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Success! Joshua from Kenya raised $585 to fund surgery to heal his hernia.

Joshua
100%
  • $585 raised, $0 to go
$585
raised
$0
to go
Fully funded
Joshua's treatment was fully funded on February 8, 2023.

Photo of Joshua post-operation

February 17, 2023

Joshua underwent surgery to finally heal his hernia.

Joshua’s surgery was successfully with no complications during his procedure or as he healed. After the surgery, he was discharged home on the same day as he was in a good condition to go home. Now his pain is gone, the swelling has disappeared completely, and he is recovering well. He’ll continue to visit with his medical team in the months ahead ot make sure he has a full recovery.

Joshua says, “I’m very happy that I have been treated!”

Joshua’s surgery was successfully with no complications during his procedure or as he healed. After the surgery, he was discharged home on t...

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September 14, 2022

Joshua is an 8-year-old boy who has been living in a children’s home since he was two years old and his mother passed away. A neighbor intervened to help him move there when it was discovered that the living conditions with his grandmother were not suitable.

Since early 2020, Joshua has had an inguinal hernia, or painful bulge in the groin area. Joshua started having lower abdominal pain, and has been to several hospitals for treatment but his condition has not improved. He was recently diagnosed with an inguinal hernia at one of the facilities and surgery was recommended. The host organization was not able to raise the needed amount and so he was referred to our medical partner BethanyKids Hospital for treatment. Fortunately, on September 15th, he will undergo hernia repair surgery.

Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $585 to fund Joshua’s surgery. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully allow him to live more comfortably.

Joshua says, “I want my pain to go away and play like my friends.”

Joshua is an 8-year-old boy who has been living in a children's home since he was two years old and his mother passed away. A neighbor inter...

Read more

Joshua's Timeline

  • September 14, 2022
    PROFILE SUBMITTED

    Joshua was submitted by Ruth Kanyeria, SAFE Program Coordinator at African Mission Healthcare.

  • September 15, 2022
    TREATMENT OCCURRED

    Joshua received treatment at BethanyKids Kijabe Hospital (BKKH) in Kenya. 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.

  • September 17, 2022
    PROFILE PUBLISHED

    Joshua's profile was published to start raising funds.

  • February 8, 2023
    FULLY FUNDED

    Joshua's treatment was fully funded.

  • February 17, 2023
    TREATMENT UPDATE

    Joshua's treatment was successful. Read the update.

Funded by 9 donors

Funded by 9 donors

Treatment
Hernia / Hydrocele
  • Cost Breakdown
  • Diagnosis
  • Procedure
On average, it costs $585 for Joshua's treatment
Hospital Fees
$421
Medical Staff
$10
Medication
$31
Supplies
$90
Labs
$5
Other
$28
  • Symptoms
  • Impact on patient's life
  • Cultural or regional significance

​What kinds of symptoms do patients experience before receiving treatment?

A hernia occurs when a portion of the intestine protrudes through the lower abdominal wall, usually for one of two reasons. The first is a congenital abnormality in which the tissues did not close. The second is excessive stress in an adult, often due to heavy physical labor or pregnancy. Patients experience a bulge or lump in the affected area. The hernia may cause the patient to feel pain, discomfort, weakness, pressure, and sensations of heaviness or aching. These symptoms are often exacerbated when the patient coughs, bends over, or lifts heavy objects. In some cases, hernias have no symptoms and are only detected during routine medical exams.

​What is the impact on patients’ lives of living with these conditions?

Patients with uncomplicated hernias may experience only annoyance or discomfort. As the hernia opening expands, the discomfort will increase. Small openings are more likely to trap the intestine, potentially leading to intestinal damage or death.

What cultural or regional factors affect the treatment of these conditions?

Hernias are common in Africa. People often do very hard physical labor and lift heavy objects. Women tend to have more children than those in the United States. It is possible that some hernias have infectious or genetic causes.

  • Process
  • Impact on patient's life
  • Risks and side-effects
  • Accessibility
  • Alternatives

What does the treatment process look like?

Surgery lasts for three to eight hours, depending on the age of the patient and the severity of the hernia. The patient will stay in the hospital anywhere from two days to eight weeks, again depending on the age of the patient and the severity of the hernia. The patient is continually monitored.

What is the impact of this treatment on the patient’s life?

Treatment is curative. The chance of intestinal strangulation or bowel obstruction reduces significantly.

What potential side effects or risks come with this treatment?

Hernia repair is not a risky procedure, and it comes with few side effects.

How accessible is treatment in the area? What is the typical journey like for a patient to receive care?

Many patients will ignore a hernia until it becomes uncomfortable and seek care at that time. Some people will wear tighter pants or a tight band around the waist to prevent the intestine from protruding.

What are the alternatives to this treatment?

If the hernia is not “stuck,” patients tend to ignore it and adapt to living with it. However, this could lead to future complications.

Meet another patient you can support

100% of your donation funds life-changing surgery.

Seint

Seint, who is 34 years old, lives with her parents and her aunt in Ayeyarwaddy Division in Burma. Her parents and her aunt make and sell mats from their home. When Seint was 13-years old, she noticed she started to easily tire, experienced heart palpitations, and had barely enough energy to play with her friends. Her mother took her to a nearby clinic, where the doctor examined her and told them that she had congenital heart disease. The doctor gave Seint medication, which she used together with traditional medicine. Both helped her to feel better. In November 2022, Seint felt extremely tired and experienced heart palpitations while she was completing physical exercises with her students. She also had difficulty breathing, and her vision became blurred. Her mother took her to a clinic, where she received medications which helped her to feel better. A few days later, however, she started to experience pain in her back whenever she felt tired. She also started to have difficulty breathing again, and had heart palpitations. Her mother brought her to a hospital in Yangon, where she received an echocardiogram that allowed the doctor to diagnose her with atrial septal defect. After additional testing, the doctor scheduled her to undergo urgent heart surgery at Pun Hlaing Hospital. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is seeking $1,500 to fund Seint's surgery, which will allow her to regain her health, and to live symptom free. Seint said: "I would like to recover as soon as possible. In the future, I will continue to work as a teacher. I love teaching students and wearing our school uniform proudly."

27% funded

27%funded
$415raised
$1,085to go

Meet another patient you can support

100% of your donation funds life-changing surgery.

Seint

Seint, who is 34 years old, lives with her parents and her aunt in Ayeyarwaddy Division in Burma. Her parents and her aunt make and sell mats from their home. When Seint was 13-years old, she noticed she started to easily tire, experienced heart palpitations, and had barely enough energy to play with her friends. Her mother took her to a nearby clinic, where the doctor examined her and told them that she had congenital heart disease. The doctor gave Seint medication, which she used together with traditional medicine. Both helped her to feel better. In November 2022, Seint felt extremely tired and experienced heart palpitations while she was completing physical exercises with her students. She also had difficulty breathing, and her vision became blurred. Her mother took her to a clinic, where she received medications which helped her to feel better. A few days later, however, she started to experience pain in her back whenever she felt tired. She also started to have difficulty breathing again, and had heart palpitations. Her mother brought her to a hospital in Yangon, where she received an echocardiogram that allowed the doctor to diagnose her with atrial septal defect. After additional testing, the doctor scheduled her to undergo urgent heart surgery at Pun Hlaing Hospital. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is seeking $1,500 to fund Seint's surgery, which will allow her to regain her health, and to live symptom free. Seint said: "I would like to recover as soon as possible. In the future, I will continue to work as a teacher. I love teaching students and wearing our school uniform proudly."

27% funded

27%funded
$415raised
$1,085to go