Ramona's Story

Ramona joined Watsi on March 12th, 2013. Three years ago, Ramona joined our Universal Fund, supporting life-changing treatments for a new Watsi patient every month. Ramona's most recent donation traveled 5,700 miles to support Ly Huor, a child from Cambodia, to fund burn contracture release surgery.

Impact

Ramona has funded healthcare for 1287 patients in 20 countries.

Patients funded by Ramona

Saw Htoo is an 11-year-old boy from Burma who lives with his parents, 4 brothers and a sister in a refugee camp, in Mae Hong Son Province, Thailand. His parents fled to the camp from Karen State, Burma, due to the civil war in 2010. Saw Htoo is in grade 4 and his favorite subject is English. His father used to work as a day laborer before travel restrictions were imposed on camp residents after the outbreak of covid-19. Since then, both of Saw Htoo’s parents are homemakers. Although they receive a small monthly cash card to purchase food in the camp, as well as free basic health care and education, they struggle to make ends meet. For the past 5 years, Saw Htoo has been brought frequently to the hospital in the camp due to having urine in his blood. He has also experienced pain while going to the bathroom, developed a fever and pain in his bladder area. He received an ultrasound, an x-ray of his kidney, ureter and bladder (KUB) and an intravenous pyelogram (IVP) and was diagnosed with a renal stone in his right renal pelvis. At a follow-up appointment in August 2023, he received another IVP which indicated that the stone was increasing in size and doctors recommended Saw Htoo have surgery to remove the stone. Saw Htoo has been experiencing pain in his back, and he often needs to take leave from school because of the pain. Fortunately, our medical partner Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF) can help. Saw Htoo is scheduled for surgery on September 8th, and BCMF is asking for help to raise $1,500 to fund the procedure. Saw Htoo said, “I want to become a football player [in the future] because I love to play football.”

$688raised
$812to go

Emelyn is a 34-year-old mother of two from the Philippines. She works as a health worker, while her husband works as a traffic enforcer. In May 2022, during her pregnancy, she noticed a palpable mass in her left breast. After a few months, she experienced frequent bouts of pain in the area. She was advised to consult a surgeon. Following an assessment, it was recommended that she undergo an operation to remove the mass and have a biopsy. Due to potential threats to her pregnancy, the operation was deferred. In December 2022, one month postpartum, she was advised to undergo an ultrasound to assess the progress of her condition and have a biopsy. Unfortunately, Emelyn has now been diagnosed with breast cancer. Without treatment, the cancer may spread to other organs. A mastectomy, a surgery to remove breast tissue, has been suggested to rid her body of breast cancer and to prevent the cancer from metastasizing (spreading to other sites in the body). Fortunately, our medical partner World Surgical Foundation Philippines (WSFP) is helping Emelyn receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a mastectomy on August 12th. A portion of the cost of her treatment is being supported by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and WSFP is requesting help to raise $1,058 to cover the remaining cost. After treatment, Emelyn will hopefully return to a cancer-free life. Emelyn shared, "Thank you, Watsi and World Surgical Foundation Philippines! Thank you for having a good heart and being willing to help people. You are a testimony that God truly provides."

$244raised
$814to go

Victoria is a three-year-old girl from Kenya. Victoria is a cheerful, playful girl, who has been raised by her aunties. When she reached walking age, she could not walk. This prompted her family to seek medical attention at a public hospital near their hometown. They were referred to the Provincial General Hospital in Nakuru County, Kenya. Several tests were done, but financial constraints prevented them from returning for the test results. Victoria's medical treatment was further delayed when a relative who was actively supporting and raising her became ill, and all available finances were directed toward their treatment. Recently, Victoria's guardian, who was visiting her grandmother, was advised to seek medical care at BethanyKids. Victoria has been diagnosed with hydrocephalus, a condition in which excess cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the brain and increases intracranial pressure. As a result of her condition, Victoria has been experiencing a visibly enlarged head size. Without treatment, Victoria will experience severe physical and developmental delays. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $720 to cover the cost of surgery for Victoria that will treat her hydrocephalus. The procedure is scheduled to take place on March 8th and will drain the excess fluid from Victoria's brain. This will reduce intracranial pressure and greatly improve her quality of life. With proper treatment, Victoria will hopefully develop into a strong, healthy young girl. Victoria’s aunty says, “This kid is active but unable to support herself because of the condition. She needs this treatment to be able to lead a normal life.”

$720raised
Fully funded