P
Patrick AmihoodUNIVERSAL FUND MEMBER

United States
Patrick's Story

Patrick joined Watsi on January 21st, 2014. Twelve years ago, Patrick joined our Universal Fund, supporting life-changing treatments for a new Watsi patient every month. Patrick's most recent donation traveled 9,000 miles to support Mary, a loving mom from Malawi, to fund a hysterectomy.

Impact

Patrick has funded healthcare for 140 patients in 16 countries.

Patients funded by Patrick

Roland is a 36-year-old father from the Philippines. He has been living with a fistula for about 15 years. Initially, his symptoms were sporadic and self-resolving. However, flare-ups have become frequent, occurring every two months for the past two years. These episodes cause pain, fatigue, and difficulty sitting, forcing Roland to adjust his daily routine. After Roland traveled to our medical partner's care center, World Surgical Foundation Philippines, surgery was recommended to relieve his symptoms. While this has brought Roland hope, the estimated cost remains beyond his financial capacity, leaving him reliant on antibiotics for temporary relief. Despite his condition, Roland continues to support his family by helping run their small clothing business and taking on electrical work on the side. His condition limits his ability to fully participate in work, leisure activities, and caring for his children. His family strongly believes surgery would restore his quality of life, reduce recurring medical expenses, and ease the financial strain. Fortunately, Roland is scheduled to receive surgery on March 20th at the World Surgical Foundation Philippines. Our medical partner, Our Lady of Peace Hospital, is requesting $1,198 to fund this treatment. Access to surgical treatment would allow Roland to regain comfort, resume normal activities, and provide more stability for his household. Roland shared, "I’m looking forward to playing basketball again without pain and being able to sit comfortably while spending time with my children."

$1,198raised
Fully funded

Charles is a 36-year-old father of four from Kenya. Before his illness, Charles operated a small shop selling sausages. Since his injury, he has been unable to run the business effectively, and his wife has taken over the running of the shop to support the family. The income from the business barely meets their basic needs, making it difficult to raise funds for the required surgery. Charles was at his shop in July 2025 when demonstrations broke out, and a crowd raided the building where his shop was located. In an attempt to escape, he was forced to jump from the first floor, landing badly, and severely injuring his right leg. He was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he underwent a fracture repair surgery. Unfortunately, the wound failed to heal properly. When Charles went to AIC Kijabe Hospital in September 2025, an examination revealed that the wound was severely infected. The metal nail that had been inserted during the initial surgery had to be removed to allow the infection to clear. Since then, Charles has been attending regular follow-up visits for wound cleaning and dressing. During a clinic visit in February 2026, he was finally cleared to undergo another ORIF surgery to stabilize his leg and allow proper healing. Unfortunately, his insurance coverage had already been exhausted and could not cover the required procedure. Charles continues to live in pain. He moves with the help of crutches, and at times the pain becomes unbearable, forcing him to rely on pain medication for relief. He is now reaching out for support so he can undergo surgery and finally heal. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner can help. On March 5th, Charles will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation. This procedure will help him walk easily again and go back to being a provider for his family Now, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,500 to fund this procedure. Charles says, “Sometimes my leg swells so much, that it becomes difficult to move, even with crutches.”

$1,500raised
Fully funded

Grace is 47 years old and a single mother to one child from Malawi. She separated from her husband six years ago and moved away. Grace works as a store clerk for a company that sells motorcycle spare parts. Nine years ago, Grace began to experience troubling symptoms, including frequent episodes of intense abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. Her health has significantly affected her daily activities, and she can no longer report to work. She now depends on her sister’s support, but her sister cannot afford the surgery costs, and Grace’s child is currently unemployed. This has led Grace to seek financial assistance. Grace first noticed pain in the upper right quadrant of her abdomen in 2016. She went to the hospital and was given only painkillers. Over time, the pain became intermittent, and she eventually got used to it and stopped seeking help. However, the episodes gradually increased in both frequency and severity, and they became associated with nausea, vomiting, and backaches. On November 12th, 2025, her condition worsened. She was taken to the hospital, where an abdominal ultrasound was performed. She was diagnosed with cholelithiasis, or stones in her gallbladder. Grace continues to experience other symptoms such as loose stools, swelling at the painful site on her right side, loss of appetite, heart palpitations, breathlessness due to intense pain, and weakness that requires assistance from others. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is able to help. On December 1st, Grace will undergo surgery to remove her gallbladder. She needs help to raise $1,244 to fund her procedure and care. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully greatly improve her quality of life. Grace shared, "I am in pain; kindly help me."

$1,244raised
Fully funded