Hermann SchwärzlerUNIVERSAL FUND MEMBER
Hermann's Story

Hermann joined Watsi on July 3rd, 2013. Seven years ago, Hermann joined our Universal Fund, supporting life-changing treatments for a new Watsi patient every month. Hermann's most recent donation traveled 4,700 miles to support Poe, a 28-year-old loving mother from Burma, to fund a C-section to safely bring her third baby into the world.

Impact

Hermann has funded healthcare for 99 patients in 16 countries.

Patients funded by Hermann

Nageli is an 11-year-old girl, living in a small, remote village in Ngorongoro, Tanzania. She is a diligent student, currently attending primary school. While she aspires to become a nurse, she and her family - her parents and two siblings - live within the confines of a Maasai society, so that her family’s sustenance and income revolve around livestock husbandry. When Nageli was five years old, her mother entrusted her to retrieve a flask of hot tea from the kitchen. On her way back to her mother, Nageli stumbled, spilling the hot tea onto her neck. Due to their village's remoteness, and the absence of a nearby health center, the family administered first aid at home. Because proper wound care wasn't available, Nageli endured a prolonged healing process. While traditional remedies were employed, her wound persisted for three to four months. During an outreach visit to their village, a team from our medical partner encountered Nageli, and informed her parents about a potential treatment for their daughter’s condition. With the aid of their church community, Nageli and her father undertook the journey to our medical partner's facility, hoping to find a solution for the burn scar contractures that have developed, stiffening Nageli's neck, and limiting her neck's range of motion. Fortunately, African Mission Healthcare is helping Nageli receive treatment. On August 16th, surgeons will perform a burn contracture release surgery to ease the stiffness in Nageli's neck, which will improve her range of motion. Now, her family needs your help to fund this $639 procedure. Nageli says: “I wish to walk and have fun again with my friends while going for long walks to fetch water and firewood.”

$639raised
Fully funded

Mu Yeh, a 23-year-old woman, resides in a refugee camp in Mae Hong Son Province, Thailand, along with her parents, brother, sister-in-law, and sister. Her parents run a snack-selling business from their home, while her brother and sister-in-law are currently unemployed. Mu Yeh's sister attends school within the camp, and she herself is a homemaker. In her leisure time, Mu Yeh finds joy in weaving traditional Karen ethnic clothes and visiting her relatives in the refugee camp. Each month, they receive 1,303 baht (approximately 43 USD) on a cash card from an organization called The Border Consortium. Additionally, they raise pigs which they sell when in need of extra cash. Despite their modest monthly income, it barely covers their daily expenses. Fortunately, they receive essential healthcare from Malteser International (MI) Thailand, which is provided free of charge in the refugee camp. In October 2022, Mu Yeh noticed a mass in her left breast. Initially, she dismissed it as normal, but by May 2023, the mass had grown and began causing her pain. Currently, Mu Yeh experiences considerable pain and discomfort in her left breast due to the large mass. The pain radiates towards the left side of her torso, making it difficult for her to carry anything heavy with her left hand. Seeking medical attention, she visited the hospital in the refugee camp, where the doctor referred her to Mae Sariang Hospital for further evaluation and treatment. On July 4th, with the assistance of MI staff, Mu Yeh underwent an ultrasound of both breasts. The results revealed cysts in her right breast and confirmed the presence of a mass in her left breast. Subsequently, she underwent a biopsy. During her follow-up appointment on July 18th, the doctor diagnosed her with fibroadenoma in her left breast and fibrocystic changes in her right breast. The doctor recommended removing the benign mass from her left breast under general anesthesia. Her surgery was scheduled for August 2nd. However, unable to afford the procedure, MI staff referred her to our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF) for financial assistance to access treatment. BCMF is now requesting $1500 to help fund the procedure Mu Yeh needs. Mu Yeh said, “In the future, I would like to become a medic. When there is training in the refugee camp, I will register because I would like to study medicine.”

$1,500raised
Fully funded

Wine is a three-year-old boy who lives with his parents and siblings in Karen State - an area of Burma that is in a state of crisis and conflict. Wine’s father is a construction day laborer and his mother stays at home with Wine and his siblings. Wine's older brother lives in Bangkok and his sister lives in Shan State and is able to send Wine's household money every month. His other four siblings are students. Wine was born in 2019 with a condition called hydrocephalus. Hydrocephalus is caused by a brain malformation or birth defect that causes excessive cerebrospinal fluid to accumulate in brain cavities. Cerebrospinal fluid is a clear, colorless liquid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord, protecting them from injury. It carries nutrients to the brain and spinal cord and takes away waste. In a healthy person, the amount of this fluid produced by the brain is absorbed by the body. In hydrocephalus, the fluid fails to drain and accumulates, leading to pressure on the brain. Wine's symptoms include a lump on the bridge of his nose. His eyes frequently water, and he cries a lot when he is in severe pain. Additionally, his head is gradually increasing in size as the fluid continues to build. The condition is most often treated by inserting a shunt. The shunt diverts excess cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from the brain to another part of the body where the fluid can be reabsorbed. Wine visited a doctor when he was born to address the issue. While he was in the process of receiving treatment across the border at a hospital in Thailand, the Thai-Burma border shut down due to the outbreak of COVID-19. With the closure of the Thai-Burma border, Wine and his family could not go back to his follow-up care. Fortunately, after the Thai-Burma border reopened, Wine was able to meet with our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF). Wine received a CT scan at Mae Sot General Hospital and the doctor was able to diagnose the issue and scheduled Wine to undergo surgery immediately on June 2nd. BCMF is now requesting $1,500 to help fund this procedure. Wine's mother said, "I want him to be able to walk, sit, and be healthy like other children his age. My husband and two of my children work, so I can take good care of Wine. I cry a lot whenever I see Wine suffering from pain, but now I feel like I no longer have to shed a tear for him because of that. I don’t want to be rich, nor do I want him to be rich. I only want Wine to be healthy and happy."

$1,500raised
Fully funded