Swe Swe is a 44-year-old Burmese woman living in Mae Sot, Thailand. Swe Swe moved to Mae Sot with her husband and three sons in search of better job opportunities.
Last year, Swe Swe began to experience uncomfortable symptoms in a sensitive area. She visited a local hospital and began to take medication in an effort to combat these symptoms.
After a year, medication had not relieved Swe Swe’s symptoms––instead, she began to feel back and abdominal pain. Worries about her health were preventing her from eating or sleeping well. Swe Swe’s condition also inhibited her from helping around the house. Her husband was kept very busy doing all the housework in addition to working full-time.
Finally, an ultrasound performed at a local clinic showed that Swe Swe had a mass in her uterus. She needed a hysterectomy surgery. Fortunately, Swe Swe received surgery at our medical partner’s hospital, Mae Sot General Hospital, on October 19, 2016.
Both Swe Swe’s husband and oldest son work, but their combined income is not enough to pay for her healthcare. They need help to fund this $1,500 treatment.
“I really want to be healthy again so I can find a good job and save money for my sons,” says Swe Swe. “I am especially sad about my oldest son. He had to stop school early so he could help to support our family. I want to make enough money to send him back to school and to send all of them to university.”