Read our powered by our community 🙌 Check out our 🙌
Meet another patient

Watsi logo blueWatsi

Success! Sophal from Cambodia raised $930 to fund spinal surgery.

Sophal
100%
  • $930 raised, $0 to go
$930
raised
$0
to go
Fully funded
Sophal's treatment was fully funded on January 13, 2019.

Photo of Sophal post-operation

December 12, 2018

Sophal underwent spinal surgery.

Sophal is recovering well from surgery. She is doing light physiotherapy as her mobility continues to improve. Sophal will continue her exercises at home, and looks forward to getting back to her family and village.

Her daughter says, “I am so happy that my mother can walk without back pain and can work. Thank you so much for the support.”

Sophal is recovering well from surgery. She is doing light physiotherapy as her mobility continues to improve. Sophal will continue her exer...

Read more
December 2, 2018

Sophal is a woman from Cambodia. She has three sons, four daughters, and fourteen grandchildren. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, watching TV, and spending time at home.

Five months ago, she developed degenerative formina stenosis of the spine. This causes her immense back pain, and she has been unable to walk and work.

Sophal needs to undergo a laminectomy procedure. This will help relieve the pressure on her spine and help her walk independently, and she will be able to return to work. The surgery is scheduled for December 3 and will cost $930.

She says, “After the operation, I hope I can walk well and can return to work.”

Sophal is a woman from Cambodia. She has three sons, four daughters, and fourteen grandchildren. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, watch...

Read more

Sophal's Timeline

  • December 2, 2018
    PROFILE SUBMITTED

    Sophal was submitted by Lindsay Bownik, Stakeholder Relations Officer at Children's Surgical Centre.

  • December 3, 2018
    TREATMENT OCCURRED

    Sophal 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.

  • December 3, 2018
    PROFILE PUBLISHED

    Sophal's profile was published to start raising funds.

  • December 12, 2018
    TREATMENT UPDATE

    Sophal's treatment was successful. Read the update.

  • January 13, 2019
    FULLY FUNDED

    Sophal's treatment was fully funded.

Funded by 24 donors

Funded by 24 donors

Treatment
Spinal Surgery (without implants)
  • Cost Breakdown
  • Diagnosis
  • Procedure
On average, it costs $930 for Sophal's treatment
Hospital Fees
$160
Medical Staff
$722
Medication
$0
Supplies
$40
Labs
$3
Radiology
$5
  • Symptoms
  • Impact on patient's life
  • Cultural or regional significance

​What kinds of symptoms do patients experience before receiving treatment?

Patients experiencing severe back pain may also experience fever and chills, unexplained weight loss, sudden bowel and/or bladder incontinence, and severe, continuous abdominal pain. Often, pain, numbness, or weakness is also felt in the arms and legs.

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

Patients with severe back pain experience difficulty walking, sleeping, sitting, riding a motorcycle, working, going to school, and carrying out everyday tasks. If the pain affects a patient's ability to work or go to school, the patient will be unable to earn money to support his or her family or continue his or her education. Patients may experience discomfort and difficulty breathing.

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

Cambodian culture emphasizes the importance of working hard and earning money to support the family. When a patient is unable to work, he or she may feel helpless or may experience financial difficulty.

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

What does the treatment process look like?

Spinal surgeries are generally classified as decompression or fusion. Decompression surgeries are performed to relieve pressure on a spinal nerve, and involve removal of a disc or of bone that presses on the spinal nerve in order to relieve this pressure. Common decompression surgeries are discectomy and laminectomy. Fusion surgeries are performed to stabilize the spine and relieve pain. There are various methods of fusion surgeries; in those performed without hardware, two or more vertebrae are fused together by inserting a bone graft, which helps bone grow and eliminates motion between the fused vertebrae.

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

The patient will be able to work or go to school without pain.

What potential side effects or risks come with this treatment?

As with any operation, there are potential risks associated with spinal surgery. These include: Infection: Antibiotics are regularly given to the patient before, during, and after surgery to lessen the risk of infection. Bleeding: A certain amount of bleeding is expected, but this is not typically significant. Pain at bone graft site: A small percentage of patients will experience persistent pain at the bone graft site. Recurring symptoms: Some patients may experience a recurrence of their original symptoms. Nerve damage: It is possible that the nerves or blood vessels may be injured during these operations. These complications are very rare. Blood clots: Another uncommon complication is the formation of blood clots in the legs.

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

Spinal surgery is not widely offered in Cambodia, especially for low-income patients who cannot afford treatment. Children's Surgical Centre (CSC) provides this procedure free of charge. Patients travel to CSC by bus, taxi, or motorbike from all over Cambodia.

What are the alternatives to this treatment?

Patients that do not seek a surgical procedure may try exercises and medication. However, these forms of treatment may not be effective.

Meet another patient you can support

100% of your donation funds life-changing surgery.

Beatrice

34-year-old Beatrice lives with her husband and four children in Malawi. Beatrice uses the income from the saloon that she owns to take care of the needs of her children. Her husband, who is a businessman, uses his income to take care of their home, a three-bedroom house that has neither running water nor electricity. In 2020, some of Beatrice's friends noticed a swelling in her neck. Beatrice- who was pregnant at the time- went to the hospital to be evaluated. She was told that the swelling might be related to her pregnancy and that she should come back after giving birth if the swelling hadn't subsided. The swelling continued to grow; ultimately, Beatrice was diagnosed with a goiter- a swelling of the thyroid gland- and told that she would need to have her thyroid surgically removed. Beatrice's surgery continued to be postponed, but her symptoms of breathlessness and coughing- which often kept her from going to work- continued to worsen. Finally, her sister suggested that she visit Partners in Hope Medical Center, where doctors scheduled her for surgery on January 31st. As Beatrice is unable to cover the costs of her treatment, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is seeking $1,015 to fund Beatrice's thyroidectomy. Beatrice believes the removal of her thyroid will help her to return to her home in Blantyre, and to rejoin her family in good health. She believes her children are the reason why she lives, and she knows that she has to be healthy in order to continue supporting them. Beatrice said: “I am looking forward to getting back to normal.”

27% funded

27%funded
$278raised
$736to go

Meet another patient you can support

100% of your donation funds life-changing surgery.

Beatrice

34-year-old Beatrice lives with her husband and four children in Malawi. Beatrice uses the income from the saloon that she owns to take care of the needs of her children. Her husband, who is a businessman, uses his income to take care of their home, a three-bedroom house that has neither running water nor electricity. In 2020, some of Beatrice's friends noticed a swelling in her neck. Beatrice- who was pregnant at the time- went to the hospital to be evaluated. She was told that the swelling might be related to her pregnancy and that she should come back after giving birth if the swelling hadn't subsided. The swelling continued to grow; ultimately, Beatrice was diagnosed with a goiter- a swelling of the thyroid gland- and told that she would need to have her thyroid surgically removed. Beatrice's surgery continued to be postponed, but her symptoms of breathlessness and coughing- which often kept her from going to work- continued to worsen. Finally, her sister suggested that she visit Partners in Hope Medical Center, where doctors scheduled her for surgery on January 31st. As Beatrice is unable to cover the costs of her treatment, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is seeking $1,015 to fund Beatrice's thyroidectomy. Beatrice believes the removal of her thyroid will help her to return to her home in Blantyre, and to rejoin her family in good health. She believes her children are the reason why she lives, and she knows that she has to be healthy in order to continue supporting them. Beatrice said: “I am looking forward to getting back to normal.”

27% funded

27%funded
$278raised
$736to go