Samuel's Story

Samuel joined Watsi on December 16th, 2013. Nine years ago, Samuel joined our Universal Fund, supporting life-changing treatments for a new Watsi patient every month. Samuel's most recent donation traveled 8,600 miles to support Na, a six-year-old boy from Thailand, to fund surgery for a fracture.

Impact

Samuel has funded healthcare for 113 patients in 12 countries.

Patients funded by Samuel

Jasmin is a young mother of three from Philippines. Her partner, Crisanto Olivar, works as a food handler and earns $155 a month for their family. The couple has 3 children and Jasmin brings them to school every day. She shared that due to family problems, Jasmin was only able to finish her first year in high school which gave her a hard time finding employment, so to help with household expenses Jasmin sells drinks near their house and earns around $2 a day. In 2017, Jasmin began to experience troubling symptoms, including back pain, abdominal pain, and nausea. In 2018, she was diagnosed with gallstones and was advised to undergo a surgery immediately. Due to financial constraints, she suffered the pain for years until she heard about treatment offered at our partner care center. After seeking treatment through our medical partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines (WSFP), Jasmin is scheduled to undergo a cholecystectomy on October 21st. A portion of the cost of the procedure is being supported by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and WSFP is raising the remaining $1128 to cover the cost of Jasmin's surgery and care. Jasmin says, "The surgery will be a big help for me and my family because there is no way we can afford the cost of the procedure, hospitalization and medicines for my treatment. I dream of having a long life and to see my children finish school and live a nice life. So I am very grateful to the people who will help me make my dream come true."

$1,128raised
Fully funded

Nelson is a 79-year-old loving father from the Philippines. He lives with his partner and relies on their only son's financial support to meet their basic needs. He has a passion for gardening and loves to plant vegetables at home. Three years ago, Nelson's health took a downturn when he experienced bleeding during urination. After a consultation, he was diagnosed with a urinary tract infection and was prescribed medication. However, the pain reoccurred, prompting further investigation. An ultrasound revealed the presence of a bladder stone, necessitating surgical intervention. Over time, Nelson's condition has deteriorated, leading to increased urinary frequency and pain, which severely hinders his daily activities. Fortunately, Nelson found his way to our medical partner World Surgical Foundation Philippines (WSFP) who will be helping him receive the treatment he needs. He is scheduled to undergo a urinary cystolithectomy, the removal of the bladder stone, on July 21st. A portion of the cost of his treatment is being supported by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and WSFP is raising $1,128 to cover the remaining cost. After treatment, Nelson will hopefully have a pain-free and healthier life. Deeply appreciative of the support he received, Nelson shared, "I'm eternally grateful to Watsi and World Surgical Foundation Philippines. Your generosity has given me hope to have a more comfortable life, and be free from all that I've been enduring for years."

$1,128raised
Fully funded

10 year old Dennis is the third child in a family of four children, all of whom study at a local primary school. Dennis' father - who is from Uganda - and his mother - who is from Kenya - separated several years ago. Now Dennis and his siblings live with their mother in Marakwet West, Kenya, where Dennis' mother is a casual laborer, working on local farms. On weekends and holidays, Dennis and his siblings assist their mother in her work, so as to earn additional money for the family. While helping a neighbor cut animal feed into small pieces, Dennis' hand was injured by a chaff cutter. When Dennis was brought to the hospital, it was determined that several of the fingers on his right hand had been damaged. Two of the fingers had to be amputated right away, while the third finger subsequently developed gangrene, and also needed to be amputated. While Dennis has recovered from his injuries, the wound on his hand has never healed completely. The surgeon advised the family that Dennis requires skin grafting, in order to replace the skin that he lost when his hand was injured, and to ensure the total healing of the wound. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is here to help. They are requesting $1,089 to fund Dennis' skin grafting procedure, which is scheduled for May 19th, at AIC Kapsowar Hospital. This procedure will enable Dennis to fully recover, so that he can return to school, and resume the life of a 10 year old boy. Dennis's mother said: "It is so sad that my son has lost his fingers, but I am grateful to God that he is still alive. I am looking forward to seeing him get well so that he may continue with his education and become successful in life. Kindly help him so that he may recover well."

$1,089raised
Fully funded

Kanha is a 21-year-old woman from Cambodia who lives with her family. She has three brothers and two sisters who also still live at home with their parents. Because of an unknown birth condition, she does not speak, so she has never attended school. She occasionally helps out her family by harvesting fruit from local orchards to earn extra income. On March 4th, Kanha fell from a mango tree while collecting fruit and injured her back. She experiences severe pain in her neck and back and is unable to walk. Her family took her to a local provincial hospital, but they could not pay for her care. Instead, the doctors recommended that the family drive four hours to the capital city of Phnom Penh for treatment. She has been diagnosed with a fractured spin and requires surgery. Fortunately, our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), is helping Kanha receive treatment. On March 10th, doctors at CSC will perform a spinal laminectomy with metal implants to stabilize her spinal column. A laminectomy enlarges the spinal canal to relieve pressure on the spinal cord. Now, Kanha and her family need help raising $1,500 to fund her procedure and care. The cost includes hospitalization, surgery, implants, physical therapy, and medications. After recovery, Kanha's pain should improve significantly, and she should have full mobility after four to eight weeks. Kanha's mother shared, "we hope after surgery, my daughter will no longer be in pain and will be able to walk."

$1,500raised
Fully funded