Watsi

Success! Neath from Cambodia raised $1,027 to fund spinal surgery.

100%

$1,027 raised, $0 to go

$1,027

raised

to go

Fully funded

Neath's treatment was fully funded on May 28, 2020.

Neath's story
Neath's update

Photo of Neath post-operation

February 2, 2020

Neath underwent spinal surgery.

Neath’s operation went well. Surgery will improve her quality of life by improving her spine position and allowing Neath to sit in class for long periods of time without discomfort. Surgery is also important to ensure Neath does not have further worsening of the condition. Neath’s mom feels happy that Neath won’t have to miss any more school.

“I am so happy that my back is better and that I can walk again and don’t have any pain.”

Neath's operation went well. Surgery will improve her quality of life by improving her spine position and allowing Neath to sit in class for...

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

Learn more

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
TREATMENT UPDATE
Neath's treatment was successful. Read the update.
May 28, 2020
FULLY FUNDED
Neath's treatment was fully funded.

Share Neath's story

Funded by 18 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.

Meet another patient you can support

100% of your donation funds life-changing surgery.

Viboth is an 8-year-old elementary school student from Cambodia. He lives with his parents, who work at a local factory, and his younger sister. He is in the first grade at school. Reading is his favorite subject, and he wants to be a teacher when he gets older. He also loves to run footraces with his friends, and at home he likes to read more. When he was five, Viboth had an ear infection. This infection caused the tympanic membrane, or the ear drum, in his left ear ear to perforate. For this reason, Viboth experiences ear discharge and hearing loss. He cannot communicate clearly with others, and has a hard time participating in class. Viboth's family traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On October 6th, he will undergo a myringoplasty procedure in his left ear ear. During this procedure, surgeons will close the perforation. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $464 to fund this procedure. This covers medications, supplies, and inpatient care. His mother said, "I hope that this problem will not stop my son from going to school. He is a good student, but his ear infections make things difficult for him."

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Torn is a 51-year-old rice farmer from Cambodia. He and his wife have one daughter together. They had been married for 20 years but recently divorced, so Torn has been living with his sister. He works on multiple farms, and does construction work on the side. When he is not working, he visits with his friends nearby, or with his daughter. Earlier this month, the skin on his right thigh was burned by a motor in an accident. Soon after, the burn became infected and created a severe wound. Now, in addition to pus discharge, Torn experiences pain and swelling from the wound where the skin has necrotized. This makes it difficult for him to walk. When Torn learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, he traveled for three hours seeking treatment. On September 24th, surgeons at CSC will perform a debridement procedure to remove the damaged and infected tissue from the wound, allowing it to heal for additional surgery. Now, Torn needs help to fund this $273 procedure. Torn said, "I hope that this surgery will heal my leg so that I do not feel so much pain. After that I hope that my doctors can help me heal my skin as well."

0% funded

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$0raised

$273to go

Tem is a 73-year-old rice farmer from Cambodia. She has one son, two daughters, and seven grandchildren. She enjoys listening to the monks pray on the radio. One year ago, Tem developed a cataract in her left eye, causing her irritation, pain, and vision loss. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, recognizing faces, and going anywhere outside. When Tem learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for three and a half hours seeking treatment. On April 27th, doctors will perform a small incision cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in her left eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Now, she needs help to fund this $229 procedure. "I hope that I will be able to go out on my own again and help to take care of my grandchildren," Tem said.

2% funded

2%funded

$5raised

$224to go