Phyu is a 37-year-old woman from Burma who is a mother to 15-year-old-son and 13-year-old daughter. Phyu’s husband works as a carpenter to support their family.
Phyu has a heart condition called mitral stenosis. She “suffers from fatigue and heart palpitations,” explains our medical partner, Burma Border Projects (BBP). “These symptoms made her stop working as a day laborer. Presently she works as a housewife because her medical condition precludes work outside of the house.”
Mitral stenosis is a disorder in which a valve of the heart does not open fully, restricting the flow of blood through the heart. This has lead to another condition, called mitral regurgitation, which causes the backward flow of blood in the heart.
The complex cardiac surgery to treat Phyu’s condition costs $1,500. BBP tells us, “After surgery, she should be able to work and could provide an income for her family.”
Phyu tells our medical partner, “I want to recover and work with the traditional medicine shop, selling medicine in my village. I want to make money to support my children and my parents.”