Sarah Salisbury
Sarah's Story

Sarah joined Watsi on October 25th, 2013. 5 other people also joined Watsi on that day! Sarah's most recent donation traveled 8,800 miles to support Samnang, a student from Cambodia, to fund tendon repair surgery.

Impact

Sarah has funded healthcare for 34 patients in 8 countries.

Patients funded by Sarah

Marvin is just under one year old, and the youngest of three children. He lives with his siblings in a one-room cinderblock house with a tin roof in Guatemala. He loves to play with his ball, his toy cars, and his small toy motorcycle. His father works as a bricklayer and his mother works at home taking care of him and his siblings--most days they live on only a couple dollars, unable to buy even one fruit, vegetable, or egg per day for Marvin. Marvin has not been growing taller or gaining weight because he is malnourished. His body has not been receiving the nutrients and energy it needs to grow, not only leaving him very small for his age, but also weakening his immune system. In the past two weeks alone, he has suffered from diarrhea, a fever, and a bad cough--leaving him without an appetite and without the energy to play. In the long term, he could face a low IQ and chronic diseases if he does not receive treatment. Although Marvin is very sick, treatment is simple. His parents will receive in-home nutrition classes to teach them about what diet Marvin needs to be healthy. He will be a part of our growth monitoring program, ensuring he is responding well to treatment, and will receive food supplements and micronutrients to improve his diet and give him the energy he needs to play and grow. This treatment will give Marvin the chance to be a healthy baby, helping him grow, strengthening his immune system, and putting him on track to live a healthy and full life and escape the cycle of poverty and malnutrition he is currently caught in.

$512raised
Fully funded

Carmen was born on July 9, 2016 in Guatemala. Unfortunately, her mother had complications with the placenta, and she lost so much blood that she passed away shortly after giving birth. Since she was giving birth at home in a mountainous and incredibly rural area, no medical help was available to her until she had already passed. After asking around the community to see if there were other mothers that could breast milk and coming up short, Carmen's father contacted our staff to see if there was support he could receive for his daughter. Carmen is the youngest of 10 children. They live in a one-room home made of cinderblocks with a tin roof. Her father works as a day laborer, making a few dollars per day that he uses to buy food for his children. Unfortunately, formula costs more than his salary, making it impossible for him to afford this life-saving treatment for his daughter. Although Carmen's case is serious and life-threatening, treatment is simple. For $1,016, we can provide Carmen with formula that will give her all the protein, calories, and nutrients she needs to be healthy and strong. Carmen's father and her other caregivers will also receive nutritional education to prevent future malnutrition. With our help, Carmen's father will no longer have to live with the stress of not being able to feed his daughter on top of grieving the loss of his wife. "My hope is that my daughter grows healthy and active, I am appreciative for the support that she will get," Carmen's father said.

$1,016raised
Fully funded

Moo Wah is a one-year-old boy who lives in a Thai refugee camp with his mother, Naw Lah. Naw Lah adopted Moo Wah shortly after he was born; his biological mother was abandoned by her husband during the pregnancy and could not care for Moo Wah in addition to her three other children. Presently, Naw Lah is taking care of Moo Wah on her own; her husband moved to the United States shortly after they were married. Naw Lah is hoping to move with her son once her husband is settled. Moo Wah was born with hydrocephalus - a condition that causes fluid to build up in the skull and put pressure on the brain. This causes vomiting, pain, and discomfort. Even with the financial help from her husband overseas, Naw Lah sometimes has to borrow money from friends to get through the month. Moo Wah only drinks milk powder instead of breast feeding and Naw Lah is not able to afford his food in addition to his other medical expenses. Naw Lah cannot afford the surgery Moo Wah needs, but without it he is very lethargic and irritable. He has had frequent fevers and requires constant attention. Naw Lah is physically and mentally tired from the frequent trips to clinics and hospitals and eager for her son to get better. With $1,485, Moo Wah will receive the operation he needs to alleviate his symptoms. A surgical shunt will drain the excess fluid built up in his skull and alleviate the pressure on his brain causing him to be tired and irritable. With this intervention, Moo Wah will get a new start on life and the chance to lead a healthy childhood.

$1,485raised
Fully funded

“When I am well, I enjoy cleaning my house inside and outside and making the house look nice,” shares Aye, a 50-year-old housewife who lives with her husband and two sons in Burma. “I also enjoy planting and growing flowers and planting vegetables near my home.” Aye came to our medical partner, Burma Border Projects (BBP), seeking treatment for heavy vaginal bleeding and pain. Her symptoms are the result of two conditions affecting the lining of the uterus—endometrial hyperplasia and endometriosis. With endometrial hyperplasia, the uterine lining grows too thick in response to excess estrogen. Endometriosis is characterized by endometrial tissue growing outside the uterus, usually within the ovaries, bowel, and pelvic lining. Both conditions cause heavy, painful periods that last longer than the typical five to seven days. “Aye feels very weak and has back pain,” explains BBP. “She menstruates irregularly but for many days. She has lost weight and does not have an appetite.” To manage her symptoms, Aye takes pain relievers and uses traditional medicine. Both help some, but she does not feel well enough to care for her home or help her husband and older son on their farm. For $1500, Aye will undergo a total hysterectomy and oophorectomy (surgical removal of the uterus and ovaries). Funding also covers the cost of a seven-day hospital stay and one outpatient appointment post-surgery. “I hope that in the future,” says Aye, “I can return to working alongside my husband on the farm and earn enough money to spoil my children and make sure that my youngest son is well educated.”

$1,500raised
Fully funded