Sarah DuBois

Sarah's Story

Sarah joined Watsi on April 10th, 2015. 9 other people also joined Watsi on that day! Sarah's most recent donation supported Camila, a 14-year-old girl from Bolivia, to fund heart surgery.

Impact

Sarah has funded healthcare for 58 patients in 15 countries.

Patients funded by Sarah

Thatt is a 24-year-old former construction driver from Cambodia. He is the youngest of five siblings. All his brothers and sisters are married and live separately. He lives with his widowed mother, a rice farmer, in Siem Reap province. In his free time, Thatt enjoys playing games on his phone and helping his mother with household tasks. Four months ago, Thatt was involved in a motorcycle accident after losing control while driving too fast around a corner. He suffered head trauma and a fracture in his left shoulder, and he was unconscious for several hours at a local hospital. After ten days, he was discharged and returned home. For ongoing rehabilitative care, he visited a Khmer traditional healer, but he is unable to use his left arm. He has been diagnosed with a brachial plexus injury on his left side. The brachial plexus is a nerve network that transmits signals from the spine to the shoulder, arm, and hand. Injuries to this nerve network can result in loss of function and sensation. He is unable to move or lift his left hand and continues to experience pain. He has also developed Horner’s Syndrome, a condition affecting the sympathetic nervous system that causes symptoms such as a drooping eyelid and facial changes on one side. These disabilities prevent him from working and from helping to support his mother. Thatt traveled to our medical partner's care center, Kien Khleang National Rehabilitation Centre, to receive treatment. This is the only center in the whole country where this treatment is available. On October 14th, with the help of our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, he will undergo a brachial plexus repair surgery. After recovery, he hopes to use his left hand again, allowing him to find work and perform daily activities. Thatt's family can contribute $50 towards his medical care, but needs help raising the remaining $687 in funds. Thatt said: "After this operation, I hope to use my left hand again to return to work and support my family."

$687raised
Fully funded

Racheal is a 16-year-old girl from Uganda who has faced significant health challenges. Her journey began three months ago when she started experiencing persistent abdominal pain and discomfort. Upon medical evaluation, she was diagnosed with an intestinal perforation, a life-threatening condition that required urgent surgical intervention. Four months ago, Racheal underwent an exploratory laparotomy, which involved opening her abdomen to address the perforation. As part of her treatment, she received an ileostomy, an opening created in her abdomen to divert waste. Thankfully, she responded well to the surgery and was discharged in stable condition. Recently, her mother has brought her in for a follow-up. Racheal is the fifth of eight children, and both her parents are hardworking small-scale farmers. They live modestly in a three-room mud house on their small plot of land, relying on sharecropping to make ends meet, working on other people's farms and sharing the harvest with the landowner. Her mother has exhausted all available resources, including taking loans from small banks and SACCOs, to cover her daughter’s medical expenses. Despite their efforts, they now face the heartbreaking reality that they are unable to afford the upcoming surgery that could restore Racheal’s health and normal life. For the past six months, Racheal has been unable to attend school due to her fragile health. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Racheal receive treatment. On October 9th, she is scheduled for stoma reversal surgery to regain normal bodily functions, return to her studies, and pursue a brighter future. Now, Racheal's family needs help to fund this $279 procedure. Her mother expresses her gratitude and hope: “I thank God for guiding us to Ibanda Hospital. I kindly seek assistance because we cannot afford the surgery. I promise to care for my daughter, and once she recovers, she will continue her studies and pursue her dreams.”

$279raised
Fully funded

Tinsae is a cheerful four-year-old girl from Ethiopia. She enjoys spending time with other children and playing with toys, especially toy cars. Her mother, a single parent, has faced numerous challenges since separating from Tinsae's father when she was just three months old. She works as a cleaner, washing clothes in her neighborhood and renting small rooms for short-term stays. Tinsae is old enough to start school, but financial difficulties have prevented her mother from enrolling her. Since birth, Tinsae has had an umbilical hernia, a condition caused by incomplete closure of the abdominal wall. This condition is most noticeable when she cries, causing her belly button to bulge. The emotional toll on Tinsae’s mother has been overwhelming, filling her with fear and uncertainty. Despite their struggles, Tinsae and her mother's bond remains strong, fueled by hope for a better tomorrow. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Tinsae receive treatment. On February 20th, she will undergo hernia repair surgery at our medical partner's care center, BethanyKids Myungsung Christian Medical Centre. Once completed, the procedure will alleviate her symptoms, providing her the opportunity of a healthier life. Now, Tinsae and her mother need help to fund this $512 procedure. Tinsae's mother says, "I hope my daughter will receive this surgery and heal. I also hope to find a better job so that I can raise her well and provide for her decently."

$512raised
Fully funded

Libo is a spirited seven-year-old boy from South Sudan who loves to play and explore with his siblings. His family lives on what they grow in their farm, making every day a struggle to provide basic needs. Unfortunately, this means that Libo and his brothers have never had the chance to go to school. Tragically, in November 2023, Libo suffered a serious fall while playing, injuring his left leg. Although his mum rushed him to a nearby hospital, it had limited capacity to determine how badly he was hurt. Despite multiple visits to other hospitals, Libo didn’t receive the help he desperately needed. As the days went by, his leg swelled, and the pain grew worse. Presently, he cannot walk independently and relies completely on his mother to carry him. In June 2024, Libo was referred to a medical facility in South Sudan for the specialized care he required. After thorough examinations, he was transferred to our medical partner's care center, AIC Kijabe Hospital in Kenya, in August 2024. It was here that doctors discovered the severity of his condition: his leg has become infected, and the surrounding bones are broken. To save him, they recommend surgery to drain the infection and remove the damaged bones. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Libo receive treatment. On August 6th, Libo will undergo surgery, giving him a chance to heal and return to the joyful life of a child. However, the $505 needed for surgery is beyond what Libo’s family can afford. Libo's mother traveled from South Sudan to Kenya, filled with hope for her son’s recovery, and is now seeking help. She says, “I hold onto hope for my son's recovery. Libo is in so much pain; he struggles to sleep at night as the cold makes his pain even worse.

$505raised
Fully funded

Moe is a 24-year-old woman from Burma. She lives with her husband, two aunts, a brother, a sister, two nieces, and one nephew in a village in Tak province. Moe and her husband moved to Thailand in February 2024 because of the conflict in her hometown. Her aunts sell dry food at home and Moe and her husband help. Moe doesn’t know exactly how much her aunt earns, but her aunt provides them with food and accommodation. In her free time, she likes to watch videos and learn how to use a sewing machine. When Moe arrived in Thailand in February 2024, Moe started to experience pain in her lower left abdomen. She thought it was not serious and didn’t seek treatment. At the end of April, the pain worsened and she then took painkillers. Her aunt brought her to a nearby clinic where she received an ultrasound. The medic informed her that she has cysts in both ovaries and referred her to our medical partner's care center, Mae Sot Hospital (MSH) for further investigation. There, the doctor diagnosed her with bilateral endometrial cysts and recommended surgery to relieve her of her pain and discomfort. On July 1st, Moe will undergo surgery to remove the cysts, and our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund Moe's procedure. Moe said, “I feel very worried about my surgery. When I first learned that I required surgery, I felt worried and sad because I couldn’t afford to pay for it. But now that I have learned that the BCMF and donors will pay for my surgery, I feel very happy, and my stress has reduced. I would like to thank all donors and BCMF for supporting my treatment. Without your help, I couldn’t receive treatment. When I recover fully, I hope I can return to Burma and find a job”.

$1,500raised
Fully funded

Saw Eh is a 25-year-old man from Thailand. He lives with his wife and two children in a refugee camp in northern Thailand. He works as a security guard in the camp while his wife looks after their two young children. His family receives 821 baht (approx. 27 USD) each month from an organisation called The Border Consortium as part of their rations, and he also earns 700 baht (approx. 23 USD) in a month from working as a security guard. Their monthly income is just enough to pay for their basic expenses. In the early morning of June 1st, 2020, at around 9:00 am, Saw Eh left the camp to forage for bamboo shoots in the jungle. While climbing over some slippery boulders, a few larger rocks from above him rolled down towards him. Unfortunately, Saw Eh could not avoid the falling rocks and was hit on the head and right leg. He was knocked unconscious and had no idea how long it took him to regain consciousness. When he did, he was in severe pain and cried out loudly for help. Luckily, a man was nearby and heard him shouting for help. The man fetched a few others to help him carry Saw Eh to the clinic in the refugee camp. At the clinic, the medic directly referred Saw Eh to Mae Sariang Hospital, as they knew they could not treat him in the camp. When he arrived at Mae Sariang Hospital, he received an x-ray, which confirmed that both bones in Saw Eh's right lower leg are fractured. The doctor then referred him to a hospital in Chiang Mai immediately, as he would need to receive surgery at a larger hospital, to ensure his leg heals properly. Currently, Saw Eh's right leg is in pain as well as his head. He cannot walk nor move his right leg. With the help of our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, Saw Eh will undergo surgery to reset his fractured bones and ensure proper healing. The procedure is scheduled for June 1st and will cost $1,500. The surgery will stop Saw Eh from being in pain and will help his leg heal properly. He will then be able to walk again.

$1,500raised
Fully funded