Success! Kobusingye from Uganda raised $196 to fund removal of a mass on her wrist.

100%

$196 raised, $0 to go

$196

raised

to go

Kobusingye's story
Kobusingye's update

September 10, 2020

Kobusingye is a 31-year-old tutor from Uganda. She is married with two children; both still young for education. Her husband works with the cancer institute but due to the situation of the COVID-19 pandemic, she is overwhelmed with responsibilities and she no longer works. She has been a tutor at Nyakibale Nursing Training School but due to COVID schools were closed. She no longer gets any salary from her school and this is greatly impacting her wellbeing as she never had any other income.

Kobusingye presented at the hospital with a swelling on her right wrist joint, which has been present for over ten years. She has pain and discomfort, and it increasingly affects her ability to work.

Kobusingye traveled to our medical partner’s care center to receive treatment. On September 15th, surgeons will remove the mass. Now, Kobusingye needs help to raise $196 to fund this procedure.

Kobusingye told us: “I will be happy when am supported so that by the time schools open for me to get back to teaching, I find it has fully healed.”

Kobusingye is a 31-year-old tutor from Uganda. She is married with two children; both still young for education. Her husband works with the ...

Photo of Kobusingye post-operation

January 3, 2021

Kobusingye underwent removal of a mass on her wrist.

Kobusingye had a successful excision treatment for her granuloma/ganglion cyst. She no longer has disfigurement over her affected arm, no pain, and and no more discomfort. She is happy to be able to write with no interruption now, wash clothes and utensils more easily, and resume teaching when schools re-open following the COVID shutdown.

Kobusingye said, “I appreciate you so much for the support I have been rendered because as I was no longer working due to closure of schools, I could not manage this cost. I will be able to go back to teaching and tutoring now when schools open.”

Kobusingye had a successful excision treatment for her granuloma/ganglion cyst. She no longer has disfigurement over her affected arm, no pa...

September 10, 2020
PROFILE SUBMITTED
Kobusingye was submitted by Joan Kadagaya, SAFE Senior Program Coordinator at African Mission Healthcare.
September 10, 2020
PROFILE PUBLISHED
Kobusingye's profile was published to start raising funds.
September 22, 2020
TREATMENT OCCURRED
Kobusingye received treatment at Karoli Lwanga Hospital, Nyakibale in Uganda. 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.
January 1, 2021
FULLY FUNDED
Kobusingye's treatment was fully funded.
January 3, 2021
TREATMENT UPDATE
Kobusingye's treatment was successful. Read the update.

Funded by 2 donors

Treatment

Mass Excision

Cost Breakdown
Diagnosis
Procedure

On average, it costs $196 for Kobusingye's treatment

Hospital Fees

$95

Medical Staff

Medication

$29

Supplies

$28

Labs

$34

Other

$10

Symptoms
Impact on patient's life
Cultural or regional significance

What kinds of symptoms do patients experience before receiving treatment?

Broadly speaking, masses come in two types: benign (not cancer) and malignant (cancer). The types of tumors are many and could range from osteosarcoma of the jaw (a bone tumor) to thyroid enlargement to breast lump to lipoma (benign fat tumor), among others. The symptoms vary depending on the type of tumor. Not all tumors, cancerous or benign, show symptoms. A common benign tumor, such as a lipoma (fatty tumor), may cause local pressure and pain, or may be disfiguring and socially stigmatizing. An ovarian mass may be benign or cancerous and may cause pain, bleeding, or, if malignant, death.

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

If the tumor is cancerous, it is usually aggressive and invasive. If not treated (like certain skin cancers, for example) there could be great tissue destruction, pain, deformity, and ultimately death.

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

Due to lack of accessibility to treatment facilities, some of the patients have lived with masses for a long time. Access to medical facilities is difficult for people living in remote parts of Uganda.

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

What does the treatment process look like?

The patient is usually admitted for three days. They undergo three- to five-hour surgery depending on the location of the mass and whether it's cancerous. After surgery, they are continuously monitored in the wards.

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

In the case of cancer, the procedure can be life-saving. In the case of benign tumors, patients can be free of pain or social stigma.

What potential side effects or risks come with this treatment?

If the tumor is cancerous, the surgeon will only try to remove it if the procedure would be curative. If cancer has already spread, then surgery cannot help. Most of these surgeries are not very risky.

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

There are few qualified facilities and surgeons to perform this procedure.

What are the alternatives to this treatment?

Alternatives depend on the type of tumor. If the tumor is cancerous, chemotherapy may help, but that treatment is even less available than surgery. If the tumor is benign, it depends on the condition but just watching the mass would be one option.

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Kobusingye's Timeline

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Funded by 2 donors

Treatment

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100% of your donation funds life-changing surgery.