Josephina is a 57-year-old talkative woman who lives in Kenya. She has five children, four of whom attend school.
Eighteen years ago, Josephina started experiencing heart palpitations. Later, she developed a mass at the base of her neck accompanied by vision changes. She decided to visit a doctor after her symptoms worsened, and she was diagnosed with a bilateral, multi-nodular goiter.
A goiter is an enlarged thyroid gland. It typically presents as a lump or swelling at the front of the neck, but it can become large enough to obstruct nearby structures and cause difficulty swallowing or breathing. Most goiters are due to a deficiency of iodine, an important element in the body’s production of thyroid hormones that regulate the body’s metabolism.
Josephina’s doctor recommended that she undergo a thyroidectomy to remove her thyroid. Josephina could not afford the surgery at that time. Recently, Josephina’s daughter heard about Watsi’s program with African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF) and suggested that Josephina visit an affiliated hospital, AIC Kapsowar Hospital.
AMHF requests $641 to pay for a thyroidectomy for Josephina. Funding also covers the costs of five nights in the hospital, lab tests, medicine, and surgical supplies. Her operation is scheduled for June 14.
“My children have been worried [about] my health,” Josephina says. “They don’t have peace of mind in their studies. My eldest girl has decided to defer her studies to take over the responsibilities at home.”
Let’s help fund surgery for Josephina to help her and her family!
