Khaing is a 48-year-old woman from Burma. She lives in a small town about thirty minutes from the border with Thailand, where she and her husband moved twelve years ago in search of better job opportunities. They have two children who are both in school. Her 19-year-old daughter is in the tenth grade. Her 25-year-old son attends the university in Chiang Mai on a scholarship, which makes Khaing very proud.
About six months ago, Khaing began to experience some uncomfortable symptoms. She developed lower back and abdominal pain. Her use of traditional medicine only alleviated the symptoms for a short time. As the pain increased, she lost the ability to walk long distances, eat and sleep well, and even to sit for long periods of time. Eventually, Khaing visited a Watsi medical partner’s hospital, Mae Sot General Hospital, where she received blood and urine tests and an ultrasound.
Khaing learned that she has cervical cancer. Now, she needs a CT scan to determine the stage of the cancer and possible treatment.
Unfortunately, Khaing and her husband cannot afford the cost of healthcare. Though she used to work as a day laborer, Khaing’s health condition has made her unable to work for several months. They send most of their income to their daughter for dormitory fees and pocket money. Khaing needs Watsi’s help to pay for the $414 scan.
Khaing is increasingly worried about her condition and the effect it has on her family. She says, “My daughter’s education is very important to me.” She hopes that, like her son, her daughter will attend the university in Chiang Mai. For this reason, Khaing is eager to recover so she can resume work and support her family’s dreams.
