Edward's Story

Edward joined Watsi on January 6th, 2016. Eight years ago, Edward joined our Universal Fund, supporting life-changing treatments for a new Watsi patient every month. Edward's most recent donation supported Gabriel, a young boy from Kenya, to fund clubfoot treatment to heal his birth condition.

Impact

Edward has funded healthcare for 101 patients in 12 countries.

Patients funded by Edward

Kyu is a 43-year-old teacher from Burma. She lives with her mother, husband, and two sons in Yangon Division, Burma. Kyu’s mother is retired, and her two sons are students. Kyu’s husband works as a motorcycle taxi driver. Kyu is a high school teacher who conducts classes from her home. Their combined monthly income is sufficient to cover their basic living expenses but they are not able to save money. When they have health issues, they rely on a nearby clinic for medical attention. In her free time, she enjoys reading books and she'd like to be able to continue teaching her students at home once she feels better. Kyu was born with an atrial septal defect (ASD), a condition in which a hole exists between the two upper chambers of the heart. Sometimes ASDs may close on their own during development, but sometimes this condition requires surgery to repair the hole and prevent long-term damage to the heart and lungs. Kyu is scheduled to undergo heart surgery on February 4th to correct the atrial septal defect and improve her quality of life. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to support the cost of Kyu's procedure and care. Kyu said “Since my heart condition worsened, I couldn’t teach my students due to my fatigue. Now I felt very happy when I learned that the BCMF organisation would support my surgery. Without the help of these donors, I couldn’t afford the treatment. I would like to be thankful to all donors and BCMF for supporting my surgery.”

$640raised
$860to go

Se is a 53-year-old police officer from Cambodia. He lives in Takeo province with his wife and teenage son. Se has been working with the police for more than twenty years. In his spare time, he likes spending time with his family, and growing vegetables and herbs in his garden. Nine years ago, Se was diagnosed with diabetes. About two years ago, he noticed a wound on his right foot. He has been diagnosed with a diabetic foot ulcer, an open sore or wound that is common in patients with diabetes and is commonly located on the bottom of the foot. He experiences pain and discomfort, and the wound is infected. When Se learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, he traveled for two and a half hours seeking treatment. Fortunately, CSC can help. On September 11, surgeons at CSC will perform a plantar flap and skin graft procedure to cover the wound and prevent further damage. During the procedure, the surgeon will carefully remove healthy tissue from a nearby area of the foot or from another part of the body. The flap will then be carefully positioned over the damaged on the foot. The surgeon will connect the blood vessels of the flap to those in the recipient area using microsurgical techniques. This allows the flap to receive the necessary oxygen and nutrients for healing. Once the flap is in place and the blood supply is established, the surgical site will be closed with sutures or other closure techniques. Hopefully this will repair the damaged tissue, promote healing, and enable Se to walk comfortably again. Now, he needs help to fund this $673 procedure. He is eager to be healthy and active again. Se shared, "I hope I can walk again without pain."

$673raised
Fully funded

Naw Aye is a 28-year-old woman who lives with her husband, son, sister-in-law, brother, two nephews, and two nieces in a refugee camp in Mae Hong Son Province, Thailand. Originally from across the Burmese border in a conflict-area called Karen State, she fled to the refugee camp with her family in February 2023 due to airstrikes on her village. Her husband and her brother are unemployed, while her son, nieces, and nephews go to school. She and her sister-in-law are homemakers. During her free time, she loves to play with her son and enjoys planting vegetables in her small garden. She is currently expecting her second child. Her doctors recommended that she deliver via cesarean section because In January 2020, when Naw Aye was pregnant with her first child, her water broke prematurely which put her baby's life at risk. She was brought to a hospital in Burma, where she gave birth to her son through a caesarean section (C-section). In February, after they had fled to the refugee camp, Naw Aye became pregnant. She went to the hospital in the refugee camp regularly for antenatal care. She was told during one of her visits that although her pregnancy was going well, she would need to give birth through a C-section to ensure the safety of both mother and child. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, will help ensure a safe C-section on November 3rd. This procedure costs $1500, and Naw Aye needs your support. “I want to sell sacks or Mohinga (Burmese soup) for extra income soon. But I don’t have enough cash to start doing that, and I am pregnant. I hope I can do that after I give birth,” Naw Aye said.

$1,122raised
$378to go

Madeline is a 36-year-old mother of two from the Philippines. She proudly raises a son and a daughter while working as a dedicated hospital receptionist. Although her income only covers their essential needs, her hard work and determination shine as a testament to her unwavering commitment. In 2010, Madeline began to experience troubling symptoms, including a noticeable lump on her neck. Concerned about the cost of medical expenses, she postponed seeking medical consultation. Unfortunately, her condition gradually worsened over time. She now experiences persistent fatigue and shortness of breath, significantly affecting her ability to perform daily tasks. Increasingly concerned about her deteriorating condition, she finally sought medical attention. She underwent a thorough assessment and a series of laboratory tests. She was diagnosed with colloid adenomatous goiter, a thyroid condition characterized by the enlargement of the thyroid gland. She needs surgery to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. Fortunately, our medical partner World Surgical Foundation Philippines (WSFP) is helping Madeline receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on August 12th. Surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. A portion of the cost of her treatment is being supported by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and WSFP is raising the remaining $935 to cover the cost of Madeline's procedure and care. Madeline expressed her gratitude towards Watsi donors and the World Surgical Foundation Philippines for sponsoring her operation. She shared, "I hope for the foundation to continue its long-standing service, helping more patients receive such assistance."

$935raised
Fully funded

Gabriel is a 21-year-old college student and the only child of a single mother, who works as a teacher in their town. Gabriel is currently in college at Meru, roughly 100 kilometers away from his mother's home, where he is studying electrical engineering. His mother cares for Gabriel and has paid for him to go to school. She also cares for Gabriel's grandparents. Gabriel is looking forward to the day when he can support his mother and care for this family. Gabriel used to ride his bike to school. Unfortunately, on June 23rd, as he was biking to school he lost control of his bike when he was going downhill and had a severe accident. He was taken to Meru General Hospital, where an x-ray revealed a compound fracture of the tibia on his right leg. On June 24th Gabriel was transferred to Nazareth Hospital, the hospital of our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), which was closer to Gabriel's home in Kimbo. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner quickly diagnosed the issue Gabriel was having and created a treatment plan. On July 3rd, Gabriel will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation. Post-surgery, Gabriel will be able to heal properly and walk and bike again without support. AMH is now requesting $1,049 to help fund this procedure. Gabriel said, “I was going on well with my education but this accident makes me feel disappointed. I seek help so that I can be operated on and hope that as soon as my leg is healed, I can go back to college and create my own future.”

$1,049raised
Fully funded