Niwabaine is a three-year-old girl from Uganda. Her parents are small scale famers, and she has one younger sibling.
Niwabaine was brought by her mother to our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF), for treatment of a mass growing on her lip, which has been causing speech and feeding issues lately. On August 8, Niwabaine will receive surgery to remove the mass. AMHF is requesting $187 to cover the total cost of her procedure and care.
Niwabaine underwent mass removal surgery.
Niwabaine received a partially successful excision of her lip mass. The size of the mass was reduced, and now she can speak and eat more comfortably. The surgeons expected the swelling to reduce after recovery, but that was not the case. Niwabaine was referred to a plastics surgery clinic for review and possible treatment.
Niwabaine’s mother says, “I am very thankful to Watsi for having supported my daughter’s surgery which I would not afford and was afraid of. I hope she can have comfort when interacting with others and have peace of mind as she continues with schooling. I hope to continue with farming.”
Niwabaine was submitted by Robert Kariuki, Process Coordinator at African Mission Healthcare.
Niwabaine received treatment at Karoli Lwanga Hospital, Nyakibale in Uganda. Medical partners often provide care to patients accepted by Watsi before those patients are fully funded, operating under the guarantee that the cost of care will be paid for by donors.
Niwabaine's profile was published to start raising funds.
Niwabaine's treatment was fully funded.
What kinds of symptoms do patients experience before receiving treatment?
Broadly speaking, masses come in two types: benign (not cancer) and malignant (cancer). The types of tumors are many and could range from osteosarcoma of the jaw (a bone tumor) to thyroid enlargement to breast lump to lipoma (benign fat tumor), among others. The symptoms vary depending on the type of tumor. Not all tumors, cancerous or benign, show symptoms. A common benign tumor, such as a lipoma (fatty tumor), may cause local pressure and pain, or may be disfiguring and socially stigmatizing. An ovarian mass may be benign or cancerous and may cause pain, bleeding, or, if malignant, death.
What is the impact on patients’ lives of living with these conditions?
If the tumor is cancerous, it is usually aggressive and invasive. If not treated (like certain skin cancers, for example) there could be great tissue destruction, pain, deformity, and ultimately death.
What cultural or regional factors affect the treatment of these conditions?
Due to lack of accessibility to treatment facilities, some of the patients have lived with masses for a long time. Access to medical facilities is difficult for people living in remote parts of Uganda.
What does the treatment process look like?
The patient is usually admitted for three days. They undergo three- to five-hour surgery depending on the location of the mass and whether it's cancerous. After surgery, they are continuously monitored in the wards.
What is the impact of this treatment on the patient’s life?
In the case of cancer, the procedure can be life-saving. In the case of benign tumors, patients can be free of pain or social stigma.
What potential side effects or risks come with this treatment?
If the tumor is cancerous, the surgeon will only try to remove it if the procedure would be curative. If cancer has already spread, then surgery cannot help. Most of these surgeries are not very risky.
How accessible is treatment in the area? What is the typical journey like for a patient to receive care?
There are few qualified facilities and surgeons to perform this procedure.
What are the alternatives to this treatment?
Alternatives depend on the type of tumor. If the tumor is cancerous, chemotherapy may help, but that treatment is even less available than surgery. If the tumor is benign, it depends on the condition but just watching the mass would be one option.