Wendy Wecksell
Wendy's Story

Wendy joined Watsi on July 21st, 2015. 30 other people also joined Watsi on that day! Wendy's most recent donation supported Soeurm, a young man from Cambodia, to fund ear surgery.

Impact

Wendy has funded healthcare for 30 patients in 11 countries.

Patients funded by Wendy

Emmanuel is an eleven-year-old boy from Tanzania. He is the second-to-youngest, with three older siblings and one younger sibling. Emmanuel’s father is a plumber and his mother sells vegetables from her garden. He enjoys studying Swahili, English, and science when he is able to attend school. One of Emanuel's favorite things to do is play football with his friends. When Emmanuel began third grade, he developed an abscess on his left hip. His parents thought it was a boil and so they emptied it. The wound healed well, but Emmanuel soon began experiencing pain in his left leg. Within a short time, he was unable to walk to school and his entire leg began to swell. An operation to drain excess fluid left him unable to move his ankle and produced two openings on his foot that continuously drain pus. His parents brought him to the hospital, where he was diagnosed with severe, chronic osteomyelitis—a serious bone infection—which unfortunately cannot be treated with a simple operation and antibiotics. In order to save the rest of his leg, Emmanuel's foot will need to be amputated. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,035 to fund Emmanuel's operation. He is scheduled for surgery on October 20 at our medical partner's care center, Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre. After treatment, Emmanuel will be able to heal and eventually regain use of his leg with a foot prosthetic. He will be able to return to playing football on foot instead of in a wheelchair and will be able to walk to school with ease. "I would like to become a pastor like my uncle when I grow up," Emmanuel says.

$1,035raised
Fully funded

Angelou is a four-year-old boy living in the Philippines. He is a shy boy who always wants to be with his mother. He lives in a house made of bamboo and nipa. His father is a farmer, and his mother is a daily laborer. Angelou has been diagnosed with moderately acute malnutrition. Malnutrition threatens his growth and development and could even be fatal if not addressed. Fortunately, he will begin $184 malnutrition treatment on February 23. Angelou will be treated by International Care Ministries (ICM), a Watsi medical partner. One out of five children under five in ICM communities is either severely or moderately malnourished. Worldwide, poor nutrition is associated with nearly half of all deaths in young children. In remote communities and urban slums of the Philippines, the lack of clean water and unclean environments add risk to potentially fatal childhood diseases. ICM’s home-based feeding program provides nutrient-enriched food packs to ensure malnourished children get additional food to regain normal weight and achieve optimum physical and mental development. After identifying a child as malnourished, staff and community volunteers make weekly visits to monitor this child’s progress. To help sustain the health of the child, ICM’s professional staff educate the mother, guardian, or other family members about proper nutrition, sanitation, hygiene, and organic vegetable gardening. Angelou's mother says, "I want him to finish his studies someday. I hope he'll be healthier."

$184raised
Fully funded