Anand AgarawalaUNIVERSAL FUND MEMBER
Anand's Story

Anand joined Watsi on January 16th, 2017. Seven years ago, Anand joined our Universal Fund, supporting life-changing treatments for a new Watsi patient every month. Anand's most recent donation supported Siltan, a 4-year-old girl from Ethiopia, to fund corrective surgery and prevent future health complications.

Impact

Anand has funded healthcare for 101 patients in 14 countries.

Patients funded by Anand

Gay is a fifteen-year-old resident of Burma, who lives in a village in a conflict area called Karen State with his parents and two older sisters. Gay's parents and one of his sisters work in subsistence farming and his other sister is still in school. Due to financial constraints, Gay tends to the family's cows instead of attending school. During his leisure time, he enjoys fishing and gathering vegetables. On the morning of November 13, Gay was in an accident while riding on his friend's tractor. He was seated next to the driver and fell off when the tractor hit a bump while descending a slope. The trailer being towed behind the tractor ran over his right thigh, resulting in a severe femur fracture. Currently, Gay experiences considerable pain and is unable to move his right leg. He requires assistance from his father for basic activities like using the bathroom. Fortunately, Gay was able to make it to Mae Sot General Hospital, a care center of our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF). Thanks to the support of BCMF, Gay is slated to undergo surgery on November 14th, to reset his fractured bones, allowing them to properly heal. BCMF is requesting $1500 to help fund this procedure. This surgical intervention holds the promise of enabling Gay to walk again without enduring pain. Expressing his gratitude, Gay's father shared, "When I heard that my son needs an expensive surgery, I felt hopeless. I did not know what to do and I felt so sad to see him in pain. When I learned from the doctor that donors will help pay for my son's treatment, I felt so happy that words cannot express how I felt. Thank you so much with all my heart for helping my son."

$1,500raised
Fully funded

Saw Htoo is an 11-year-old boy from Burma who lives with his parents, 4 brothers and a sister in a refugee camp, in Mae Hong Son Province, Thailand. His parents fled to the camp from Karen State, Burma, due to the civil war in 2010. Saw Htoo is in grade 4 and his favorite subject is English. His father used to work as a day laborer before travel restrictions were imposed on camp residents after the outbreak of covid-19. Since then, both of Saw Htoo’s parents are homemakers. Although they receive a small monthly cash card to purchase food in the camp, as well as free basic health care and education, they struggle to make ends meet. For the past 5 years, Saw Htoo has been brought frequently to the hospital in the camp due to having urine in his blood. He has also experienced pain while going to the bathroom, developed a fever and pain in his bladder area. He received an ultrasound, an x-ray of his kidney, ureter and bladder (KUB) and an intravenous pyelogram (IVP) and was diagnosed with a renal stone in his right renal pelvis. At a follow-up appointment in August 2023, he received another IVP which indicated that the stone was increasing in size and doctors recommended Saw Htoo have surgery to remove the stone. Saw Htoo has been experiencing pain in his back, and he often needs to take leave from school because of the pain. Fortunately, our medical partner Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF) can help. Saw Htoo is scheduled for surgery on September 8th, and BCMF is asking for help to raise $1,500 to fund the procedure. Saw Htoo said, “I want to become a football player [in the future] because I love to play football.”

$1,500raised
Fully funded

Billy is a 14-year-old student from a rural area named Migori in Kenya. He is in grade six, and loves playing football. He is the last born in a family of 6 kids. He comes from a family that depends on their small-scale farming for sustenance and live together in a mud house. Three months ago, Billy was playing with other boys using bicycles. Unfortunately, one of the boys pushed his bike down a hill, and Billy fell into a ditch. He was hurt in the right leg and was taken to Migori Referral, where a Plaster cast was applied. The bones had not united when it was removed, but the family decided to seek traditional medicine. In spite of the traditional medicine, which involved massaging his leg, Billy cannot walk properly. He is in a lot of pain; he has difficulties walking and engaging in day-to-day activities. Dr. Owen, a Medical Officer, heard about Billy when he visited Migori. He decided to request and pay for an X-Ray, which showed the bones are not united yet. The doctor brought Billy to Nazareth Hospital for evaluation by Watsi's local rep. When he was seen at Nazareth, the surgeon determined that a fracture surgery is needed to correct his condition, but the cost is very out of reach for this family. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner can help. On July 4th, Billy will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation. When treated, Billy will no longer be in pain, he will be able to walk, and his leg will heal without deformity as he continues to grow. Now, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1049 to fund this procedure. “I thank Dr Owen for what he has done. I hope my brother can get help so that his leg can recover so that he can go back to school,” said Billy’s brother quietly.

$1,049raised
Fully funded