medications, post-operative care, and rehabilitation. Reaksa shared, “My hip still makes it hard to sit and walk properly, and I worry about my posture getting worse. I hope the treatment at CSC will help me move more comfortably and live without pain.”

$1,400raised
Fully funded

Chepkat is an 11-year-old girl from Kenya. She comes from a pastoralist family whose livelihood has always depended on keeping goats and cattle. Due to the harsh, isolated nature of their residence, Chepkat has never had the opportunity to attend school. Her parents survive through livestock keeping, but recently their family suffered a major setback when raiders attacked their homestead and drove away their cattle, leaving them with nothing. One afternoon, while trying to pick fruit from a tree, Chepkat accidentally stepped on a dry branch that suddenly broke beneath her. She fell heavily to the ground and immediately experienced severe pain. Due to the remoteness of their home, the family had to travel nearly two hours to reach the nearest health facility. At the first facility, she was immobilized and later referred to another hospital, where she was managed conservatively with bed rest and pain medication. However, her condition did not improve, and her pain persisted. Chepkat was referred to our medical partner's care center, AIC Kapsowar Hospital, where an x-ray revealed a fracture of the head of her hip bone, a serious injury that requires urgent surgical intervention. She needs an urgent Open Reduction and Internal Fixation (ORIF) to stabilize and repair the bone. On March 11th, Chepkat will undergo a fracture repair procedure. She needs help so that she can receive the operation she needs and regain the chance to walk and live a healthy and active life. Now, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,247 to fund this procedure. Chepkat's mother says, "My child is in pain and cannot stand, please help her so she can regain her mobility."

$1,247raised
Fully funded

Channy is a 21-year-old university student from Pursat province, Cambodia. She is the middle child of three siblings. Her older brother sadly passed away two years ago, and her younger brother, age 18, works in a clothing factory. Her father is a security guard, and their mother stays home to manage the household. Channy is in her third year at the Royal University of Phnom Penh, majoring in Khmer literature. In her free time, she enjoys reading books and helping with household chores. When Channy was 14, her parents took her to a clinic because they thought her back looked abnormal and she was in pain after sitting for long periods in school. At that time, she was diagnosed with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis - an abnormal curvature of the spine that appears in late childhood or adolescence - but her parents could not afford any further care for her. These symptoms interfere with her ability to focus on her studies and affect her participation in academic life. Additionally, she has faced discrimination from classmates due to her physical appearance, which has been challenging both emotionally and socially. After a local clinic suggested she visit our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, Channy is scheduled to undergo surgery on August 11th. This surgery will correct her spinal deformity, relieve her pain, and restore her confidence. Channy’s family can contribute $100; they still need help raising $1,400 to cover the full cost, including the surgery, implants, hospitalization, post-operative care, and physiotherapy. Channy said: "After the surgery, I hope that I will no longer have pain so that I can finish my degree. I hope this surgery will improve my back, and I can find a job to help my family."

$1,400raised
Fully funded

Daw Soe is a 43-year-old woman from Burma. She lives with her husband, younger son, and daughter-in-law in a Burma village. Her husband is employed as a carpenter in a furniture shop, while her elder son works as a cleaner at a hotel in Bangkok. Daw Soe and her daughter-in-law are homemakers. Her younger son is in fourth grade. Their combined income is enough to cover daily expenses and able to pay for basic health care needs. They usually go to the internally displaced people (IDP) camp clinic run by the Karen Department of Health and Welfare close to her village. In her free time, Daw Soe enjoys listening to religious sermons by Buddhist monks. In April 2024, Daw Soe began to experience troubling symptoms, including difficulty breathing, discomfort in her neck, and difficulty swallowing solid food. She was diagnosed with non-toxic goiter. The thyroid is the gland in front of your neck and produces thyroid hormones. These hormones are responsible for metabolism, growth, and other bodily functions. She needs surgery to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF), is helping Daw Soe receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on January 22nd at Mae Sot General Hospital where surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. This procedure will cost $1,500, and she and her family need help raising the funds. Daw Soe shared: “There is a sensation of something in my neck that is causing me much discomfort. I am hoping to get surgery treatment, and I look forward to a quick recovery. I am so thankful for your help. I pray for the donors, BCMF, and the staff to be healthy and wealthy and to continue helping patients like me who cannot afford surgery.”

$1,500raised
Fully funded