Watsi

Boaz is a 52-year-old farmer from Uganda who needs $137 to fund a mass excision so he can work without pain.

$0 raised, $137 to go

raised

$137

to go

Boaz's story

January 23, 2023

Boaz is a farmer who is married with three school-aged kids. His wife joins him in the farm for subsistence farming, where most of his income goes towards meeting the family’s daily needs. There is little surplus for funds needed for medical care.

Boaz has been experiencing painful swelling on his upper back for the last six months. He is not able to work without pain, especially on strenuous activities which are his day-to-day duties.

Boaz traveled to our medical partner’s care center to receive treatment. On January 24th, surgeons will remove the mass on his back to treat the painful swelling. Boaz needs help to raise $137 to fund this procedure.

Boaz says “I will be much better when my health is restored, and I resume to my usual activities, living a better life.”

Boaz is a farmer who is married with three school-aged kids. His wife joins him in the farm for subsistence farming, where most of his incom...

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Boaz's case was submitted by Edward Mugane at African Mission Healthcare.

Boaz's Timeline

January 23, 2023
PROFILE SUBMITTED
Boaz was submitted by Edward Mugane, Impact Assessment Coordinator at African Mission Healthcare.
January 24, 2023
TREATMENT SCHEDULED
Boaz was scheduled to receive treatment at Karoli Lwanga Hospital, Nyakibale in Uganda. 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 27, 2023
PROFILE PUBLISHED
Boaz's profile was published to start raising funds.
TODAY
AWAITING FUNDING
Boaz is currently raising funds for his treatment.
TBD
AWAITING UPDATE
Awaiting Boaz's treatment update from African Mission Healthcare.

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Treatment

Mass Excision (Minor)

Cost Breakdown
Diagnosis
Procedure

On average, it costs $137 for Boaz's treatment

Hospital Fees

$38

Medical Staff

$23

Medication

Supplies

$30

Labs

$30

Other

$13

Symptoms
Impact on patient's life
Cultural or regional significance

What kinds of symptoms do patients experience before receiving treatment?

Broadly speaking, masses come in two types: benign (not cancer) and malignant (cancer). The types of tumors are many and could range from osteosarcoma of the jaw (a bone tumor) to thyroid enlargement to breast lump to lipoma (benign fat tumor), among others. The symptoms vary depending on the type of tumor. Not all tumors, cancerous or benign, show symptoms. A common benign tumor, such as a lipoma (fatty tumor), may cause local pressure and pain, or may be disfiguring and socially stigmatizing. An ovarian mass may be benign or cancerous and may cause pain, bleeding, or, if malignant, even death.

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

If the tumor is cancerous, it is usually aggressive and invasive. If not treated (including certain skin cancers, for example) there could be great tissue destruction, pain, deformity, and ultimately death. For non-cancerous masses, they could be disfiguring and painful.

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

Due to a lack of accessibility to treatment facilities, some of the patients have lived with masses for a long time. Access to medical facilities is difficult for people living in remote parts of Uganda.

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

What does the treatment process look like?

The patient is usually admitted to the hospital for one day to prepare for their surgery. For a minor mass excision, the patient is operated under local anaesthesia and based on the location, the surgery may be 1-2 hours long. The patient is then monitored and discharged on the same day of surgery if no concerns arise.

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

In the case of cancer, the procedure can be life-saving. In the case of benign tumors, patients can be free of pain or social stigma.

What potential side effects or risks come with this treatment?

If the tumor is cancerous, the surgeon will only try to remove it if the procedure would be curative. If cancer has already spread, then surgery cannot help. Most of these surgeries are not considered high risk.

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

There are few qualified facilities and surgeons to perform this procedure.

What are the alternatives to this treatment?

Alternatives depend on the type of tumor. If the tumor is cancerous, chemotherapy may help, but that treatment is even less available than surgery in Uganda. If the tumor is benign, it depends on the condition but just watching the mass would be one option.

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