United States
Ben's Story

Ben joined Watsi on March 12th, 2013. Twelve years ago, Ben joined our Universal Fund, supporting life-changing treatments for a new Watsi patient every month. Ben's most recent donation traveled 8,200 miles to support Sinbone, a six-year-old boy from Ethiopia, to fund a tonsillectomy.

Impact

Ben has funded healthcare for 169 patients in 14 countries.

Patients funded by Ben

Joyce is a 12-year-old from Kenya. She is a sixth grader who loves Math. Joyce is the firstborn in a family of two children and is being raised by her single mother, who relies on casual farming jobs to provide for the family. As Joyce was growing up, developmental milestones were noticeably delayed. She sat independently at nearly one year of age and began walking when she was almost two years old. By the age of three, she could only speak a few simple words. Relieved that her daughter had finally started talking, her mother enrolled her in school. Once Joyce began primary school, her teachers noticed that she had difficulty hearing. At home, her mother also realised she often had to repeat herself several times before Joyce understood what was being said. "The teacher gives her tasks, but she struggles with almost everything. I am so worried," her mother says. Although she is eager to learn and loves reading, her untreated hearing loss makes it hard for her to understand classroom instructions, causing her to fall behind academically. "Joyce loves reading, but she cannot understand the instructions she is given, so she is falling behind," her mother explains. Joyce was referred to our medical partner's care center, AIC Kijabe Hospital, for specialized care. She was diagnosed with hearing loss and was advised to use hearing aids to improve her hearing and communication. Unfortunately, the cost of the hearing aids is far beyond what her family can afford. On July 7th, Joyce will be fitted with hearing aids, and our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting help raising $1,171. The hearing aids will give Joyce a better chance to fully participate in class, excel in her education, and pursue her dreams with confidence. "I love mathematics," Joyce says with a smile. "One day, I want to become a teacher so I can help children learn and enjoy mathematics just as much as I do."

$1,171raised
Fully funded

Bunrong is a 13-year-old boy from Cambodia. He is in Grade 6 and is the only child in his family. His father works as a rice farmer, and his mother runs a small grocery business to support the household. He enjoys studying English, playing football with his friends, and dreams of becoming a police officer in the future. About one year ago, Bunrong developed a mass over his right wrist after sustaining an injury while playing volleyball. At that time, he received treatment with an X-ray examination and wrist immobilization in a cast for 21 days. Although the initial treatment was completed, he continued to experience pain in his wrist. Over time, the mass gradually increased in size, causing ongoing discomfort and making it difficult for him to write his lessons and complete schoolwork comfortably. After being referred to our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), he traveled three hours with his family to seek specialized care. Doctors diagnosed him with a right wrist tumor and scheduled an en bloc resection procedure to remove the tumor on May 20th. This surgery is expected to relieve pain, restore wrist function, and allow him to return to school and daily activities without discomfort. Now, Bunrong needs help to raise $841 to fund this procedure. Bunrong's grandmother said, “I have been worried watching him live with pain and discomfort in his wrist. I pray this surgery will remove the problem, relieve his pain, and help him use his hand normally again so he can study, play volleyball, and enjoy life without difficulty.”

$841raised
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

Clemence is a small-scale farmer from Malawi. He is married and has two children. Five years ago, Clemence began to experience troubling symptoms, including abdominal symptoms whose cause was unclear. He moved between hospitals without improvement. In 2021, it was discovered that his esophagus was obstructed, and he underwent treatment. Fortunately, his symptoms reduced and he experienced some relief. However, in 2025, he began experiencing severe gastroesophageal reflux symptoms, including heartburn, chest pain, and regurgitation, sometimes causing food to come up through his nose, especially when lying down. This created a constant fear of choking in his sleep. During one of his recent hospital visits, he underwent an endoscopy. Doctors have now diagnosed him with a hiatal hernia, and he was urgently referred to our medical partner PIH for support where surgery is recommended. Physicians recommend a laparotomy, which is a surgery that opens up the abdominal cavity to treat his condition. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,244 to fund Clemence's surgery. On February 6th, he will undergo surgery at Partners in Hope Medical Center. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully greatly improve his quality of life. Clemence said, "Kindly help me to get better, I am afraid of eating in fear of choking that can cause death; food comes through my nose sometimes and I am very terrified now. I can no longer do anything to generate cash apart from spending."

$1,244raised
Fully funded

Tafach is active and cheerful six-month-old boy from Ethiopia. He lives with his parents and his older brother. His mother works as a daily laborer, washing clothes and fetching water for neighbors, while his father farms on other people’s land. Despite their hard work, they often struggle to provide for their family, facing frequent food shortages and relying on the kindness of neighbors for support. Tafach's mother first noticed something was wrong when Tafach was only four days old. He began vomiting and was unable to pass stool, prompting his concerned parents to take him to a nearby hospital. Tafach was diagnosed with an anorectal malformation, a congenital abnormality that leads to a complete or partial intestinal blockage. Tafach’s mother was devastated and broke down in tears, as the family had never encountered such a condition before. However, the doctor reassured them that Tafach’s condition could be corrected through a series of procedures to eliminate bowel dysfunction and promptly referred them to a larger public hospital. At the referral hospital, Tafach underwent a colostomy to help create a temporary route for his bowel movements, and the family was given a follow-up appointment. They returned home feeling hopeful yet anxious. A few days later, a neighbor informed them about our medical partner's care center, Bethany Kids Myungsung Christian Medical Centre (BKMCM). Tafach’s parents reached out and took him to BKMCM for further evaluation. Tafach is now scheduled to undergo surgery to correct his condition on January 6th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,500 to cover the cost of Tafach's procedure and care. After his recovery, Tafach will no longer experience bowel dysfunction or be at risk of developing health complications in the future. Tafach's mother expressed hope, saying, "I pray for my child's surgery to be safe and successful, envisioning him thriving like his older brother. I aspire for him to become a dedicated student and a remarkable individual."

$1,500raised
Fully funded