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Amanda KanarekUNIVERSAL FUND MEMBER

United States
Amanda's Story

Amanda joined Watsi on March 12th, 2013. Twelve years ago, Amanda joined our Universal Fund, supporting life-changing treatments for a new Watsi patient every month. Amanda's most recent donation traveled 8,300 miles to support Paw, a 22-year-old woman from Burma, to fund a C-section to safely deliver her baby.

Impact

Amanda has funded healthcare for 152 patients in 17 countries.

Patients funded by Amanda

Ei is a 12-year-old girl from Burma. She lives with her parents, younger brother, and younger sister in Mae Sot District, Tak Province, Thailand. Originally from Yangon Division, Burma, the family moved to Thailand in 2021 in search of better job opportunities. Ei's father works in a sewing factory, while her mother is a homemaker. Both Ei and her younger brother attend a migrant school, while her younger sister is too young to attend school. The family lives in the dormitory of her father's workplace. In her free time, Ei enjoys learning Thai and English and doing her schoolwork. Ei was diagnosed with traumatic cataract of her right eye. She is experiencing blurred vision in her right eye, and she can only see objects close to her. She also suffers from right eye pain, is sensitive to light, and has to wear sunglasses when outside. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund lens replacement surgery for Ei. On May 21st, doctors will perform a lens replacement, during which they will remove Ei's natural lenses and replace them with an intraocular lens implant in each eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Now, she needs help to fund this $1,500 procedure. Ei's father expressed his gratitude, saying, "Thank you so much to this organisation and the donors for helping with my daughter's treatment costs. We feel immense happiness for your support, which relieves the hardship of our family. Without your help, we could not afford her surgery, and we almost decided to postpone her surgery. I hope you can continue to stand for patients who actually need support, like my daughter, for a very long time."

$1,500raised
Fully funded

Sisay is a healthcare worker from Ethiopia. At just 26 years old, this young man is a vital heartbeat for the healthcare center where he works. As a key member of the staff, he serves as the bridge between the clinic and the community. At home, he is the pillar for his two siblings, balancing the roles of breadwinner and protector. However, a grueling battle with chronic tonsillitis is slowly silencing the very voice he needs to build his career, and has made it challenging to do his work. Sisay shares how heartbreaking it is when the illness breaks his focus, keeping him from the job he loves. About one and a half years ago, Sisay began experiencing a difficulty in breathing, fever, pain, and exhaustion. Every day is a grueling battle against a searing sore throat, transforming his essential duties, from warmly greeting patients to managing a relentless stream of phone calls, into a profound and painful struggle. Sisay was recently diagnosed with enlarged tonsils, which, if not treated, will cause his symptoms to persist and possibly intensify over time. Despite the constant pain, he continued to serve at his local health station. He knew a tonsillectomy was necessary, but a lack of specialized doctors and medical equipment in his area kept that relief out of reach. The moment he heard about a new opportunity for care at our medical partner's care center, he was filled with hope. He arrived at Saglan Waje General Hospital, clutching his referral papers, ready for a second chance. Our medical partner, Saglan Wajee General Hospital, is requesting $700 to fund a tonsillectomy for Sisay, which is scheduled to take place on March 7th. During the procedure, surgeons will remove his tonsils, hopefully relieving Sisay of his symptoms, and allowing him to go back to work with ease. Sisay says: "I am so excited for the opportunity to interact freely with my siblings again, instead of just collapsing into bed exhausted every night. I feel ready to truly show up for my patients as well as my siblings, and build the stable, happy future we all deserve together."

$700raised
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

James is a 19-year-old final-year secondary school student from Kenya, hardworking and deeply grounded in his faith. Outside school, he serves faithfully at his church, offering his time to clean and help maintain the premises. On 3rd January 2026, James and his cousin went to church to clean and prepare it for the service that was to take place the following day. After finishing their work, they began walking back home. Traffic was heavy, and before crossing the road, James paused to make sure it was safe. As he started walking across the road, a matatu, which was overtaking recklessly using the pedestrian path, hit him. The vehicle did not stop. It sped off, leaving James lying injured on the road. His cousin rushed to him and called for help. With the support of well-wishers, a kind passerby offered to bring them to our medical partner's care center, AIC Kijabe Hospital. At the emergency unit, doctors found that James had suffered a fracture to his left leg, along with serious bruising to his right hand. He is in severe pain and still in shock. The medical team has advised that he urgently needs surgery: a left tibia debridement and an ORIF (open reduction and internal fixation). James’ parents, who are his only source of support, have been unable to raise the required hospital bill since the accident. James was expected to return to school on 7th January after the holidays, but due to the accident and his current condition, this will not be possible. The accident happened suddenly, and they have no means to meet the medical costs. Despite everything, James continues to trust that with proper treatment, he will heal, return to school and complete his studies. It is difficult for him to walk and he is in chronic pain. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner can help. On January 5th, James will undergo a fracture repair procedure at AIC Kijabe Hospital. Now, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,500 to fund this procedure. “I am in so much pain right now, and it feels like my life has come to a standstill. I won’t be able to report back to school at the moment, but I believe all will be well,” James shares.

$1,500raised
Fully funded