Cho Cho is a 49-year-old woman who lives in a refugee camp in Thailand with her husband. They have lived in the camp for three years, and they sell snacks to make an income. Sometimes, her husband delivers heavy bags of goods like charcoal to people’s homes to earn some money.
When Cho Cho was living in Burma, she became very sick. Sometimes she felt very fatigued but she never sought out treatment because she was afraid of the cost. Eventually, Cho Cho came to Watsi’s partner, Mae Tao Clinic, several years later after hearing about it from a relative. There she was given an ECG and x-ray, and diagnosed with heart disease. She was told she would need surgery, because medication would no longer change or improve her condition.
Currently, Cho Cho feels extremely fatigued. She can’t do house chores, walk, or work independently. She experiences chest pain, back pain and muscle tension.
Cho Cho got some money as a donation from a religious day ceremony to fund her travel to the hospital. $1,500 will help fund the rest of Cho Cho’s treatment, and allow her to live symptom-free.
“In the future I want to go back to work, make snacks and sell them in front of my house,” Cho Cho shared.