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Success! Tecla from Kenya raised $918 to fund treatment for uterine fibroids.

Tecla
100%
  • $918 raised, $0 to go
$918
raised
$0
to go
Fully funded
Tecla's treatment was fully funded on August 19, 2022.

Photo of Tecla post-operation

September 1, 2022

Tecla underwent treatment for uterine fibroids.

Tecla underwent successful surgery and is recovering well! She has been looking forward to this opportunity for a while and is thrilled with the results. With new energy and confidence, Tecla shared that she is ready to live a happy, free life.

Tecla’s aunt, who cared for her while she was recovering, said, “We are very happy with the outcome of the surgery, thank you for finding peace for her.”

Tecla underwent successful surgery and is recovering well! She has been looking forward to this opportunity for a while and is thrilled with...

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April 4, 2022

Tecla is a shy and hardworking woman in her early 40s. She was born alone in her home and she now stays with her mother. Tecla did not complete schooling after she developed partial hearing loss at an early age. She also experienced a painful accident when she was young after she burnt her right fingers leaving her disabled. Due to this, Tecla does not work and depends on her mum for all her needs. They live together in a semi-permanent house.

Starting five years ago, Tecla has been experiencing abdominal swelling and other symptoms. She has been diagnosed with a large fibroid uterus and needs to undergo a hysterectomy, a procedure in which surgeons will remove her uterus. Surgical removal should be performed as soon as possible. Since Tecla does not have national health insurance, she is requesting help to pay for her treatment.

Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $918 to fund Tecla’s surgery. On April 5th, she will undergo gynecological surgery at our medical partner’s care center.

Tecla shared, “It has never been easy for me. My hope here is to get treated and be well and live a normal life.”

Tecla is a shy and hardworking woman in her early 40s. She was born alone in her home and she now stays with her mother. Tecla did not compl...

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Tecla's Timeline

  • April 4, 2022
    PROFILE SUBMITTED

    Tecla was submitted by Beatrice Njoroge, Curative Medical Support Program Coordinator at African Mission Healthcare.

  • April 5, 2022
    TREATMENT OCCURRED

    Tecla received treatment at AIC Kapsowar Hospital in Kenya. 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.

  • April 6, 2022
    PROFILE PUBLISHED

    Tecla's profile was published to start raising funds.

  • August 19, 2022
    FULLY FUNDED

    Tecla's treatment was fully funded.

  • September 1, 2022
    TREATMENT UPDATE

    Tecla's treatment was successful. Read the update.

Funded by 13 donors

Funded by 13 donors

Treatment
Total Abdominal Hysterectomy
  • Cost Breakdown
  • Diagnosis
  • Procedure
On average, it costs $918 for Tecla's treatment
Hospital Fees
$367
Medical Staff
$3
Medication
$75
Supplies
$348
Labs
$39
Other
$86
  • Symptoms
  • Impact on patient's life
  • Cultural or regional significance

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

Symptoms vary depending on the condition that requires the total abdominal hysterectomy. If the cause is cervical, uterine, or ovarian cancer, there may not be symptoms, especially if the cancer is early-stage. In more advanced cases of cervical and uterine cancers, abnormal bleeding, unusual discharge, and pelvic or abdominal pain can occur. Symptoms of ovarian cancer may include trouble eating, trouble feeling full, bloating, and urinary abnormality. If the cause is fibroids, symptoms may include heavy bleeding, pain in the pelvis or lower back, and swelling or enlargement of the abdomen.

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

Fibroids can grow large, cause abdominal pain and swelling, and lead to recurring bleeding and anemia. Cancer can cause pain and lead to death.

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

Most cervical cancer is caused by a sexually transmitted infection called human papillomavirus (HPV), which can often occur alongside a HIV infection. As a result, cervical cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among African women in areas of high HIV prevalence. Cervical cancer is also more prevalent in Africa than in the United States due to the lack of early-detection screening programs. The other conditions treated by a total abdominal hysterectomy are not necessarily more common in Africa.

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

What does the treatment process look like?

The patient first reports for laboratory testing. The following day, the patient undergoes surgery. After the operation, the patient stays in the hospital ward for three to four days, during which she is continually monitored. The surgery is considered successful if the wound heals without infection, bleeding, or fever, and if the patient no longer experiences urinary dysfunction.

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

In the case of uterine fibroids or early-stage cancer, a total abdominal hysterectomy is curative.

What potential side effects or risks come with this treatment?

If performed early enough, this surgery is low-risk and curative, with few side effects.

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

This surgery is available, but many patients cannot afford it. Many women are screened for cervical cancer with a low-cost alternative to a pap smear. This is common in HIV treatment programs. If necessary, the woman is referred for surgery, which she often cannot afford.

What are the alternatives to this treatment?

If cervical cancer is caught early enough, some minor procedures can solve the problem. Women with fibroids who still wish to have children may opt to undergo a surgery only to remove the fibroids, which is called a myomectomy.

Meet another patient you can support

100% of your donation funds life-changing surgery.

Nafissa

Meet Nafissa. She is a 25-year old woman who shared that she tends to be very shy and reserved. She lives with her parents and her young child in an area of Burkina Faso where conflict is currently impacting their lives deeply. When she was a child, Nafissa developed a painful growth on the left side of her chin. This swelling in her lower jawbone affected her ability to eat, and was determined to be a benign tumor that needed to be removed. Her parents were able to secure the funds to send Nafissa to a hospital in Togo, where she could be treated at no cost to her family. The growth was removed, and for several years, Nafissa did well. However, the growth recurred, and in the middle of last year, Nafissa returned to Togo, where the second growth was excised. This time, however, the surgeon determined that her whole jawbone would also need to be removed. As the doctor in Togo did not have the necessary training to perform the surgery that Nafissa needed, he referred her to a physician with our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare. Miraculously, Nafissa is now scheduled for a major jaw surgery with the leading team at AIC Kijabe Hospital in Kenya. As Nafissa's husband abandoned her because of her condition, and provides no support to Nafissa or their child, Nafissa and her parents are looking to you to help fund the $1,500 procedure, which will finally relieve Nafissa of the pain and symptoms that result from the tumor. Nafissa says: “It pains me that I have to stay at home with no friends. Making it worse, I cannot work to provide for my child.”

57% funded

57%funded
$861raised
$639to go

Meet another patient you can support

100% of your donation funds life-changing surgery.