Watsi

Success! Chan Thou from Cambodia raised $1,025 to fund a hip replacement.

100%

$1,025 raised, $0 to go

$1,025

raised

to go

Fully funded

Chan Thou's treatment was fully funded on March 6, 2018.

Chan Thou's story
Chan Thou's update

Photo of Chan Thou post-operation

January 16, 2018

Chan Thou underwent a hip replacement.

Chan Thou is recovering well from surgery. She is doing light physiotherapy as his mobility continues to improve. She will continue to do physiotherapy at home, and looks forward to finally being able to sleep through the night pain-free.

Her son says, “I am so happy my mom isn’t in pain anymore.”

Chan Thou is recovering well from surgery. She is doing light physiotherapy as his mobility continues to improve. She will continue to do ph...

January 11, 2018

Chan Thou is a grandmother from Cambodia. She has two sons and two grandchildren. She works at a money exchange stall in the market.

She has been experiencing pain on her right hip for more than 12 years. The pain is so severe that she cannot walk on her own or sleep at night.

Fortunately, Chan Thou learned about our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre. At CSC, surgeons can perform a total hip replacement to relieve Chan Thou of her pain and allow her to walk easily. Treatment is scheduled for January 11, and Chan Thou needs help raising $1,025 to pay for this procedure.

She says, “I hope I can take care of my family and walk again.”

Chan Thou is a grandmother from Cambodia. She has two sons and two grandchildren. She works at a money exchange stall in the market. She ...

Submitted by

Learn more

Chan Thou's case was submitted by Lindsay Bownik at Children's Surgical Centre.

Chan Thou's Timeline

January 11, 2018
PROFILE SUBMITTED
Chan Thou was submitted by Lindsay Bownik, Stakeholder Relations Officer at Children's Surgical Centre.
January 11, 2018
TREATMENT OCCURRED
Chan Thou received treatment at Kien Khleang National Rehabilitation Centre in Cambodia. 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 12, 2018
PROFILE PUBLISHED
Chan Thou's profile was published to start raising funds.
January 16, 2018
TREATMENT UPDATE
Chan Thou's treatment was successful. Read the update.
March 6, 2018
FULLY FUNDED
Chan Thou's treatment was fully funded.

Share Chan Thou's story

Funded by 32 donors

Funded by 32 donors

Treatment

Hip Replacement (Cemented)

Cost Breakdown
Diagnosis
Procedure

On average, it costs $1,025 for Chan Thou's treatment

Hospital Fees

$160

Medical Staff

$517

Medication

Supplies

$340

Labs

Radiology

Symptoms
Impact on patient's life
Cultural or regional significance

What kinds of symptoms do patients experience before receiving treatment?

Patients typically experience severe hip pain and difficulty walking or standing. By the time Children's Surgical Centre provides treatment, patients have often lived with these symptoms for months or more. A total hip replacement (THR) treats hips that are severely damaged and therefore not amenable to other forms of treatment.

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

Patients may not be able to walk or walk normally. Physical activity is extremely restricted, making any movement painful. This prevents patients from carrying out daily life, going to work, attending school, or taking care of themselves and their families.

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

Many Cambodians use motorbikes as their main form of transportation. Because of weak traffic laws, motorbike accidents are common. Injured individuals who cannot afford treatment often self-medicate or rely on Khmer traditional healers. Their fractures never heal, and patients live with the pain. Steroids are a common painkiller in Cambodia. No prescription is required. Individuals who do intense physical labor take steroids regularly, which restricts blood flow to the joints. This causes bone tissue death and tiny bone breaks, making bones more susceptible to breaks and fractures.

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

What does the treatment process look like?

During a hip replacement, doctors replace both the acetabulum (hipbone socket) and femoral head (head of the femur) with prosthetic implants. Doctors remove the dead or broken bone. A cup is inserted into the acetabulum, and a metal hip prosthesis is inserted into the femur.

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

The patient will be able to walk independently without pain, improving quality of life.

What potential side effects or risks come with this treatment?

Severe disability, arthritis, and avascular necrosis of the hip can be successfully treated by a THR. This treatment is highly effective, with few risks.

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

Most Cambodians visit Khmer traditional healers before seeking modern medical care. As recently as ten years ago, a THR was unavailable in Cambodia. Children's Surgical Centre is one of the few centers that provides this procedure.

What are the alternatives to this treatment?

Younger patients can elect to undergo hip fusion surgery and postpone the THR until later in life. The duration of the prosthesis is 10-15 years.

Meet another patient you can support

100% of your donation funds life-changing surgery.

Srey Pov is an 18-year-old student. Srey Pov's parents are rice farmers and her father drives a moto-taxi in his free time to earn extra income for their family. They live four hours away from the capital city in the Kep province. Srey Pov has one sister and one brother. Srey Pov told us that she enjoys watching Youtube to learn about beauty tips! In 2009, Srey Pov had an ear infection. This infection caused the ear drum in her right ear ear to perforate. Srey Pov now experiences pain, discharge, and tinnitus. The tinnitus and pain disturbs her studying and makes it difficult to communicate with others. Srey Pov traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On May 10th, Srey Pov will undergo surgery in her right ear ear to close the perforation. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $487 to fund this procedure, medications, supplies, and inpatient care. Srey Pov says, "I hope the pain will stop and my hearing improves after surgery."

0% funded

0%funded

$0raised

$487to go

Daw Than is 54-year-old woman who lives with her husband, son, daughter-in-law, grandson, daughter and her son-in-law. Her daughter-in-law looks after her son, while the rest of her family makes and sells different types of breakfast food from their home to earn a living. Their income is just enough for their daily expenses, but they haven't been able to save any money. Five years ago, the vision in Daw Than's left eye began to blur. In 2021 she underwent surgery to replace the lens in that eye but soon after the surgery, she developed blurred vision in her right eye. She went to the hospital last week to have her right eye checked. The doctor told her she needs to undergo lens replacement surgery on that eye. She told the doctor that their family had used all the money that had for her first surgery so she went home feeling uncertain about the future. Later on, Daw Than's neighbour told her to go to a monastery where the abbot might be able to help her access surgery. Daw Than followed the neighbour's advice and went to see the abbot. The abbot then referred her to our medical partner Burma Children Medical Fund for assistance accessing the surgery she needs. Daw Than's daughter said, "We do not have any money to pay for my mother's surgery. It is very helpful for us that the organisation and donors are hopefully willing to help pay for it."

42% funded

42%funded

$328raised

$441to go

Vangilista is a 44-year-old woman from southwestern Uganda. She and her husband are both trained as teachers. While her husband still works as a teacher, Vangilista ventured into farming due to the better pay opportunities in their community. For the last four years, Vangilista has been experiencing lower abdominal pain and other worrisome symptoms. She has been diagnosed with uterine myoma. Although she has visited different hospitals for treatments, she has been unable to find relief. When Vangilista learned about our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), she was able to visit their hospital for review. Doctors at AMH determined that she needs to undergo a hysterectomy, a procedure in which surgeons will remove her uterus. On March 23rd, Vangilista will undergo surgery at AMH's care center. Upon recovery, she will be able to resume her daily activities free of pain. AMH is requesting $219 to fund her procedure. Vangilista shared, “I hope to get relief from my pain and heal once given your support to undergo surgery.”

9% funded

9%funded

$20raised

$199to go