44-year-old Paw is originally from Burma, but has been living in a refugee camp in Thailand for the past 20 years. She lives there with her husband and their two young daughters. While Paw’s husband sometimes finds miscellaneous work as a day laborer outside the camp, neither of them has a steady job. They primarily rely on the aid given out in the refugee camp.
At the beginning of this year, Paw began experiencing heart palpitations on a regular basis. These palpitations frighten her and leave her extremely fatigued. Sometimes, she is so exhausted from the palpitations that she can only walk short distances at a time.
The refugee camp’s health center referred Paw to Mae Sot Hospital, where she was diagnosed with atrial septal defect. This means that there is a hole in the wall that divides the upper chambers of her heart. As a result, oxygen-poor blood mixes with oxygen-rich blood, and her brain, organs, and other body parts receive an inadequate oxygen supply.
Paw needs surgery to close this hole in her heart. However, without a reliable income, she and her husband cannot pay for the procedure. But we can help. By raising $1,500, we can pay for Paw’s operation on December 10, as well as her lab tests, four-day hospital stay, and travel to Chiang Mai for doctors’ visits.
Paw’s family was very distressed when she received her diagnosis. But by securing her surgery, we can help them take steps towards their hope of someday moving out of the camp. “I want my children to have a better future in the U.S.,” shares Paw.
