Meet Kyi Win, a 49-year-old wife and mother of five children from Burma. According to our medical partner, Burma Border Projects (BBP), “Kyi Win and her husband are farmers who grow their own food. When Kyi Win’s family needs money for various costs, such as school fees, they sell some spare rice or a pig.”
Kyi Win is no longer able to work due to a prolapsed uterus. This condition occurs when all of the muscles surrounding the uterus weaken—consequently causing the uterus to drop. If her condition goes untreated, the muscles surrounding Kyi Win’s uterus will continue to weaken, leading to further health complications.
“Her prolapsed uterus is now a mass outside of her body,” BBP explains. “This presents multiple problems for Kyi Win: she is unable to walk easily and therefore cannot work and care for her family.”
As they are small-scale farmers who only receive labor assistance from the three oldest children, Kyi Win and her husband are unable to afford the cost of treatment. Kyi Win has already sought financial help from family members, who have helped pay for her previous medical expenses. However, Kyi Win tells BBP, “I do not want to cause further problems for my family by borrowing more money for my health issues.”
With $1,500 in Watsi funding, Kyi Win will receive a total abdominal hysterectomy to remove her uterus and cervix—ensuring that her problems will not persist into the future. In addition to her operation, Kyi Win will receive seven days of hospital care, all necessary medical examinations, and a post-operative visit to help facilitate a safe recovery.
Following her recovery, “Kyi Win will be able to return to caring for her family by continuing to work on the family farm,” predicts BBP.
Kyi Win looks forward to the independence that will follow a successful procedure and recovery. She shares, “I will have no more problems if I can walk well.”