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Success! Elizabeth from Kenya raised $740 for a mastectomy.

100%

$740 raised, $0 to go

$740

raised

to go

Fully funded

Elizabeth's treatment was fully funded on August 10, 2016.

Elizabeth's story
Elizabeth's update

Photo of Elizabeth post-operation

September 29, 2016

Elizabeth received successful surgery.

Elizabeth underwent a mastectomy and is recovering well post-surgery. With subsequent chemo and radio therapy treatment, chances of cancer spread to other parts of her body will be further reduced.

“Thank you for your assistance,” Elizabeth shared. “I hope to get well and join on the fight against cancer.”

Elizabeth underwent a mastectomy and is recovering well post-surgery. With subsequent chemo and radio therapy treatment, chances of cancer s...

July 19, 2016

Meet Elizabeth, a 44-year-old woman who works as a caretaker of rental homes in Kenya. She previously worked as a tailor before starting her new career.

Last summer, Elizabeth heard a radio program educating listeners about breast self-exams. She examined herself and discovered a lump in her left breast. She went to the hospital for further assessment, but she was unable to pay for the recommended mammogram.

Elizabeth returned to the hospital in the spring of this year for a biopsy of the lump in her breast, and the results confirmed a diagnosis of breast cancer. Doctors recommended that she undergo a mastectomy, but she was unable to pay for the surgery. A friend referred her to AIC Kijabe Hospital, and the hospital surgeon also recommended a mastectomy as the best course of treatment.

Elizabeth is separated from her husband, and her elderly mother and sisters are unable to provide any financial help for her medical care. For $740, Elizabeth will undergo a mastectomy to remove her left breast. Funding also covers the costs of six days of hospital care, pain medicine, and blood tests.

Elizabeth looks forward to a successful surgery. “I want to be treated to have an extended, healthy life and be able to join in the fight for cancer awareness,” she shares.

Meet Elizabeth, a 44-year-old woman who works as a caretaker of rental homes in Kenya. She previously worked as a tailor before starting her...

Submitted by

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

Elizabeth's Timeline

July 19, 2016
PROFILE SUBMITTED
Elizabeth was submitted by Joan Kadagaya, Curative Medical Support Program-Partner Representative at African Mission Healthcare.
July 20, 2016
TREATMENT OCCURRED
Elizabeth 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.
August 10, 2016
PROFILE PUBLISHED
Elizabeth's profile was published to start raising funds.
August 10, 2016
FULLY FUNDED
Elizabeth's treatment was fully funded.
September 29, 2016
TREATMENT UPDATE
Elizabeth's treatment was successful. Read the update.

Share Elizabeth's story

Funded by 12 donors

Treatment

Mastectomy

Diagnosis
Procedure

Symptoms
Impact on patient's life
Cultural or regional significance

What kinds of symptoms do patients experience before receiving treatment?

A mastectomy is a surgery to remove the breast or part of the breast and is usually performed to treat breast cancer. Common symptoms of breast cancer include a lump or swelling in all or part of the breast, skin irritation or dimpling, pain, discharge, redness, and thickening of the skin.

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

If breast cancer is not treated, the cancer may spread to other organs, potentially leading to early death. Untreated breast cancer can also lead to pain and infection within the breast.

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

Breast cancer is the leading cancer in women in Kenya (34 per 100,000). It has been identified as the number one killer of women aged 35-55 years. Late diagnosis is the main reason for high mortality.

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

What does the treatment process look like?

The patient reports to the hospital, and lab work is done. The following day, the patient goes into the operating room for surgery. The patient stays in the hospital ward for three to seven days. The surgery is considered a success if the wound heals cleanly. The patient is then discharged from the hospital.

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

This treatment is curative if the cancer has not spread widely. Usually, this surgery is not performed if the cancer has already spread. Sometimes, doctors are unable to determine if the cancer has spread until they perform post-operative lymph node testing.

What potential side effects or risks come with this treatment?

There are very few side effects or risks if the condition is diagnosed and treated before the cancer has spread widely.

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

In Africa, there is limited capacity to treat breast cancer. Many cancers are diagnosed in advanced stages due to the limited number of diagnostic and treatment centers.

What are the alternatives to this treatment?

For early-stage breast cancer, a “lumpectomy” surgery may be adequate. Additional radiation therapy will be required for cancer that has spread to the lymph nodes.

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