M
Meenakshi GaddeUNIVERSAL FUND MEMBER

United States   •   May 1st   •   Cisco Systems, Inc
Meenakshi's Story

Meenakshi joined Watsi on November 27th, 2016. Nine years ago, Meenakshi joined our Universal Fund, supporting life-changing treatments for a new Watsi patient every month. Meenakshi's most recent donation traveled 8,300 miles to support Shwe, a factory worker from Burma, to fund mass removal surgery.

Impact

Meenakshi has funded healthcare for 111 patients in 14 countries.

Patients funded by Meenakshi

Hem is a 57-year-old rice farmer from Pailin Province in Cambodia. She is married and lives with her 64-year-old husband. They have four children. Her first and second children are rice farmers, her third child works for an organization, and her youngest child is a teacher. In her free time, she enjoys listening to monks praying and keeping up with the news. Hem has a herniated disc at the L4-L5 level of her lower spine, a condition in which a spinal disc presses on nearby nerves. She has experienced intermittent lower back pain for approximately three years, but about one month ago, the pain began radiating down the back of her left leg. She also experiences intermittent numbness in her left leg and weakness when extending her left toe. These symptoms have made walking and carrying out her daily activities as a farmer more difficult. Hem was referred to our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), by a relative. She traveled approximately seven hours from Pailin to seek specialized care. After evaluation, doctors recommended surgery to relieve the pressure on the affected nerves. Hem is scheduled to undergo laminectomy and decompression of the L4-L5 spine on August 17th. She has contributed $100 towards her treatment but needs an additional $1,400 in support to cover the cost of surgery and related care. The surgery aims to relieve pressure on the nerves and help reduce her back and leg symptoms, allowing her to walk more comfortably and return to farming and her normal daily activities. Hem said, “I hope that this surgery will relieve my back and leg pain, improve the numbness and weakness in my left leg, and help me walk more comfortably again. I wish to return to farming, and continue my normal daily activities.”

$864raised
$536to go

Beatrice is 45 years old and a mother of two from Malawi. She is a widow and sells second-hand clothing to support her family. Through determination and hard work, she managed to sustain her household despite many challenges. However, a long battle with uterine fibroids has now left her fighting not only for her livelihood but also for her health and survival. Before her illness, Beatrice enjoyed an active and productive life. She took pride in her small business and supported herself through her daily efforts. In 2013, Beatrice started to experience heavy bleeding, severe headaches, and persistent back pain. The symptoms progressively worsened, causing great concern and affecting her quality of life. Seeking medical help, Beatrice visited a hospital, where a scan revealed uterine fibroids. She underwent a myomectomy to remove the fibroids, offering relief from her symptoms. For nearly ten years, she lived comfortably and continued supporting herself through her business. Unfortunately, in 2024, her symptoms returned. She was bleeding heavily, causing her severe anemia. She required a blood transfusion to bring her back to health. Doctors determined that a Total Abdominal Hysterectomy (TAH) would be the most appropriate treatment to address her condition and prevent potentially fatal complications permanently. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,363 to fund Beatrice's surgery. On August 19th, she will undergo gynecological surgery at our medical partner's care center, Partners in Hope Medical Center. Once recovered, Beatrice will be able to resume her daily activities free of pain. Beatrice shared, "Your support will be highly appreciated to save my life."

$840raised
$523to go

James is a 13-year-old boy from Kenya. When our medical partner met James's mother, worry etched across her face as she struggled to hold back tears while sharing their experience. Born in 2012, James had a wonderful childhood. However, in 2021, something happened that changed James's life completely as they knew it. Towards the end of September, James started experiencing excruciating stomach pain. His condition was so bad, such that James was unable to sleep, and would throw up whenever he ate. His parents took him to a nearby hospital for medical assistance. No diagnosis was made; instead, they were sent back home with a prescription for painkillers and antibiotics. They left the hospital, hopeful that their son would recover. True enough, James got better, and soon enough, they forgot their worries. A few months later, however, the pain was back, and this time, worse than before. James's parents took him to hospital, only to be sent back home with painkillers again, but with no diagnosis. At this point, James was losing weight as well, and throwing up whenever he ate. With the help of the medication given, he got better, and an improvement in his feeding pattern was noted. This was, however, short-lived. Within a few months, the pain recurred. It's been a difficult three years for James, until his family decided to seek care at our medical partner's care center, BethanyKids Kijabe Hospital (BKKH), in September 2025. At the hospital, doctors found James to be malnourished, and he was placed on nutritional care so he could be strong enough to handle treatment. He was in hospital for a month before a laparotomy surgery was scheduled. The successful surgery that followed restored hope back into the lives of his family. Presently, James is scheduled for a follow up colostomy closure surgery to restore bowel function and prevent future complications. After a long journey of James's treatment, his family is unable to raise funds for his upcoming treatment. James's father works informal jobs to sustain the family, while his mother takes care of the family. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,020 to cover the cost of a colostomy closure for James. The surgery is scheduled to take place on March 11th and, once completed, will hopefully allow him to live a healthier life. James's mother says, "My son is going through so much pain, seeing him like that breaks my heart. As his mother, I wish I could take the burden of pain off his body. However, I am hopeful that with your help, this condition will be a thing of the past very soon."

$1,020raised
Fully funded

Kue is a 20-year-old man who lives with his wife and daughter in a refugee camp in Mae Hong Son Province, Thailand. His wife looks after their daughter and also makes and sells snacks twice a week from their home to help earn an income. Kue used to work as a day laborer in neighboring Thai villages but stopped working in July 2025 when he first felt unwell. . On the 12th of January, 2026, Kue was admitted to the hospital in camp due to weakness and pain in his leg. Kue observed that his left leg was smaller than his right leg. He was referred to our medical partner's care center, Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital, where he underwent a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of his left leg, which showed that he has osteomyelitis in his left femur, septic arthritis in his left hip, and inflammation in his left knee. He underwent a wound debridement surgery and was scheduled to go home on the 16th of February. However, when getting out of bed that day, he heard a snapping sound when he bore weight on his left leg. An X-ray confirmed that his left femur was fractured. He needs surgery to facilitate proper healing. On February 17th, Kue will undergo fracture repair surgery, and he needs help raising $1,500 to fund his procedure and care. Currently, Kue is in pain, and his leg is immobilized in a leg brace. He requires the help of someone to complete daily tasks. In his free time, he likes to fix machines, and he plans to do that in the future. Kue said, “I have been sick for a long time, and now my leg broke when I was about to go home. But I feel relieved that there is someone who can help me receive treatment.”

$1,500raised
Fully funded