Canada
Nick's Story

Nick joined Watsi on January 18th, 2015. Twelve years ago, Nick joined our Universal Fund, supporting life-changing treatments for a new Watsi patient every month. Nick's most recent donation traveled 4,000 miles to support Andrés, a 13-year-old boy from Colombia, to fund hernia repair surgery.

Impact

Nick has funded healthcare for 150 patients in 16 countries.

Patients funded by Nick

Hem is a 57-year-old rice farmer from Pailin Province in Cambodia. She is married and lives with her 64-year-old husband. They have four children. Her first and second children are rice farmers, her third child works for an organization, and her youngest child is a teacher. In her free time, she enjoys listening to monks praying and keeping up with the news. Hem has a herniated disc at the L4-L5 level of her lower spine, a condition in which a spinal disc presses on nearby nerves. She has experienced intermittent lower back pain for approximately three years, but about one month ago, the pain began radiating down the back of her left leg. She also experiences intermittent numbness in her left leg and weakness when extending her left toe. These symptoms have made walking and carrying out her daily activities as a farmer more difficult. Hem was referred to our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), by a relative. She traveled approximately seven hours from Pailin to seek specialized care. After evaluation, doctors recommended surgery to relieve the pressure on the affected nerves. Hem is scheduled to undergo laminectomy and decompression of the L4-L5 spine on August 17th. She has contributed $100 towards her treatment but needs an additional $1,400 in support to cover the cost of surgery and related care. The surgery aims to relieve pressure on the nerves and help reduce her back and leg symptoms, allowing her to walk more comfortably and return to farming and her normal daily activities. Hem said, “I hope that this surgery will relieve my back and leg pain, improve the numbness and weakness in my left leg, and help me walk more comfortably again. I wish to return to farming, and continue my normal daily activities.”

$864raised
$536to go

Linus is a 29-year-old man from Kenya. Born in a large family of 12 children, Linus was not able to complete his studies as his parents could not afford school fees for Linus and his siblings. He was working as a casual laborer, but jobs were tough and inconsistent. Through hard work, he was able to purchase a second-hand public service vehicle, which provides him with a modest but honest living. Linus has two children, but they are living with their mother, with whom Linus is no longer in communication. On January 13th, Linus's life changed dramatically. He was assaulted with a machete and sustained multiple severe injuries. He suffered fractures of the left distal radius and ulna, open infected fractures of the left distal tibia and fibula, and cortical disruption of the right tibia. He received first aid treatment and was transferred to our medical partner's care center, AIC Kapsowar Hospital, for further care. Surgeons were able to treat his wounds and fractures on his arm, hand, and ankle. However, Linus still needs contracture release and a skin graft surgery to facilitate healing and regain strength and mobility. He has used up his government medical insurance because of his multiple procedures, and now needs help to raise funds. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Linus receive treatment. On February 16th, surgeons will perform a contracture release surgery to help him use his hand easily again. Now, he needs help to fund this $1,239 procedure. Linus says, "I am in the hospital fighting alone, the people that assaulted me are well known to me, I don't know why they did that to me. I thank God they didn't kill me. Hoping for recovery, please help me."

$1,239raised
Fully funded

Kalkidan is a one-year-old girl from Ethiopia. She is a delightful baby girl with a natural curiosity, always eager to explore her surroundings and engage in playful activities with her siblings. As the fourth child in her family, her entrance into the world was marked by a moment of profound distress for her mother; on the day of her birth, Kalkidan's eldest brother was gravely ill and in the ICU. This backdrop of anxiety cast a shadow over her arrival, as her family rallied in hopes of supporting her brother's recovery. Kalkidan lives with her parents and her three siblings, a sister and two brothers, in a rented home. Her mother, a dedicated housewife, manages the household, while her father works as a daily laborer, striving to provide for the family. They often face financial challenges, sometimes prompting her mother to request additional time from the landlord to meet their rent obligations. At one point, their economic struggles led to a separation that lasted for some time as they struggled to feed their children. Their journey to our medical partner's care center, BethanyKids Myungsung Christian Medical Centre (BKMCM), has sparked excitement, as there is a glimmer of hope for medical intervention for Kalkidan's condition. Kalkidan was born with an anorectal malformation, a condition that leads to a complete or partial intestinal blockage. She needs to undergo a series of procedures to eliminate bowel dysfunction. Kalkidan is scheduled to undergo surgery to correct her condition on December 16th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of Kalkidan's procedure and care. After her recovery, Kalkidan will no longer experience bowel dysfunction or be at risk of developing health complications in the future. Kalkidan's mother expressed her heartfelt gratitude, stating, "I am profoundly thankful for this invaluable service and the divine support that is about to make it possible for my daughter to undergo her surgery and treatment. May God bless each one of you."

$1,500raised
Fully funded