Ian Bentley
Ian's Story

Ian joined Watsi on May 31st, 2013. 10 other people also joined Watsi on that day! Ian's most recent donation traveled 8,300 miles to support Dee Mu, a farmer from Burma, for gynecological surgery.

Impact

Ian has funded healthcare for 18 patients in 9 countries.

Patients funded by Ian

Kamakune is 23 years old, and a single mother of a two-year-old son living in Uganda. She lost both her parents when she was young, and was brought up by her grandmother who later also passed on. About three years ago Kamakune started feeling pain in the upper abdomen. Later she noticed a swelling in the same region. She feels a lot of pain when strained, and is unable to bend and walk fast. She reported her condition to a government hospital, in which Kamakune had a scan and was diagnosed with an umbilical hernia. Upon being diagnosed, she was given medicine and an appointment for surgery. She has gone back to the same hospital three times but is yet to get treated. “I have lived with a hernia for a long time and I don’t have money to pay for my surgery,” she shares. Recently, as she was narrating her story, a friend told her about the Watsi program at Virika Hospital. Umbilical hernias occur when tissues bulge through the weak spot near the belly button, due to the stomach muscles not completely joining after birth. If not treated, Kamakune may suffer intestinal obstruction, incarceration and/or strangulation. Treatment will cost $220, and will consist of hernia repair surgery to push the tissue back through the stomach wall, as well as a 14-day stay in the hospital. Kamakune owns a small retail shop for salt and soap, where she gets money to care for her baby and for her personal needs. After surgery she hopes to continue working in her shop and to have it a little more stocked, since she believes she will be able to travel and purchase items as well as be able to lift them.

$220raised
Fully funded

Meet Delinor! At four years old, Delinor is the oldest child in his family. He and his parents live in Haiti, where his father earns a wage as a road-side vendor. His mother is currently looking for work to help support the family. “Delinor was born with a condition called severe subaortic stenosis, in which part of the heart new the aortic valve is unusually narrow, causing blood to back up and leaving him sickly and weak,” explains our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance (HCA). “If not stretched to a normal size, this condition could eventually become fatal.” The vast majority of Haitian people cannot access the care they need. The existing healthcare system was mostly destroyed by the major earthquake in 2010, and the services that are available are unaffordable to the average Haitian citizen. To correct his heart condition, Delinor needs care that is only available in the Cayman Islands. Pre-operative care, transport to the treatment centre, passports and visas, and the cost of the stay at the centre total $1500, a cost that is out of reach for Delinor’s family. Once there, the treatment centre will subsidize his operation that will restore normal blood flow to his heart. After the surgery, he should experience no more symptoms from his condition. “We have known that Delinor had a heart problem ever since he was a baby but we were very sad because we thought there was no way to fix it,” shares his mother. “We are glad that God is answering our prayers.”

$1,500raised
Fully funded

Meet Glenda, a 20-month-old baby who lives in Guatemala with her parents and six older siblings. Her favorite toy is a doll that was given to her by her siblings and her favorite fruit is an orange. Glenda has acute malnutrition. “Her mother and father knew she was malnourished because the community health center told them when they weighed her,” our medical partner, Wuqu’ Kawoq, explains. “Glenda is far below the average height and weight for her age. Without intervention, Glenda’s weight and height will continue to fall away from the curve and she will be at risk for the long-term effects of malnutrition.” “Her physical and mental development and growth will be stunted, preventing her from reaching her full potential,” Wuqu’ Kawoq continues. “Her immune system will continue to weaken and her parents will likely have to spend money (that they do not have) on medication and medical consultation.” $535 covers the full treatment cost to get Glenda back on a normal growth curve. “This treatment will supply Glenda with the growth monitoring, micronutrient and food supplementation, and medication needed to increase her overall caloric intake,” Wuqu’ Kawoq says. “Her mother will receive intensive nutrition education, thus building her confidence and ability to care for Glenda throughout her childhood. Intervention now will prevent the future devastating effects of malnutrition, and give Glenda the chance to live a healthy and productive life.” “This work is good,” shares Glenda’s mother. “With this support, we can improve the quality of food for our child. I am so grateful to have the opportunity to enter in this program.”

$535raised
Fully funded