Suresh PatelUNIVERSAL FUND MEMBER
Suresh's Story

Suresh joined Watsi on July 25th, 2017. Three years ago, Suresh joined our Universal Fund, supporting life-changing treatments for a new Watsi patient every month. Suresh's most recent donation traveled 8,600 miles to support Myint, a 27-year-old female from Thailand, to fund heart surgery.

Impact

Suresh has funded healthcare for 142 patients in 11 countries.

Patients funded by Suresh

Myint is a 27-year-old woman from Karen State, Burma. She moved to Thailand to be with her sister. Myint's sister works in sales and her brother-in-law works in construction. In her free time, Myint likes to listen to Burmese songs and studies Thai language online to learn to speak and read. Myint was born with an atrial septal defect (ASD), a condition in which a hole exists between the two upper chambers of the heart. Sometimes ASDs may close on their own as the person grows, but sometimes this condition requires surgery to repair the hole and prevent long-term damage to the heart and lungs. Because of this condition, Myint has difficulty breathing and tires easily. She feels pain in her chest and other parts of her body and has difficulty sleeping. Myint is scheduled to undergo heart surgery on April 12th at Kasemrad Prachachuen Hospital to correct her atrial septal defect. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to cover the cost of Myint's procedure and care. Myint said, “I am so happy and thankful for all the donors and BCMF for helping with my heart surgery because I would not be able to afford it. I hope I will recover soon and when I am better, I want to work and save some money to go back to stay with my father.”

$701raised
$799to go

Panha is a happy child from Kampong Chhnang province, approximately two hours away from the capital of Phnom Penh. She lives with her parents, an older sister, and her grandparents. Her father works in a local cloth weaving factory, her mother sells groceries, and her grandparents are rice farmers. At home, Panha likes to help her mother with the groceries and play with dolls. Her favorite meal is fried chicken and soup. Panha was born with macrodactyly of the toes on her left foot. Macrodactyly is a condition where toes or fingers are abnormally large due to the overgrowth of bone and soft tissue. Her parents are worried that as she grows, she may have difficulty walking, wearing shoes, and being teased by other kids when she starts school. Because her family could not afford care for her, a clinic referred her to our medical partner, Children's Surgical Center (CSC), where they hoped she could receive free or low-cost care. Doctors at CSC have determined that one of her toes needs to be amputated, and two other toes must be disarticulated (separated from the joint to avoid further disfigurement). Her parents need assistance with the cost of the $479 operation to cover the cost of surgery, medications, hospitalization, and physical therapy post-operation. Panha's mother said: "I hope my daughter's foot will look normal like her other foot. We want her to walk without problems as she grows and hope children will not make fun of her when she goes to school."

$479raised
Fully funded

Mercy is a determined young lady, a sixth born in a family of nine children. Her father is a small scale farmer and her mother a homemaker. She goes to secondary school in Meru County, but is currently behind on her studies due to delays caused by a condition impacting both legs. Mercy was born with a condition known as bilateral genu varum (sometimes referred to as bowlegs), which causes her legs to curve outward at the knees. The condition has greatly affected her mobility. She finds it difficult to walk long distances, she gets tired quickly, and is unable to fully engage in activities with friends. Her self-esteem has been dramatically impacted by constant teasing from her peers, who find her way of walking different. Fortunately, Mercy is scheduled to undergo a surgery called bilateral Proximal Tibial Osteotomy (PTO) at our medical partner's care center AIC CURE International Hospital. The treatment will heal her legs, allow her to walk easily and support her to engage better both in school and with friends. Mercy hopes to become an orthopedic surgeon in order to help other children in the future. “I am looking forward to see my legs being corrected, to live more actively and continue with my education. God bless you for the support,” Mercy told us.

$430raised
$794to go

Kyaw is a 5-year-old boy from Burma. He lives with his parents, grandmother, and older sister. Kyaw’s father supports the family as a Wi-Fi technician, while his mother and grandmother take care of the household. Recently, Kyaw started nursery school. During his free time, he likes to play football with his friends and ride his bicycle. In June 2023, while playing outside with his friends, Kyaw was accidentally hit by a friend and injured his left eye. Since then, Kyaw began to experience blurring and watering in his left eye, sensitivity to light, accompanied by pain, itching, and redness around the eye. These symptoms have made it increasingly difficult for him to see clearly. Kyaw was diagnosed with retinal detachment, a condition in which the retina pulls away from the supportive tissue in the eye, resulting in vision loss. If left untreated, he could lose his vision completely. Kyaw is scheduled to undergo surgery to reattach his retina on March 11th. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of his procedure and care. After his surgery, Kyaw's vision will hopefully be restored and he can resume his daily activities comfortably. Kyaw’s mother said, “I am very thankful to BCMF and their donors. It was very difficult to find an organization that would help with the cost of treatment. It is good to know I can depend on others for support like this, without you, it would be very difficult for me to help my son.”

$717raised
$783to go

Srey Fa is a 7-year-old 2nd grader who lives in Svay Rieng province with her parents and two siblings. Her father works as a tuk tuk driver, and her mom sells groceries from a street side stall. Srey Fa is the youngest in the family and loves playing with her siblings and neighbors in the village. Her favorite subjects are Art and English. In the future, she would like to be an accountant or a teacher. Around four years ago, Srey Fa has been experiencing a sore throat and difficulty swallowing. She often misses school and skips meals due to the pain. Srey Fa was recently diagnosed with enlarged tonsils and adenoids, which, if not treated, will cause her symptoms to persist and possibly intensify over time. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $265 to fund a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy for Srey Fa, which is scheduled to take place on February 7th. Surgeons will remove her tonsils and adenoids, hopefully relieving Srey Fa of her symptoms and helping her live much more comfortably. Her mother said, "I hope my daughter can breathe easier and stop the infections so she can stay in school."

$132raised
$133to go

Norlan is a 35-year-old father from the Philippines. Norlan did not finish his education, but as a father he is committed to making sure his two children finish school so they will not have to experience the hardships he experienced. He also dreams of going abroad to make sure his children will live a better life. Norlan currently works as a tricycle driver and earns $14 a day, which is mostly dedicated to the family's daily needs. Two years ago, Norlan began to experience troubling symptoms, including irritation, pain, and bowel obstruction. His condition affected his work and therefore the family's income. Norlan needs surgery to prevent his symptoms from getting worse. Fortunately, our medical partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines (WSFP), is helping Norlan receive treatment. He is scheduled to undergo surgery on February 3rd at WSFP's care center. A portion of the cost of his treatment is being supported by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and WSFP is raising the remaining $1,285 to cover the cost of Norlan's procedure and care. "I am grateful for this wonderful opportunity because my income is not enough for the surgery and hospitalization," says Norlan. "We have nothing else to rely on so I am grateful to this organization and grateful to the people behind this."

$502raised
$783to go

San is a 52-year-old mother from Burma. San resides with her daughter in an internally displaced people (IDP) camp along the Thai-Burma border. During her free time, San and her daughter cherish quality time together. In 2022, San developed a sensitive medical condition that causes her great discomfort and pain and intense lower back pain. She has been advised to undergo a total abdominal hysterectomy. If left untreated, San's symptoms will continue to worsen and put her at risk for further health complications in the future. Fortunately, San is scheduled to undergo her hysterectomy on September 25. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of her procedure and care. Once recovered, she will no longer experience pain nor discomfort. San said, “I felt very sad because I could not afford to pay for my surgery. Now that I learned that BCMF will support my treatment, I feel very happy. I want to express my heartfelt thanks to all the donors and BCMF. I'm eager to recover fully and quickly. Once I recover, I will search for work and enjoy a long life with my daughter."

$1,500raised
Fully funded

Panha is a 7-year-old second grader who lives with his parents on the southern coast of Cambodia. His mother works in a nearby canned food factory, and his dad works in construction. Panha loves creating art, eating Cambodian street food, and learning Cambodian culture and history at school. In July 2022, Panha was playing at home when he accidentally knocked over a boiling pot and sustained burns on the lower part of his body. Burn scar contractures have developed around his hip and groin, making it difficult for him to walk or attend school comfortably. When Panha's family learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), they traveled for four hours seeking treatment. On May 16th, surgeons at CSC will perform a burn contracture release surgery to help Panha walk easily and feel comfortable again. CSC is requesting $495 to fund this procedure. Panha's family contributed $100 to his care. Panha's mom said, "I hope Panha feels better after surgery and can focus at school."

$495raised
Fully funded

Han Thar is a 45-year-old single mother from Thailand. Han Thar lives with her two sons and a daughter. As she is a homemaker, her family's sole income comes from her eldest son, who works as a day laborer. Her other children are attending school. Han Thar enjoys spending quality time with her family. Since 2020, Han Thar has been experiencing significant back pain and abdominal discomfort when sitting and lying down. She has been diagnosed with leiomyoma uterus. She has been advised to undergo a total abdominal hysterectomy, the surgical removal of her uterus and cervix. If left untreated, Han Thar's symptoms will continue to worsen and put her at risk for further health complications in the future. Fortunately, Han Thar is scheduled to undergo her hysterectomy on December 7th. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, requests $1,500 to cover her procedure and care costs. Once recovered, she will no longer experience pain and discomfort. Han Thar said, "When I heard that I could receive surgery with the help of Watsi and the donors, my children and I were overjoyed. There are no words to express how the Burma Children Medical Fund is helping me. I promise I will do my best to take care of myself after my surgery."

$941raised
$559to go

Pheaktra is a 31-year-old construction worker from Cambodia. He lives with his parents and younger sister. Both of Pheaktra's parents work on a vegetable farm. Pheaktra worked with his parents at the farm until he recently took a job in construction. In his free time, Pheaktra likes playing soccer with his friends and looking at social media. Eight years ago, Pheaktra had an ear infection. This infection caused the tympanic membrane, or the ear drum, in his right ear to perforate. Now, Pheaktra experiences ear discharge, tinnitus, pain, and hearing loss. He cannot communicate clearly with others and his hearing has deteriorated rapidly in the last year. Fortunately, our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), can help. Pheaktra traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment, and on June 8th CSC's surgeons will perform a myringoplasty procedure in Pheaktra's right ear. During this procedure, surgeons will close the perforation that is causing his symptoms. Now, CSC is requesting $487 to fund this procedure. This covers medications, supplies, and inpatient care for Pheaktra. Pheaktra shared that he is hopeful he can improve his hearing and his life by having surgery. He looks forward to feeling healthy again.

$487raised
Fully funded

Sitheny is a 40-year-old tailor from Cambodia. She and her husband have one daughter and two sons. Their daughter is eighteen and studies in grade 11, their older son is fourteen and studies in grade 7, and their youngest son does not attend school yet. He stays home with Sitheny, who works from home with her sewing machine to make clothes for local stores. Sitheny's husband works in construction. In her free time, Sitheny likes to spend time with and cook for her family. In October 2021, Sitheny fell off a motorbike, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, she was unable to receive treatment at the time. She has been taking medication for the pain, but it is challenging for her to walk, and she has chronic pain in her knee. When a relative told her about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), she was able to visit the care center for review. Sitheny has a malunion in her left femur, which occurs when a broken bone heals in an abnormal position. On July 18th, she will undergo fracture repair surgery to correct the alignment of her fractured bone, allowing her to walk again without pain and relieving the stress on her kneecap. CSC is requesting $483 to fund this surgery, and Sitheny contributed $100 to her care. Sitheny shared: "I am in pain and feel helpless because I cannot do many things. I hope to walk well again so I can take care of my family."

$483raised
Fully funded

Lillian is a 63-year-old farmer from Kenya. She is a mother of three children. She has been a widow for more than 12 years now, and since the passing of her husband, she has found it hard to make ends meet to raise her children. A few years back, she raised some chickens that lay eggs for sale to provide for the family. She also farms and sells arrow roots to get some extra cash. Two of her children have now finished school, and one has moved out. She shared that they are not well off financially and thus Lillian cannot afford for her treatment costs. She is appealing for financial assistance. A recent CT scan revealed a swelling in her uterus. After a biopsy test was done, Lillian was diagnosed with malignant neoplasm of the uterus. She needs to undergo a hysterectomy, a procedure in which surgeons will remove her uterus. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1260 to fund Lillian's surgery. In November, she will undergo surgery at our medical partner's care center. Once recovered, Lillian will be able to resume her daily activities free of pain. Lillian says, “It has not been easy for me because I have had to change how I live. Thank you for your support.”

$1,260raised
Fully funded