Tamara HeimburgeUNIVERSAL FUND MEMBER

Tamara's Story

Tamara joined Watsi on March 12th, 2013. Ten years ago, Tamara joined our Universal Fund, supporting life-changing treatments for a new Watsi patient every month. Tamara's most recent donation supported Sarai, a mother of four from Malawi, to fund a thyroidectomy.

Impact

Tamara has funded healthcare for 129 patients in 15 countries.

Patients funded by Tamara

Nich is a 50-year-old woman from Cambodia. She is married and lives in Battambang Province with her husband, who serves in the army at the border. They have three children; the eldest sells pork at a local market, the second child works as a coffee seller, and the youngest is a university student. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family and helping with household tasks. In September 2024, Nich suffered severe burns in a gas explosion while cooking. Although her burn wounds healed after treatment at a local clinic, she developed significant scar contractures affecting her neck and both armpits, with the neck being the most severely affected area. She later underwent burn contracture release surgery with the help of our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre. Following that procedure, her condition improved, and she experienced better movement and comfort. However, over time, the scar contracture gradually recurred, causing increasing tightness around her neck. The tight scars make it difficult for Nich to turn or extend her head normally, and she sometimes struggles to eat because of the restricted movement. On June 18th, surgeons at CSC will perform a free flap procedure to release the severe neck contracture and reconstruct the affected area with healthy tissue. This surgery is expected to improve neck movement, reduce tightness and discomfort, enhance function, and lower the risk of future recurrence. The procedure will also help her eat more comfortably and carry out daily activities with greater ease and independence. Nich said, “I am very grateful for the treatment and support I received before. It helped me feel much better for a long time. I hope this surgery will further improve my condition, allow me to move my neck more freely, and help me enjoy daily life with my family without discomfort.”

$218raised
$541to go

Nellie, who is 41 years old, lives in Malawi. She and her husband have six children, ranging in age from 5 to 24 years old. Nellie relies on tomato selling as her main source of income. In 2018, Nellie began to experience troubling symptoms, including a small lump on her neck. At that time, the lump did not interfere with her daily activities, and she did not seek medical attention. In 2022, the swelling increased in size, and was accompanied by neck pain, frequent coughing, and persistent tiredness. She sought medical care at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital in Blantyre, where she was diagnosed with a goiter. Over time, her condition progressively worsened. She began experiencing breathlessness, difficulty swallowing, persistent neck pain, and reduced physical capacity, including difficulty carrying heavy items and climbing steps. These symptoms severely limited her ability to work and to function normally. On March 29th, while at the market in Lilongwe, Nellie was advised to seek care at our medical partner's care center, Partners in Hope Medical Center (PIH), for possible surgical assistance. At the hospital, the initial diagnosis of goiter was confirmed, which is an abnormal enlargement of the thyroid gland. The thyroid is the gland located in front of your neck and produces thyroid hormones. These hormones are responsible for functions such as metabolism, growth and other bodily functions. Nellie needs surgery to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Nellie receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on April 14th at Partners in Hope Medical Center, during which surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. Nellie is contributing towards the cost of her treatment, but needs help in raising $1,015 more to fund the procedure. Full of hope, Nellie says: "I count it a blessing to have found at PIH. I am hopeful that my health issues will soon come to an end after surgery. This is my year of favor, and I am patiently looking forward to your generous support."

$1,015raised
Fully funded

Musa is a jovial and sociable 14-year-old boy from Narok County in Kenya. He is the last born in a family of seven, and is currently a Grade 7 student. His mother is a home maker, while his father works as a small-scale farmer to provide for their family. Like many boys his age, Musa enjoys being active, but his biggest dream is to become an athlete in the future. However, Musa’s journey has not been easy. He was born with bilateral clubfoot, a condition where the feet are twisted out of shape, which makes walking and running difficult. Because of this condition, Musa has often struggled with mobility, which has limited his ability to run and participate in sports like other children. Despite these challenges, Musa has not given up on his dreams. Musa is not new to our medical partner's care center, AIC CURE Hospital. He previously underwent surgery on his right foot, which is now corrected, greatly improving his mobility. Musa now needs corrective surgery on his left foot. Although resources are limited, Musa’s parents remain hopeful and supportive as their son continues his treatment journey. Musa was admitted to the hospital, and is currently undergoing serial casting in preparation for surgery on his left foot. Musa is scheduled for clubfoot repair surgery on March 11th at AIC CURE Hopsital. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,286 to fund Musa's clubfoot repair. After treatment, he will be able to stand upright, walk comfortably, run freely, and continue with his studies without hindrance. Most importantly, it will bring him closer to chasing his dream of becoming an athlete and, perhaps one day, representing Kenya in international athletic events. Musa says: “I really looking forward to standing upright, walking well, and achieving my dream of becoming an athlete in the future."

$1,286raised
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

Enifa is a 25-year-old woman from Malawi. She is married and a mother of two children, ages six and ten. Together with her husband, she supports her family through tomato farming. Enifa had been in good health until 2024, when her husband noticed changes in her neck and encouraged her to seek medical care. As the swelling in her neck increased, she made several hospital visits. In early 2025, after the growth became more pronounced, she was diagnosed with a goiter. Her symptoms continued to progress despite ongoing care. In December 2025, as her condition worsened further, Enifa was taken to our medical partner care center, Partners In Health. for further evaluation. There, she was assessed by a surgeon who conducted the necessary tests and confirmed the diagnosis of goiter, as well as the need for surgical treatment through a procedure known as a thyroidectomy. This surgery involves removing part or all of the thyroid gland, depending on findings at the time of surgery. The thyroid gland is located at the front of the neck and produces hormones essential for metabolism, growth, and many other bodily functions. Over the past fourteen months, Enifa has experienced increasing symptoms, including neck pain, difficulty carrying heavy items on her head, and episodes of choking at night. Surgery is recommended to prevent further worsening of these symptoms and to restore her quality of life. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Enifa receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on January 13th at Partners in Hope Medical Center. Surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. This procedure will cost $1015, and she and her family need help raising money. Enifa hopes that the surgery will restore her health so she can continue caring for her children and resume her farming work. “The choking at night is terrifying me, and I am afraid of death; please help me, I have young kids." said Enifa.

$1,015raised
Fully funded