Charles FranckUNIVERSAL FUND MEMBER
Charles' Story

Charles joined Watsi on August 8th, 2013. Seven years ago, Charles joined our Universal Fund, supporting life-changing treatments for a new Watsi patient every month. Charles' most recent donation traveled 8,600 miles to support Tun, a 71-year-old refugee from Thailand, to fund cataract surgery.

Impact

Charles has funded healthcare for 129 patients in 11 countries.

Patients funded by Charles

Ko Tin is a 34-year-old man from Burma. He lives with his parents and his younger brother in a village in Yangon Division, Burma. He used to be a driver before his condition got worse but now he has stopped. Currently, Ko Tin is living with his parents who are farmers and support him. The whole family’s income is just enough for their basic expenses and basic health care. Ko Tin has a wife who went to Thailand for work about four months ago but he has lost contact with her. When he has the energy and free time, Ko Tin likes playing football with friends. Ko Tin was diagnosed with a heart condition that requires replacement of the mitral valve, the valve between the left atrium and left ventricle. This valve controls the flow of blood, but certain conditions may cause blood to flow backward or the valve to narrow. In mid October, Ko Tin experienced fever, cough, body pain, difficult breathing, and severe fatigue when he walks a short distance. After he visited the cardiologist in Yangon Hospital, he was diagnosed with mitral valve regurgitation and doctor recommend that he should receive surgery. Currently, Ko Tin feels tired, coughs often, and is experiencing difficult breathing. Sometimes, he feels pain from his legs and his arms, and he cannot sleep well at night. He will feel extremely fatigued with shortness of breath when he lays down on the floor. He also cannot walk long distances. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund a mitral valve replacement for Ko Tin. The treatment is scheduled to take place at Pun Hlaing Hospital on December 3rd and, once completed, will hopefully allow him to live more comfortably. Ko Tin said, “I would like to recover as soon as possible. My parents are worried about me, and they have difficulty earning enough money to pay for my treatment. I hope my wife to return, and I would like to live as a happy family.”

$929raised
$571to go

Sothany is a 23-year-old woman who lives with her mother and father in the Prey Veng province of Cambodia, where her parents are rice farmers. She has four brothers and four sisters. When Sothany was younger, her parents noticed that her spine was not straight; however, they could not afford proper healthcare for her. As she has grown up, she has had more noticeable changes, including uneven hips and shoulders, prominent ribs, and a shift of her waist and torso to the side. For the past few years, Sothany's disability has increasingly affected her breathing as her rib cage presses against the lungs, making it more difficult to breathe. Sothany is very self-conscious about her spinal deformity and limited mobility. As a result, she quit her job in a clothes factory and stays home with her mother. She makes homemade videos to sell lotions and creams on social media. Her parents first heard about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), in early 2020. However, they were unable to travel due to COVID pandemic travel restrictions. Today, Sothany's symptoms have greatly increased including muscle imbalance, pain, and difficulty breathing. Sothany and her parents traveled for two and a half hours to our medical partner to seek intervention for her disability. Sothany will undergo a posterior spinal fusion with implants at CSC's care center on August 1st. Sothany is contributing $100 to pay for her care, and CSC is requesting the remaining $1500 to fund the procedure. This will cover radiology, medications, surgery, and post-op physiotherapy care. Sothany said, "After surgery, I hope my spine will be straight. I want to walk with my friends and not have hard breathing, work to support myself, and not be ashamed of my back."

$1,500raised
Fully funded

Ya is a 41-year-old woman from Burma. She currently lives with her father who is retired, her brother who is a student, and her son who works on the family rice farm with her. Their farming sustains their family, as they have no other source of income. They also forage for plants and vegetables from the forest. In her free time, Ya enjoys weaving traditional Karen (her ethnic community) bags. As a result of COVID-19 and the February 2021 coup, it is no longer feasible for Ya’s family to have traditional jobs. Her family faces extreme instability due to ongoing fighting in their area. Often, they must escape to nearby forests to avoid the conflict. They spend around a week at a time displaced in the forests. After the fighting has moved, they return to their village. Recently they had to sell their two cows to support themselves. In September 2020, Ya began experiencing back pain, and it was uncomfortable for her to walk and do regular activities because she cannot put pressure on her abdomen. She was diagnosed with myoma, or uterine fibroids. She has been advised to undergo a total abdominal hysterectomy, the surgical removal of her uterus and cervix. If left untreated, Ya's symptoms will continue to worsen and put her at risk for further health complications in the future. Fortunately, Ya is scheduled to undergo her hysterectomy on July 10th with the help of our medical partner Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF), who is requesting $1,500 to cover the cost of her procedure and care. Once recovered, Ya will no longer be in pain and will be able to walk without discomfort and work on the farm with her son. Ya said, “I want to get the surgery and recover quickly so I can go back to my family and help with the farm.” She is not sure what the future will hold as the fighting in her village is still happening, but she said, “I just want to be happy and stay with my family for the rest of my life.”

$1,500raised
Fully funded

Melesh is a playful and smiley four year old girl who lives with her mother, two brothers and one sister in Ethiopia. She is the youngest of the four children, and loves going to school. Melesh's older siblings have finished high school, but did not proceed to university, and are currently unemployed. Her mother - who is divorced from Melesh's father - makes and sells traditional beverages for a living. Her mom shared that their family does not receive any support from the father. Melesh was born with a rare, congenital anomaly, called bladder exstrophy. As a result of this condition, the abdominal wall doesn't fully form as the bladder is developing, leaving the pubic bones separated, and the bladder exposed to the outside surface of the skin. Urine leaks directly into Melesh's abdomen, so that she suffers from infections and other symptoms. In fact, Melesh has stopped going to school because the other children insult her because of her condition. Melesh's mother is worried, as Melesh has isolated herself to avoid being stigmatized by the community. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is seeking $1,500 to fund the Mainz Pouch procedure which if successful, should enable Melesh to pass urine normally. Surgery is scheduled for May 16th at BethanyKids Myungsung Christian Medical Centre, and should allow Melesh to resume the life of a happy and healthy four year old. Melesh's mother said: “I will educate her once she gets the surgery and heals. I will work on keeping her clean. I hope she will be content and healthy."

$1,500raised
Fully funded