Win Tin is a nine-year-old girl who lives in Burma with her parents and her three younger sisters.
About two years ago, a benign tumor began growing on the right side of Win Tin’s jaw line. Her parents called upon a medical shaman and other local healers before seeking a prognosis at a local clinic.
At the clinic, a doctor took an x-ray and suggested attempting removal of what appeared to be a mass by incision and suction. Her parents are fearful of the concept of surgery and they left the clinic without Win Tin receiving treatment. A year later Win Tin complained of puss coming from her teeth. Shortly thereafter two of her teeth fell out. Now two years have lapsed and the size of the tumor had not decreased or increased, but Win Tin’s symptoms persist.
The tumor is firm, her jaw aches, puss continues to emerge, and she experiences itchiness. She can, however, eat comfortably. Since Win Tin stopped attending school two years ago, her mother often must stay home and she has been working less. Because symptoms have persisted for so long, the parents decided it was time to seek professional medical treatment.
Win Tin’s parents are agricultural workers, and their income fluctuates from month to month. They’ve accepted that their daughter needs surgery to remove her tumor, but cannot afford to pay for it.
“I want to be secondary school teacher when I grow up,” Win Tin shares. For $1,500, we can fund surgery to remove Win Tin’s tumor, allowing her to continue her education.
