Sydney BaileyUNIVERSAL FUND MEMBER
Sydney's Story

Sydney joined Watsi on July 17th, 2017. Three years ago, Sydney joined our Universal Fund, supporting life-changing treatments for a new Watsi patient every month. Sydney's most recent donation traveled 4,200 miles to support Eyphril, a one-year-old baby girl from Bolivia, to fund heart surgery.

Team

Watsi Volunteers

54 members

Impact

Sydney has funded healthcare for 48 patients in 10 countries.

Patients funded by Sydney

Eyphril is a one-year-old baby girl from Bolivia. She lives in a mining village in central Bolivia with her parents and older sister. Eyphril's father is a truck driver and her mother is a house cleaner. Eyphril was born with cor triatriatum, a rare heart condition where the upper chambers of the heart are subdivided by membranes into three chambers. These chambers prevent blood from flowing normally through her heart, leaving her weak and short of breath. On April 17th, she will undergo cardiac surgery at our medical partner's care center, Hospital del Niño Dr. Ovidio Aliaga Uría. During surgery, Surgeons will remove the membranes from her heart so that blood can flow normally. Our medical partner, International Cardiac Alliance, requests $1,500 to fund this procedure. Eyphril's mother shares, "Our family is praying for all of the doctors, nurses, and everyone else who is helping our daughter to become healthy."

$216raised
$1,284to go

Hassan is an only child whose parents separated before he was born. Prior to his birth, Hassan's mother worked alongside his grandmother, doing farm work to earn income. After Hassan was born, his mother had to stop working so she could take care of him. Hassan was diagnosed with spina bifida at birth, a condition that occurs when a developing baby's spinal cord fails to develop or close properly while in the womb. Hassan had a swelling on his back that was open and leaking. He was admitted in hospital for a few days while his mother was taught how to dress the wound. An MRI and a CT scan were done and he was scheduled for surgery weeks later. While home, his mother continued with the wound dressings as instructed until the leaking stopped. During one of the post-natal clinics, Hassan and his mother were referred to our medical partner's care center, BethanyKids, for treatment. Upon arrival at BethanyKids, Hassan was examined and was additionally diagnosed with hydrocephalus, a build up of fluids in the brain. He was then scheduled for a spina bifida repair surgery, and the mother was told that once he recovered, he would be scheduled for a shunt insertion surgery. Due to financial challenges and a loss of income for Hassan's mother, the family is unable to meet the medical expenses. Without treatment, Hassan is at risk of lower-limb paralysis, infection of the exposed nervous tissue, development of tethered cord syndrome, and possible developmental delays. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Hassan receive treatment. On March 15th, surgeons at BethanyKids will conduct a spina bifida closure surgery to promote Hassan's healthy growth and development. Now, Hassan's family needs help to fund this $1,151 procedure. Hassan’s mother says, “A while back, I had already given up on Hassan's treatment. Because the community had never seen such a condition, I was told that I would always get children who have different medical conditions. After coming to this facility, I realized that this was not the case. My hopes were raised again and now I’m looking forward to the best outcome in Hassan’s treatment.”

$350raised
$801to go

Noelanie is a playful preschooler from Haiti who loves music and dancing. She lives with her parents and two older siblings in a neighborhood of Port-au-Prince; Noelanie has a cardiac condition called patent ductus arteriosus. A hole exists between two major blood vessels near her heart; blood leaks through this hole, leaving her weak and short of breath. The care Noelanie needs is not available within Haiti so she will travel to the United States to receive treatment. On February 9th, she will undergo cardiac surgery, during which doctors will use a device attached to the end of a catheter to fill the hole. Another organization, Gift of Life New York, is contributing $4000 towards her surgery. Noelanie's family also needs help to fund the costs of surgery prep, travel, and follow up medical care. The $1,500 bill covers labs, medicines, and checkup and follow-up appointments. It also supports passport obtainment and the social workers from our medical partner, International Cardiac Alliance, who will accompany Noelanie's family overseas. Noelanie's mother says, "Our family has been praying for years that Noelanie's heart would be fixed one day, and we are so happy to know it is happening."

$698raised
$802to go

Sandi is a young monk from Burma. He lives alongside his fellow novices and monks in a monastery. As a novice, Sandi does not have a personal income, but his family support him and the monastery provides him with food and shelter. In his free time, Sandi enjoys listening to the Dhamma. In February 2022, Sandi began experiencing blurred vision in both eyes. A CT scan revealed a cystic lesion in his brain, indicating a fluid-filled tumor, craniopharyngioma. Sandi experiences significant blurred vision in both eyes, occasional headaches and dizziness, and pain at the nape of his neck. Due to his poor vision, he cannot read books and cannot walk without assistance. Sandi sought treatment through our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund. He is now scheduled to undergo mass removal surgery on January 10th. Our partner is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of his procedure and care. Sandi said, "I want to express my gratitude to BCMF and donors for helping me. I would love to request continued assistance throughout my entire treatment. My desire is to fully recover my vision. Once I recover, I aspire to dedicate myself to studying and trying to become a monk."

$960raised
$540to go

Phinehas is a 3-year-old social boy who likes playing with toys. He is an only child who his parents adore. The family hails from a village in Kenya. His mother is a homemaker and his father is a small-scale businessman who operates a shop in their local area. As Phinehas began to walk, his mother noticed an unusual walking style characterized by continuous knocking of his knees, leading him to lose balance and fall often. Upon examination, the condition identified was knock knees, whereby his knees tilt inwards. He was issued a brace to correct the deformity, but this treatment proved unsuccessful. He was then referred to our medical partner African Mission Healthcare (AMH) where the doctor examining determined that surgery is necessary to fix his condition. Phineas is scheduled to have a bilateral surgery on July 26th, where doctors will insert small metal plates shaped like an eight to guide the growth of his legs. AMH is requesting $1,224 to fully fund this procedure. The treatment will be impactful to him because he will be able to walk upright without falling and without knees knocking each other. Phinehas’s mother shared, “We would like to seek support to help my son undergo surgery and his legs to be corrected so that he can walk normally like other children.”

$1,224raised
Fully funded

Than is a loving grandmother from Thailand who lives with her son and grandson. In her free time, she enjoys watching YouTube videos on her phone. Five years ago, Than began experiencing pain when frequently passing urine, accompanied by lower abdominal pain. She has been diagnosed with kidney stones, which are hard deposits of minerals that form in the kidneys and are often very painful to pass. She has been advised to undergo surgery to remove her kidney stones. If left untreated, Than's symptoms will continue to worsen and will put her at risk for further health complications in the future. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF) is requesting $1,500 to fund Than's kidney stone removal surgery. The procedure is scheduled to take place on December 8th. Than shared, "I felt hopeless that I couldn't afford the operation, considering our prolonged lack of income. Now, I have had the chance to receive surgery with the help of BCMF. I am deeply grateful. My sincere wish is for the operation to go well, and I look forward to resuming my chores after the surgery."

$1,500raised
Fully funded

San is a 50-year-old grandmother from Burma. She lives with her son and granddaughter. Both San and her son are subsistence farmers and her son occasionally works as a day laborer. Her six-year-old granddaughter is a nursery school student. During her free time, San enjoys spending quality time with her granddaughter and visiting the monastery. In February 2023, San began experiencing occasional back and lower left abdominal pain with discomfort. This made it difficult for her to walk and sit. After an abdominal ultrasound and physical examination, she was diagnosed with gallstones. San has been advised to undergo a cholecystectomy, the surgical removal of the gallbladder. If left untreated, San's symptoms will continue to worsen and put her at risk for further health complications in the future. After seeking treatment through our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF), San is scheduled to undergo a cholecystectomy on November 17. BCMF is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of San's procedure and care. San said, “I feel sad and sorry for my son who has to work on the farm and help me with household chores. After I feel better, I will help him on the farm and handle all the household chores. I want to recover so that I can find work and pay back my debt. I want to spend time with my granddaughter and help her with her homework. I also want to go to the monastery and pray, as I have not been able to go since my condition started."

$1,500raised
Fully funded

53-year-old Aye lives with her husband, son and two daughters in a refugee camp in Thailand. Her husband is a teacher, and Aye is a homemaker. All of the children go to school. In her free time, Aye loves to plant different types of flowers around her home. One day in the middle of 2018, Aye's friend told her that her neck looked a bit swollen. Aye did not seek medical attention, as she wasn't experiencing any symptoms. Gradually, however, she began developing mood swings, anxiety, and fatigue. Although she was put on medications by the doctor, her symptoms worsened, and she was referred to Mae Sot General Hospital. At the hospital, she was diagnosed with a left thyroid mass and for the next three years, she returned to the hospital for multiple follow-up appointments. During her appointment on September 28th, the doctor told her that she will need surgery to remove her thyroid and cure her worsening condition. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is seeking $1,500 to fund Aye's thyroidectomy, which is scheduled for October 11th, at Mae Sot General Hospital. Aye is looking forward to her surgery, as she feels as if the mass is increasing in size, and is causing her to have fatigue and chest pain. Aye said: “Because of my condition, I feel sad and angry without reason. Afterwards, I feel bad for my family. I believe that after my surgery, I will have normal emotions again, and I will be able to help my family more.”

$1,500raised
Fully funded

Ah resides in a village in Karen State, Burma alongside his eight-year-old son and elderly mother. Ah is a former carpenter who has been unable to work due to his deteriorating health. During his free time, he enjoys fishing. In 2018, Ah began experiencing severe chest pain and difficulty breathing at times. A medical evaluation, including an echocardiogram, revealed that he has multiple valve defects in his heart. The doctor wants to perform cardiac surgery to replace and repair his heart valves on September 12th. Due to financial difficulties, Ah sought treatment through Watsi's medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF). BCMF is raising $1,500 to support his care. Currently, Ah still has occasional chest pain and difficulty breathing which intensifies with physical activity. He also has a poor appetite, weight loss, and difficulty sleeping at night. Ah said, "I am worried about my son because I am the only one who is taking care of him. Thank you for supporting my treatment. I will never forget you."

$1,500raised
Fully funded

Siek Meng is a 15-year-old who resides in the Prey Veng province of Cambodia with her parents and two younger brothers. Her parents make a living as rice farmers, and when Siek Meng returns home from school, she helps care for her siblings. During her free time, she enjoys learning English by watching English-language films and television shows. She aspires to pursue higher education in the capital of Phnom Penh and study medicine in the future. Around the age of 6, Siek Meng and her parents noticed something concerning about her back. However, they postponed seeking treatment until two years later due to the high cost of treatment and not considering it essential at that time. Unfortunately, the condition has since deteriorated, and she has been diagnosed with scoliosis, a deformity of the spine. In the past year, Siek Meng has experienced increased difficulty breathing as her rib cage presses on her lungs. Additionally, she occasionally feels numbness in her legs caused by her vertebrae compressing nerves. Thankfully, Siek Meng and her father undertook a challenging journey of two and a half hours to reach our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), seeking assistance for her disability. The medical team at CSC plans to perform a spinal fusion with implants on August 2nd, which requires financial support as the operation costs $1500. This amount will cover radiology, medications, surgery, and post-operative physiotherapy care. CSC is requesting $1500 to help fund this procedure for Siek Meng. Siek Meng shared, "I am feeling embarrassed about my back and I want to not have chest pain anymore. I hope after surgery I can go back to school and be able to walk around my village more easily."

$1,500raised
Fully funded

Hlaing is a 55-year-old man from Thailand who lives with his wife, two sons, mother-in-law, and grandson. He is a construction worker, but he stopped working five months ago due to his health deteriorating. In his free time, Hlaing enjoys listening to music and taking walks in the forest to gather wood for the house. In February, Hlaing noticed a mass developing in his right nostril, which has grown big enough to block the nostril completely. He experiences difficulty breathing due to his right nostril being obstructed by the mass, has persistent coughing and loss of appetite, and sometimes has hot and watery eyes. He underwent a CT scan and was diagnosed with an inverted papilloma in his right nasal cavity, meaning that he has a non-cancerous tumor in the right side of his nose. Hlaing sought treatment through our medical partner Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF) and is scheduled to undergo surgery to remove the mass from his nose on July 12th. Hlaing and his family need help to raise $1,500 to cover the cost of his procedure and care. Hlaing said, “Thank you BCMF and the donors for paying for my treatment. I can’t afford it by myself. I have wanted to receive the surgery. I am happy to get support from you.”

$1,500raised
Fully funded

Misheck, who is two years old, is the youngest of four children in a family that lives in the Dedza District of Malawi. His parents are divorced, and because his father no longer supports the family, his mother depends on growing maize and groundnuts to provide for her children. For four months, Misheck has been experiencing painful swelling on the right side of his scrotum. The swelling appears when he cries or strains himself. His mother took him to several health centers where he was given medicine, but they did not alleviate his discomfort. His uncle decided to bring Misheck to the hospital for evaluation, where he was diagnosed with a right inguinal hernia. Misheck requires surgery, which his family cannot afford. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is here to help. On May 4th, Misheck will undergo hernia repair surgery at Nkhoma Hospital, which will cost $421. Without this treatment, Misheck faces the possibility of developing life-threatening complications, such as hernia strangulation. His family is looking to you to help raise the funds to cover the costs of Misheck's surgery. Misheck’s uncle says: “I am glad that my nephew will get the help he needs, and I look forward to his full recovery."

$421raised
Fully funded