Success! Sambo from Cambodia raised $1,500 to fund spinal surgery following a serious fall.

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$1,500 raised, $0 to go

$1,500

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Sambo's story
Sambo's update

June 9, 2020

Sambo is a 39-year-old rice farmer. She has five children, three of whom are in primary school. Her husband passed away after a traffic accident three years ago. She spends most of her time looking after her children and doing housework, but when she has free time she likes to watch TV.

On June 4th, she fell out of a tree from a height of about three meters and suffered trauma to her spine. Her family took her to a local government hospital where they determined she has a compression fracture. Now, Sambo cannot stand or walk, and is experiencing severe back pain. She has also lost some muscle and bladder control.

She has come to Watsi’s Medical Partner CSC for treatment. The doctors at CSC will perform a decompression surgery in order to restore her nerve function. Once Sambo fully recovers from the procedure, doctors hope she will be able to walk easily again. She will also regain muscle strength and control, and will no longer experience severe back pain.

Sambo said, “Since this accident, I am so worried about my children, and that they will not have me to take care of them. I hope I can walk again quickly after this surgery, so I can do everything I need to do for them.”

Sambo is a 39-year-old rice farmer. She has five children, three of whom are in primary school. Her husband passed away after a traffic acci...

Photo of Sambo post-operation

July 10, 2020

Sambo underwent spinal surgery following a serious fall.

Sambo’s surgery was successful. The nerve function she lost in her accident has been restored, and her spine will heal normally. Before the procedure, she was not able to walk at all, but not she can sit up easily, and she can walk with crutches. When she fully recovers, she will be able to regain strength and eventually walk normally again.

Sambo shared, “I was so worried that I would not walk again after my injury. Now, my back feels much better, and soon I will be strong again, and I won’t have to walk with crutches. I will be able to take care of my family again.”

Sambo's surgery was successful. The nerve function she lost in her accident has been restored, and her spine will heal normally. Before the ...

June 9, 2020
PROFILE SUBMITTED
Sambo was submitted by Sieng Heng at Children's Surgical Centre.
June 9, 2020
TREATMENT OCCURRED
Sambo 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.
June 10, 2020
PROFILE PUBLISHED
Sambo's profile was published to start raising funds.
July 10, 2020
TREATMENT UPDATE
Sambo's treatment was successful. Read the update.
August 7, 2020
FULLY FUNDED
Sambo's treatment was fully funded.

Funded by 27 donors

Treatment

Spinal Surgery

Cost Breakdown
Diagnosis
Procedure

On average, it costs $1,589 for Sambo's treatment

Watsi raises $1,500 and other contributions cover the rest

Hospital Fees

$160

Medical Staff

$810

Medication

Supplies

$611

Labs

Radiology

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. Back pain may be caused by vertebrae, the small bones of the spine. The back conditions for which surgery is recommended include degenerative disk disease, spondylolisthesis, spinal stenosis, scoliosis, fracture, infection, and tumor.

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?

There are several types of spinal surgeries performed to treat back pain: Spinal fusion: This is the most common surgery for back pain and is used to keep the spine stable after injury, infection, or a tumor. The surgeon joins the spinal bones (vertebrae) together. In a spinal fusion for scoliosis, the surgeon attaches rods, hooks, wires, or screws to the curved part of the backbone to straighten and stabilize the spine. Laminectomy: In this procedure, the surgeon removes parts of the bone, bone spurs, or ligaments in the back. This relieves pressure on spinal nerves and can ease pain or weakness. Foraminotomy: The surgeon cuts bone at the sides of the vertebrae to widen the space through which nerves exit the spine, relieving pressure on the nerves and easing pain. Diskectomy: A disk, the cushion that separates the vertebrae, can slip out of place, pressing on a spinal nerve and causing back pain. In a diskectomy, the surgeon removes all or part of the disk to relieve pain. Disk replacement: A surgeon removes the damaged spinal disk and inserts an artificial one between the vertebrae. Interlaminar implant: The surgeon implants a U-shaped device between two vertebrae in the lower back. This device helps keep the space between them open and eases pressure on the spinal nerves. Bone grafting will also be performed to support the spine and stimulate bone healing.

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.

Sokchea is a 30-year-old taxi driver from Cambodia. He is a widower who lives with his mother and his 10-year-old son in Kampong Cham province. In his free time, he enjoys playing soccer with the villagers but now his enjoyment has been interrupted due to his unfortunate health crisis. One month ago, Sokchea was in a motorbike accident and fractured his left ankle. He visited a local clinic, which only cleaned his wound as he could not pay for surgery to repair his fracture. The wound is now infected and Sokchea cannot walk or drive his taxi as he is in constant pain. Fortunately, Sokchea was referred to our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, where the surgeons can help. On March 22nd, Sokchea will undergo an Open Reduction Internal Fixation (ORIF) to repair the fracture and clear up the infection. The procedure will cost $483 and Sokchea is asking for help to fund his treatment. Sokchea shared: "I hope my ankle will be fixed, so I can work to support my family and have no more pain.”

Mpapa is a 61-year-old man from a village in Malawi. He has four married children and lives with his wife and grandchildren. When he was young, Mpapa needed to stop attending primary school making it hard for him to secure a job. He depends on farming where he grows maize and groundnuts for his family and for commercial purposes to support their day-to-day costs. Mpapa was diagnosed with an enlarged prostate and scheduled for surgery with our medical partner at Nkhoma Hospital. However, he cannot afford the entire cost of the surgery. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $530 to fund the balance payment for his surgery. Mpapa says, “I hope to receive treatment and resume life without this condition.”

Sophors is a 19-year-old truck driver from Cambodia. He is the eldest of three children. Sophors father works as a rice farmer, while his mother is a factory worker. In his free time, Sophors enjoys learning to cook different recipes. Last year Sophors was in a traffic accident that caused an open fracture of his upper right arm. He was sent to a local hospital where he received treatment with an external fixator that was used to keep his fractured bones stabilized and in alignment. Now, the hardware is exposed and infected. It is difficult for him to use his hand and he is in chronic pain. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner Children's Surgical Centre (CSC) can help. On April 19th, Sophors will undergo a hardware removal procedure to help clear up the infection and enable him to move his hand easily again. Sophors is able to contribute $50 towards the cost of his treatment and needs help raising $254 more to fund the operation and his post-op care. Sophors said, "I hope I have no more pain and can move my hand more easily."

Sambo's Timeline

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Funded by 27 donors

Treatment

Meet another patient you can support

100% of your donation funds life-changing surgery.