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Success! Cho from Burma raised $1,500 to fund heart surgery.

Cho
100%
  • $1,500 raised, $0 to go
$1,500
raised
$0
to go
Fully funded
Cho's treatment was fully funded on April 7, 2018.

Photo of Cho post-operation

April 28, 2018

Cho underwent heart surgery.

Before the surgery, Cho experienced chest pain, difficulty breathing, and heart palpitations. She also could not walk long distances and sometimes could not sleep well. After the surgery Cho feels like she can walk long distances and climb ladders. She also has no difficulty breathing and no longer has heart palpitations.

“In the future, I would like to work as a seamstress at home,” said Cho. “Thank you very much for helping.”

Before the surgery, Cho experienced chest pain, difficulty breathing, and heart palpitations. She also could not walk long distances and som...

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March 7, 2018

Cho is a 20-year-old young woman from Burma. She lives with her parents and younger brother. Her parents sell flowers in front of a Buddhist temple for a living, and her brother works in a tea shop. Cho likes to read stories and study English in her free time.

Cho was diagnosed with a heart condition that involves a malformation of the mitral valve, the valve between the left atrium and left ventricle. This valve controls the flow of blood, but certain conditions may cause blood to flow backward or the valve to narrow. Currently, Cho suffers from chest pain, difficulty breathing, and heart palpitations. She cannot walk long distances and tires easily. Additionally, due to her poor health, Cho is no longer able to continue her studies.

Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund a mitral valve replacement for Cho. The treatment is scheduled to take place on March 12 and, once completed, will hopefully allow her to live more comfortably.

“I want to get well soon and continue my studies. In the future, I want to become a teacher,” says Cho.

Cho is a 20-year-old young woman from Burma. She lives with her parents and younger brother. Her parents sell flowers in front of a Buddhist...

Read more

Cho's Timeline

  • March 7, 2018
    PROFILE SUBMITTED

    Cho was submitted by Bridgitte Agocs at Burma Children Medical Fund.

  • March 8, 2018
    PROFILE PUBLISHED

    Cho's profile was published to start raising funds.

  • March 12, 2018
    TREATMENT OCCURRED

    Cho received treatment at Pinlon Private Hospital in Burma. 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.

  • April 7, 2018
    FULLY FUNDED

    Cho's treatment was fully funded.

  • April 28, 2018
    TREATMENT UPDATE

    Cho's treatment was successful. Read the update.

Funded by 32 donors

Treatment
Mitral Valve Replacement
  • Cost Breakdown
  • Diagnosis
  • Procedure
On average, it costs $4,878 for Cho's treatment
Subsidies fund $3,378 and Watsi raises the remaining $1,500
Hospital Fees
$1,500
Medical Staff
$1,066
Medication
$0
Supplies
$1,800
Labs
$100
Radiology
$15
Other
$397
  • Symptoms
  • Impact on patient's life
  • Cultural or regional significance

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

Patients may experience excessive sweating, extreme tiredness and fatigue, irregular heartbeat, rapid breathing or shortness of breath, chest pain, lightheadedness, or loss of consciousness.

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

Patients cannot do labor work—even doing household chores may tire them. Adults will be unable to care for their families, and children will be unable to play or attend school. As the condition progresses, patients may become unable to eat.

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

Patients cannot afford to go to the hospital. Many people rely on medications provided by dealers who are not authorized pharmacists.

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

What does the treatment process look like?

Damaged valves are repaired and replaced during open heart surgery.

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

This surgery saves lives. Children will return to school, and adults will return to working and caring for their families.

What potential side effects or risks come with this treatment?

Potential side effects include bleeding, infection, fever, swelling, inflammation, arrhythmias, damage to surrounding organs, stroke, and death. Heart surgery is more likely to be life-threatening for patients who are very sick before the surgery.

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

Many of our medical partner's patients live in remote areas. They cannot afford or access treatment because it is only available in large cities.

What are the alternatives to this treatment?

There are no alternatives. If left untreated, this heart condition will become life-threatening for patients.

Meet another patient you can support

100% of your donation funds life-changing surgery.

Mary

Mary is an eight-year-old girl. She is a talkative and playful young girl. She is the last born in a family of seven children and the family is not well off financially. Both of her parents do casual jobs like ploughing people's farms for a living and such jobs are not easy to find where they live. Sometimes the church members chip in to help them where they can. When Mary was one year old, she was involved in an accident where she sustained burns to her head, some parts of her face and neck. She was rushed to the hospital and was admitted for better care. While in the hospital, a surgery was done on her head where she had sustained more burns. She was then discharged and booked for wound dressing clinics. The wounds were healing well as per the doctors’ plan. Her parents managed to take her for the clinics for a few months but later stopped because of finances. While at home, the wound got infected but due to lack of funds, she was not taken to hospital at that time. Time went by and the infection spread to most parts of the head. When she was three years old, the family met up with a local pastor who started helping them. He started financing Mary’s hospital visits with the help of some church members where he ministered. The wound was dressed again but the recovery process was very slow. In mid this year, the pastor brought them to Kijabe Hospital, she was examined, and the wound was dressed properly. Since then, the wound has been healing as expected. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Mary receive treatment. On December 9th, surgeons will perform a debridement and skin graft procedure to help the remaining wound to heal properly. Now, Mary's family needs help to fund this $1,185 procedure. Mary’s father says, "Since the accident, we have been struggling a lot to make her get the required treatment but have failed to some extent. Coming to Kijabe, our hopes have been boosted greatly with the improvement she has experienced, and we hope that she will go through with the surgery and be well again.”

60% funded

60%funded
$720raised
$464to go

Meet another patient you can support

100% of your donation funds life-changing surgery.

Mary

Mary is an eight-year-old girl. She is a talkative and playful young girl. She is the last born in a family of seven children and the family is not well off financially. Both of her parents do casual jobs like ploughing people's farms for a living and such jobs are not easy to find where they live. Sometimes the church members chip in to help them where they can. When Mary was one year old, she was involved in an accident where she sustained burns to her head, some parts of her face and neck. She was rushed to the hospital and was admitted for better care. While in the hospital, a surgery was done on her head where she had sustained more burns. She was then discharged and booked for wound dressing clinics. The wounds were healing well as per the doctors’ plan. Her parents managed to take her for the clinics for a few months but later stopped because of finances. While at home, the wound got infected but due to lack of funds, she was not taken to hospital at that time. Time went by and the infection spread to most parts of the head. When she was three years old, the family met up with a local pastor who started helping them. He started financing Mary’s hospital visits with the help of some church members where he ministered. The wound was dressed again but the recovery process was very slow. In mid this year, the pastor brought them to Kijabe Hospital, she was examined, and the wound was dressed properly. Since then, the wound has been healing as expected. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Mary receive treatment. On December 9th, surgeons will perform a debridement and skin graft procedure to help the remaining wound to heal properly. Now, Mary's family needs help to fund this $1,185 procedure. Mary’s father says, "Since the accident, we have been struggling a lot to make her get the required treatment but have failed to some extent. Coming to Kijabe, our hopes have been boosted greatly with the improvement she has experienced, and we hope that she will go through with the surgery and be well again.”

60% funded

60%funded
$720raised
$464to go