Sarah RothwellUNIVERSAL FUND MEMBER
Sarah's Story

Sarah joined Watsi on March 12th, 2013. Eight years ago, Sarah joined our Universal Fund, supporting life-changing treatments for a new Watsi patient every month. Sarah's most recent donation traveled 1,900 miles to support Myrcayela, a beautiful 9 year old girl from Haiti, to fund heart surgery.

Impact

Sarah has funded healthcare for 105 patients in 11 countries.

patients you have funded

Michelle is a young child with a sweet smile. She is the firstborn of a two-child family. Her parents are modest farmers who grow potatoes and vegetables primarily for their own family's consumption. Additionally, they run a small kiosk out of their home, but its limited earnings are insufficient to cover their basic needs. Michelle is presently enrolled in nursery school at a nearby public school. Michelle had a normal cold when she visited our medical facility. She was gasping loudly while inhaling and coughing frequently. Since last year, Michelle has been ill. Her mother noticed that whenever she had a cold, she would frequently complain of a sore throat and cough a lot. She also have a hard time sleeping, has trouble breathing, and has difficulty feeding because she always breathes through her mouth. Michelle has to wear extra warm clothing to stay warm during the colder months because her nose always gets congested, which is hard for her. She has been an inactive child as she is always tired. Her sleep patterns are constantly off, and she easily nods asleep during the school day, which has a negative impact on how well she does academically. Due to recurring tonsil infections that are resistant to therapy, Michelle has been in and out of the hospital several times. During her last visit, the doctor examined her and realized that her tonsils and adenoids had hypertrophied. She has been diagnosed with grade three tonsils, and since she was not responding to any medication, the doctor advised them to have surgery, which would provide a lasting, long-term solution to her problem. Michelle's parents have medical insurance, but in the last three months, they did not manage to pay their monthly subscriptions as they were low on income. Their coverage is in arrears, and unfortunately, it will not cover her procedure. She requires $714 for her surgery to be done, and her parents are appealing to all well-wishers reading her story to assist her in getting her surgery. Michelle's mother says, “My daughter has really suffered over a long period of time. She has taken numerous drugs without any noticeable change in her, and this has me very concerned. I want her to be able to have a regular life and do well in school. Please assist her so that she can eventually realize her goals."

45%funded
$328raised
$386to go

Chaw is 20-year-old who lives with his parents and three younger sister in a refugee camp. Chaw's sisters go to school, his mother is a homemaker and his father and brother work as agricultural day labourers. Chaw's brother lives on his employer's land and sends the family what money he can every month. After his accident, Chaw stopped working on the same farm as his brother. In his free time, before his accident, Chaw liked to play football with his friends and visit with them. In 2020, Chaw was carrying corn to the peeling machine where he worked and he slipped and hit his left lower leg against the fan of the machine. Chaw was in a great deal of pain and was brought to the hospital. Chaw was told that his left lower leg was broken, and underwent surgery to insert a steel rod into his leg. This past January, Chaw noticed a mass on his left lower leg, where he had received surgery. The mass was very painful and felt hot to the touch. Over time, the mass increased in size until his whole lower left leg became swollen. Although he received surgery to remove the mass, Chaw's leg never fully healed. Eventually he was diagnosed with osteomyelitis and was told the steel rod in his leg would need to be replaced. Chaw is in a lot of pain and his lower left leg continues to be swollen and red. He cannot sleep well and needs crutches and assistance to move around. With the help of our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF), Chaw will undergo surgery to reset his fractured bones and ensure proper healing. The procedure is scheduled for September 6th and BCMF is raising $1,500 to cover the cost of this life-changing procedure that will help Chaw walk free of pain. Chaw shared, “I am happy that I will receive surgery with the help of the organisation [Burma Children Medical Fund] and I am thankful to all of the donors. In the future I want to get better quickly. I will find a new job and support my family.”

$1,500raised
Fully funded

Meet Agnes, a hardworking 39-year-old farmer and strong single mother. Two of her children live with her brother in a rural area of the country, while her other children live with Agnes in a house in a small shopping center. Agnes works hard to sustain her family. She does laundry in her neighborhood during the day, while selling vegetables in the evening. During the planting, weeding and harvesting seasons, Agnes goes to the village and works on people's farms. Sometimes she is paid with money, and sometimes she is given food in return for her work. Nine months ago, she was pricked by a maize stalk on her lower left limb. She was walking with difficulty because of the pain that resulted from the wound, and she ended up falling. Agnes traveled to a local facility because of pain and swelling in her leg, and was provided with pain medication and bandages. However, Agnes was referred on to another hospital, where her leg could be X-rayed. The X-ray revealed that Agnes had sustained a fracture in her lower leg. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, can help. On September 1st, Agnes will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation, at AIC Kapsowar Hospital. After this procedure, Agnes will be able to walk without pain and swelling, enabling her to return to her daily activities, and the work that she needs to do in order to earn an income. African Mission Healthcare Foundation is seeking $941 to fund her procedure and medical care. Agnes says: "My family depends on me in everything. With my condition, I cannot work and am afraid that my children will suffer. Kindly help me get through my treatment and be able to provide for them.”

$941raised
Fully funded