Kyi Soe is a 42-year-old woman who lives with her husband in Burma. Her husband works in construction building houses, and her daughter works as a factory worker in Thailand.
When Kyi Soe visited her daughter in Thailand last year, she began to experience intense pain in her abdomen and lower back. Since then, Kyi Soe’s symptoms have only gotten worse– she has been having very heavy bleeding, nausea, and cannot lay down comfortably.
Despite her continuing symptoms, Kyi Soe was hesitant to go to a hospital because she knew it would be very expensive. Instead she returned to Burma and visited a local clinic. After a series of tests, the midwife told her that she would need surgery to remove the mass that was in her uterus– surgery Kyi Soe was unable to afford. So she just left with pain medication, and an expensive medical bill.
Kyi Soe had to stop working since her symptoms started. Her husband’s income is not enough to even meet their daily needs, so they had to take out loans to pay for her medical bills. But without proper surgery, the mass in Kyi Soe’s abdomen may grow and cause further complications.
After hearing about Burma Border Projects (BBP) from her daughter’s friend, Kyi Soe moved in with her daughter so that she could receive surgery. For $1500, doctors will remove the mass growing in her uterus. This will relieve her pain and other symptoms.
Despite the stress that Kyi Soe and her family have had addressing her condition, they are looking forward to her finally receiving proper medical treatment. When she recovers, she will be able to return to living with her daughter in Thailand, where her husband is also hoping to find a job.