Mo is a 72-year-old woman who lives with her friend and friend’s grandson in Burma. During her free time, she enjoys selling vegetables that she foraged. She and her friend are both domestic workers, but Mo had to stop working two months ago due to her worsening condition. Once she stopped working, they began having difficulty purchasing food for themselves. However, Mo shares that her neighbors kindly started providing them with donated food, helping them get by.
One day while washing clothes, Mo noticed that her lower left leg and foot were swollen and in pain. Over time, she developed multiple ulcers on the swollen area. She eventually stopped working and sought medical treatment at a nearby village clinic. However, the medication she received unfortunately did not help her condition, and she could not seek treatment elsewhere due to financial constraints.
Over time, the ulcers became larger and more painful, preventing her from putting any weight on her left foot and walking. Her condition is also causing her to experience weakness, difficulty sleeping, a decreased appetite, and emotional distress. After a worried neighbor took a picture of Mo and posted it on Facebook explaining her situation and requesting the assistance of donors, a charity group saw the post and traveled to Mo’s house. One of the group’s members is a doctor and recommended that she visit a hospital due to her leg being badly infected. The charity group members brought her to our medical partner’s care center Mawlamyine Christian Leprosy Hospital (MCLH).
There, Mo underwent a physical examination and was diagnosed with chronic ulcers due to Buerger’s disease, a condition that affects blood vessels in the body, causing them to swell. This can prevent blood flow and lead to clots forming. Her doctor recommends that her left leg, which has began turning black from the knee down, be amputated as soon as possible due to it being severely infected. Mo shared that neither she nor the charity group have enough money to fund her needed surgery.
Fortunately, a doctor recommended Mo to our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, who is helping her receive treatment. On August 4th, surgeons will perform a leg amputation, which will hopefully alleviate Mo from her pain and discomfort. Now, she needs help to fund this $1,500 procedure.
Mo shares, “At first, I felt hopeless, and I would cry every day and night. I had no one that I could ask for help. I am no longer able to bear this pain. I want to say thank you to everyone who has helped me.”
