Read our powered by our community 🙌 Check out our 🙌
Meet another patient

Watsi logo blueWatsi

Success! Nicholas from Kenya raised $929 to fund hearing aids.

Nicholas
100%
  • $929 raised, $0 to go
$929
raised
$0
to go
Fully funded
Nicholas's treatment was fully funded on May 14, 2019.

Photo of Nicholas post-operation

March 25, 2019

Nicholas underwent hearing aids.

Nicholas had hearing aids fitted successfully in our medical partner’s facility.

Nicholas had hearing aids fitted successfully in our medical partner's facility....

March 4, 2019

Nicholas is a boy from Kenya. He is an only child.

Nicholas was born with a perfect hearing. Unfortunately, when he was four, he had meningitis and lost his hearing. This has interrupted his social and academic life. Upon audiogram testing, he had hearing aids recommended.

Now, he is scheduled to receive hearing aids on March 5. His family needs help raising $929.

Nicholas’s father says, “My prayer is to have my son treated and resume his hearing ability. I am hopeful that it will be possible for him to talk with ease again.”

Nicholas is a boy from Kenya. He is an only child. Nicholas was born with a perfect hearing. Unfortunately, when he was four, he had men...

Read more

Nicholas's Timeline

  • March 4, 2019
    PROFILE SUBMITTED

    Nicholas was submitted by Joan Kadagaya, Curative Medical Support Program-Partner Representative at African Mission Healthcare.

  • March 5, 2019
    TREATMENT OCCURRED

    Nicholas received treatment at AIC Kijabe Hospital 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.

  • March 7, 2019
    PROFILE PUBLISHED

    Nicholas's profile was published to start raising funds.

  • March 25, 2019
    TREATMENT UPDATE

    Nicholas's treatment was successful. Read the update.

  • May 14, 2019
    FULLY FUNDED

    Nicholas's treatment was fully funded.

Funded by 21 donors

Funded by 21 donors

Treatment
Hearing Aids - Severe
  • Diagnosis
  • Procedure
  • Symptoms
  • Impact on patient's life
  • Cultural or regional significance

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

Patients who need hearing aids present with a variety of conditions, including cholesteatoma, conductive hearing loss, ear drainage, sensorineural hearing loss, otitis media-inflammation of the middle ear, or a perforated ear drum/tear in the ear drum. Patients are unable to perceive speech and sounds, leading to impaired speech.

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

Patients are unable to perceive speech and sounds, they have impaired speech and language development, impaired communication, difficulties in learning, and avoidance/withdrawal from social situations.

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

The prevalence of disabling hearing loss in children and adults is greatest in Sub-Saharan Africa, south Asia and Asia Pacific. Certain infections (e.g. meningitis and ear infections) may cause hearing loss if not treated promptly.

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

What does the treatment process look like?

Patients are fitted for hearing aids, which are electrical devices that assist in optimizing perception of speech and other sounds. They amplify sound and thus improve hearing. They are designed for hearing impaired individuals. A basic hearing aid consists of a microphone (collects sound energy), amplifier (increases amplitude of impulses collected), earphone/receiver (converts electrical energy into sound), battery (provides power supply), and mould (holds the hearing aid in place and acts like a seal and volume control). Generally, they can be categorized by technology and style. Selection depends on hearing loss, cosmetic appearance, and cost.

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

Patients will gain the ability to perceive speech and sounds, have improved speech and language development, improved learning ability, and active participation in social situations.

What potential side effects or risks come with this treatment?

Not using the optimal hearing aid or not using it in the correct way could lead to uncomfortable side effects, including bad fitting, headaches and tinnitus (ringing in the ear), and improper sound level and quality. However, this can be easily avoided and fixed with the assistance of an audiologist.

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

There are few quality centers with the specialized personnel (audiologists and ENT doctors) that offer this kind of service, but the cost of hearing aids is a major deterrent for patients to access care.

What are the alternatives to this treatment?

For many hearing disorders, there is no actual available cure. However, there are assistive devices like hearing aids and promising new treatments that allow patients to manage their hearing disorders.

Meet another patient you can support

100% of your donation funds life-changing surgery.

Dennis

Dennis is the first born in a family of four children. When he finished high school, he was reluctant to join college because of his condition. He currently is not able to work because he gets easily tired and cannot carry heavy loads. He joined college just recently but has been out of school for the past two months. Now that he is at home, he helps his mother who picks tea for a living. He does not have a health insurance coverage and cannot raise the required amount of money to cater for his hospital bill. In 2019 while he was sitting for his national school exams, Dennis experienced sharp pain in his esophagus. He took a glass of water, and the pain went away for a few weeks. The pain used to occur roughly two times in a month and a glass of water would help a lot. Late last year, the pain worsened. He was not in a position to swallow food. He went to a herbalist and was given some medication to use for some time. When the dose was over, the pain was still persistent, and he still could not swallow food normally. He was then referred to Kijabe Hospital by a friend where he was examined and given some medication to use. He didn't feel better and decided to go back to the herbalist for different medication but there was no change. Later he finally returned to Kijabe Hospital and scans and tests revealed that he has Achalasia. He is scheduled for a heller's myotomy which is a curative laparotomy surgery for his condition. Now he needs $1,074 to pay for the surgery. Dennis says, "I feel very sad. If I was healthy, I would be able to work well and be comfortable with myself.”

58% funded

58%funded
$629raised
$445to go

Meet another patient you can support

100% of your donation funds life-changing surgery.

Dennis

Dennis is the first born in a family of four children. When he finished high school, he was reluctant to join college because of his condition. He currently is not able to work because he gets easily tired and cannot carry heavy loads. He joined college just recently but has been out of school for the past two months. Now that he is at home, he helps his mother who picks tea for a living. He does not have a health insurance coverage and cannot raise the required amount of money to cater for his hospital bill. In 2019 while he was sitting for his national school exams, Dennis experienced sharp pain in his esophagus. He took a glass of water, and the pain went away for a few weeks. The pain used to occur roughly two times in a month and a glass of water would help a lot. Late last year, the pain worsened. He was not in a position to swallow food. He went to a herbalist and was given some medication to use for some time. When the dose was over, the pain was still persistent, and he still could not swallow food normally. He was then referred to Kijabe Hospital by a friend where he was examined and given some medication to use. He didn't feel better and decided to go back to the herbalist for different medication but there was no change. Later he finally returned to Kijabe Hospital and scans and tests revealed that he has Achalasia. He is scheduled for a heller's myotomy which is a curative laparotomy surgery for his condition. Now he needs $1,074 to pay for the surgery. Dennis says, "I feel very sad. If I was healthy, I would be able to work well and be comfortable with myself.”

58% funded

58%funded
$629raised
$445to go