Alexandra (Sasha) Boichuk
Alexandra's Story

Alexandra joined Watsi on July 2nd, 2020. 22 other people also joined Watsi on that day! Alexandra's most recent donation traveled 4,300 miles to support Abegaelle, a 5-year-old from Haiti, to fund her surgery prep and travel for cardiac surgery.

Impact

Alexandra has funded healthcare for 32 patients in 7 countries.

Patients funded by Alexandra

Velonica is a 43-year-old woman and a mother of three living children. She shared that she lost a set of twins just a few days after birth some 15 years ago but still holds fond memories of her lovely tiny twins. Her children are aged between 25 and 8 years old and they are all in school. The oldest daughter is at a teachers' training college and the youngest in 4th grade in primary school. Velonica lives with her children and husband in Dowa about 40 kilometers away from the city of Lilongwe in Malawi. She and her husband are subsistent farmers, although they usually don’t have enough food for the year and they seek support from her husband’s relatives that live in the same village. In 2013, Velonica developed a swelling on her neck. She visited different hospitals and finally was referred to Kamuzu Central Hospital (KCH) where a diagnosis of goiter was made. A partial thyroidectomy was done at the facility in 2014. However, in 2019 her neck swelling resurfaced again. She started feeling pain, having sleepless nights, difficulties in swallowing, feeling neck tightness, and headaches. She reported again to Kamuzu Central Hospital and a rescan was recommended but unfortunately, it was not done at the time. While seeking alternatives, Velonica came to Partners in Hope Medical Center. She was seen by a surgeon who, after laboratory tests and a scan, concluded that her goiter has recurred. He recommended surgery to remove the enlarged thyroid gland in a procedure called a total thyroidectomy. Velonica is currently unable to help her husband on the farm and has challenges in performing daily duties. She is unable to lift water on her head or to carry other heavy loads. Velonica feels the condition is interfering with her life and is looking forward to living her normal life again soon. Velonica said, “I live at my husband’s village among my in-laws and it has been about 2 years now of failing to do the things that every woman does, this is threatening my marriage and makes me feel bad. I hope this operation will bring an end to all this and I will be able to do my household chores again.”

$1,015raised
Fully funded

Ohin Zain is a six-year-old boy who lives with his parents and his brother in a refugee camp. Ohin Zain and his brother usually study in the refugee camp but all schools have been closed since July 1st due to the outbreak of Covid-19 in the refugee camp. Ohin Zain's mother is a homemaker and his father works as a construction day labourer in the camp. Every month, Ohin Zain’s household receives 1,300 baht (approx. 43.33 USD) on a cash card from an organisation The Border Consortium. Their total monthly income is not enough for their daily expenses and sometimes, they have to borrow money with interest from their neighbour. In his free time, Ohin Zain shared that he enjoys playing with friends and drawing pictures. On the afternoon of October 24th, Ohin Zain and his friends went swimming in a stream outside of the refugee camp. While playing in the water, Ohin Zain slipped on a stone and hit his right arm against the stone. He went home and immediately his mother brought him to the clinic in the refugee camp, run by International Rescue Committee (IRC). At the clinic, a doctor examined his right arm and referred him to a nearby hospital. When they arrived at the hospital, Ohin Zain received an X-ray. The doctor explained that his lower arm is broken and that he will need to receive surgery. Currently, Ohin Zain’s right lower arm is very painful and swollen. He cannot grab nor lift anything. He cannot play nor sleep well because of the pain. With the help of our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, Ohin Zain will undergo surgery to reset his fractured bones and ensure proper healing. The procedure is scheduled for October 27th and will cost $1,500. This procedure will help Ohin Zain be free from pain and will enable him to extend his arm and move it around. Ohin Zain said, “When I recover, I will try to study hard because I want to become a teacher. I would like to teach children.”

$1,500raised
Fully funded