Watsi

Neath is a 10 year old from Cambodia who needs $1,027 to fund spinal surgery.

82%

$843 raised, $184 to go

$843

raised

$184

to go

Neath's story

January 13, 2020

Neath is a ten year old girl from Cambodia. She has two older brothers, an older sister, and she loves to drink soy milk and eat fried chicken. When she is not studying, her favorite pastimes are reading books, watching television, and going for walks with her friends.

Neath was born with congenital scoliosis. She has undergone several treatments in the past to correct her spine as she grows, and a growing rod was placed along her spine to assist with alignment. However, the rod has to be realigned to ensure successful treatment and outcomes for Neath.

Surgery will ensure that Neath can grow up without any difficulty and discomfort.

“I hope that my daughter’s surgery will go well and that she will recover after her surgery.” -Neath’s Mother

Neath is a ten year old girl from Cambodia. She has two older brothers, an older sister, and she loves to drink soy milk and eat fried chick...

Submitted by

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Neath's case was submitted by Lindsay Bownik at Children's Surgical Centre in Cambodia.

Neath's Timeline

January 13, 2020
PROFILE SUBMITTED
Neath was submitted by Lindsay Bownik, Stakeholder Relations Officer at Children's Surgical Centre, our medical partner in Cambodia.
January 14, 2020
TREATMENT OCCURRED
Neath received treatment at Kien Khleang National Rehabilitation Centre. 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.
January 16, 2020
PROFILE PUBLISHED
Neath's profile was published to start raising funds.
February 02, 2020
AWAITING UPDATE
Awaiting Neath's treatment update from Children's Surgical Centre.
TODAY
AWAITING FUNDING
Neath is currently raising funds for her treatment.

Share Neath's story

Funded by 15 donors

Treatment

Spinal Surgery (without implants)

Cost Breakdown
Diagnosis
Procedure

On average, it costs $1,027 for Neath's treatment

Hospital Fees

$171

Medical Staff

$808

Medication

Supplies

$40

Labs

Radiology

Symptoms
Impact on patient's life
Cultural or regional significance

What kinds of symptoms do patients experience before receiving treatment?

Patients experiencing severe back pain may also experience fever and chills, unexplained weight loss, sudden bowel and/or bladder incontinence, and severe, continuous abdominal pain. Often, pain, numbness, or weakness is also felt in the arms and legs.

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

Patients with severe back pain experience difficulty walking, sleeping, sitting, riding a motorcycle, working, going to school, and carrying out everyday tasks. If the pain affects a patient's ability to work or go to school, the patient will be unable to earn money to support his or her family or continue his or her education. Patients may experience discomfort and difficulty breathing.

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

Cambodian culture emphasizes the importance of working hard and earning money to support the family. When a patient is unable to work, he or she may feel helpless or may experience financial difficulty.

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

What does the treatment process look like?

Spinal surgeries are generally classified as decompression or fusion. Decompression surgeries are performed to relieve pressure on a spinal nerve, and involve removal of a disc or of bone that presses on the spinal nerve in order to relieve this pressure. Common decompression surgeries are discectomy and laminectomy. Fusion surgeries are performed to stabilize the spine and relieve pain. There are various methods of fusion surgeries; in those performed without hardware, two or more vertebrae are fused together by inserting a bone graft, which helps bone grow and eliminates motion between the fused vertebrae.

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

The patient will be able to work or go to school without pain.

What potential side effects or risks come with this treatment?

As with any operation, there are potential risks associated with spinal surgery. These include: Infection: Antibiotics are regularly given to the patient before, during, and after surgery to lessen the risk of infection. Bleeding: A certain amount of bleeding is expected, but this is not typically significant. Pain at bone graft site: A small percentage of patients will experience persistent pain at the bone graft site. Recurring symptoms: Some patients may experience a recurrence of their original symptoms. Nerve damage: It is possible that the nerves or blood vessels may be injured during these operations. These complications are very rare. Blood clots: Another uncommon complication is the formation of blood clots in the legs.

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

Spinal surgery is not widely offered in Cambodia, especially for low-income patients who cannot afford treatment. Children's Surgical Centre (CSC) provides this procedure free of charge. Patients travel to CSC by bus, taxi, or motorbike from all over Cambodia.

What are the alternatives to this treatment?

Patients that do not seek a surgical procedure may try exercises and medication. However, these forms of treatment may not be effective.

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100% of your donation funds life-changing surgery.

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Kinkuhire is a farmer from Uganda. She is married mother to six children. Three self-employed in cultivation and three others are still in secondary schools. Her husband is a small scale farmer and she as well she can’t afford the costs of her surgery Six years ago, Kinkuhire began to experience troubling symptoms, including neck swelling and difficulty breathing. She was diagnosed with a goiter, an abnormal enlargement of the thyroid gland. She needs surgery to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is helping Kinkuhire receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on November 19th at our medical partner's care center. Surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. This procedure will cost $240, and she and her family need help raising money. Kinkuhire says, "I am hoping for a successful surgery and to have a good quality of health after surgery. I will continue with cultivation.”

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