Aaron's Story

Aaron joined Watsi on February 17th, 2026. Nine months ago, Aaron joined our Universal Fund, supporting life-changing treatments for a new Watsi patient every month. Aaron's most recent donation supported Sakrorny, a third-grade student from Cambodia, to fund fracture repair surgery.

Impact

Aaron has funded healthcare for 10 patients in 5 countries.

Patients funded by Aaron

Vun is a 38-year-old construction worker from Kampong Cham, Cambodia. He lives with his wife, who grows cassava, and their two school-aged children. As the family's primary income earner, he works long hours performing physically demanding construction work while also helping his wife on the farm whenever possible. About two months ago, Vun began experiencing severe lower back pain that radiated down his left leg. The pain gradually worsened and became especially severe during the past week, making it difficult for him to walk, stand for long periods, and continue working. A CT scan revealed a large herniated disc between the L5 and S1 vertebrae, compressing the nerve. After learning about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), he traveled two hours to reach the hospital and seek specialized care. On July 17th, he will undergo an L5–S1 discectomy (spinal surgery) at CSC to remove the damaged disc and relieve pressure on the affected nerve. The surgery is expected to reduce his pain, restore his mobility, and help him return to work and support his family. However, the cost of treatment is beyond what his family can afford, and he needs financial assistance to receive this life-changing surgery. They can contribute $100, but need help raising $1,500 more to help fund his procedure and care. Vun said, “I hope this surgery will take away the pain that has made even simple movements difficult. I look forward to walking normally again, returning to work, and providing for my family without being limited by my back.”

$1,113raised
$287to go

Sovannareach is a six-year-old first-grade student from Prey Veng Province in Cambodia. He lives with his grandmother, who is a rice farmer, while his mother works as a factory worker to support him. His parents divorced five years ago, and he has remained close to his family. Sovannareach enjoys reading and writing Khmer, and he hopes to become a doctor when he grows up. In his free time, he likes playing football with his friends in the village. His favorite meals are lemongrass sour soup and eggs. Sovannareach was born with scoliosis, a condition in which the spine curves abnormally to one side, often resembling a “C” or “S” shape. As he has grown, his spinal curve has gradually worsened, bending toward the right side. The condition causes him pain and makes it difficult for him to sit comfortably for long periods. As a result, he sometimes struggles to concentrate in class and worries about being teased by his classmates because of his appearance. He also has difficulty walking, which affects his daily activities. In the past, Sovannareach had never received hospital treatment because his family could not afford it. However, a relative told his family about our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC). They traveled approximately four hours to CSC for a consultation and to seek specialized care. On August 11th, surgeons at CSC plan to implant a metal “growing rod” into his spine to help control the curvature while allowing his spine to continue growing. CSC is requesting $1,500 to cover the costs of his surgery, the implant, and post-operative care, including physiotherapy. Sovannareach's grandmother said, “I hope this treatment will help control my grandson’s spinal curvature as he grows and keep his spine stable. I want him to continue walking, playing, going to school, and enjoying his childhood without his condition limiting his daily life.”

$1,500raised
Fully funded