Watsi

Success! Naturinda from Uganda raised $196 to fund a mass excision procedure.

100%

$196 raised, $0 to go

$196

raised

to go

Fully funded

Naturinda's treatment was fully funded on February 13, 2021.

Naturinda's story
Naturinda's update

Photo of Naturinda post-operation

February 26, 2021

Naturinda underwent a mass excision procedure.

Naturinda successfully received an excision treatment for his polyp condition. His mother shared that her son has recovered well from the moment he woke up from anaesthesia. He’s been happily playing all around like he used to do before.

Naturinda’s mother says: “I thank you so much for the support you have given to us because I as a parent was always seeing my child in pain but since I never had money, I had given up. May the Lord bless you abundantly; He had just started nursery school before the COVID lockdown, but I hope he will continue with school after they are reopened.”

Naturinda successfully received an excision treatment for his polyp condition. His mother shared that her son has recovered well from the mo...

January 31, 2021

Naturinda is a 3-year-old boy from Uganda. He had just started school, but unfortunately stopped attending due to the COVID-19 lockdown. Naturinda is the firstborn child in his family with one younger brother. His mother is a nursing assistant and earns a living from operating a small drug shop, where she is paid on commission. His father operates a small scale retail shop. The family stays in a single roomed rental house in Rukungiri Town.

Naturinda was brought in to the hospital with a history of bloody staining as he is passing stool. He was diagnosed with a hyperemic prolapse of a small mass. Naturinda often doesn’t feel well and going to the bathroom is a painful experience for him.

Naturinda’s family traveled to our medical partner’s care center to receive treatment. On February 2nd, surgeons will remove the mass. Once recovered, he will be more comfortable and no longer have pain. Now, Naturinda’s family needs help to raise $196 to fund this procedure.

Naturinda’s mother shared, “I ask you to kindly to help me because I think that my child will continue having discomfort and pain if he doesn’t undergo surgery. However, I have no money to help him receive this surgical treatment.”

Naturinda is a 3-year-old boy from Uganda. He had just started school, but unfortunately stopped attending due to the COVID-19 lockdown. Nat...

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Naturinda's case was submitted by Joan Kadagaya at African Mission Healthcare.

Naturinda's Timeline

January 31, 2021
PROFILE SUBMITTED
Naturinda was submitted by Joan Kadagaya, Curative Medical Support Program-Partner Representative at African Mission Healthcare.
February 2, 2021
TREATMENT OCCURRED
Naturinda 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.
February 4, 2021
PROFILE PUBLISHED
Naturinda's profile was published to start raising funds.
February 13, 2021
FULLY FUNDED
Naturinda's treatment was fully funded.
February 26, 2021
TREATMENT UPDATE
Naturinda's treatment was successful. Read the update.

Share Naturinda's story

Funded by 2 donors

Treatment

Mass Excision

Cost Breakdown
Diagnosis
Procedure

On average, it costs $196 for Naturinda's treatment

Hospital Fees

$95

Medical Staff

Medication

$29

Supplies

$28

Labs

$34

Other

$10

Symptoms
Impact on patient's life
Cultural or regional significance

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.

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

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.

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