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Success! Kaliyan from Cambodia raised $696 to fund brachial plexus repair surgery so he can use his arm.

Kaliyan
100%
  • $696 raised, $0 to go
$696
raised
$0
to go
Fully funded
Kaliyan's treatment was fully funded on June 11, 2022.

Photo of Kaliyan post-operation

June 17, 2022

Kaliyan underwent surgery so he can regain the use of his arm.

Kaliyan traveled to the hospital in the hope that an operation would improve his quality of life by repairing the nerve damage in his shoulder. He’s now recovering well and will work closely with the physiotherapy team to regain strength. Although it may be many months until he sees a complete return to full function, his doctors are looking forward to tracking his steady improvements over the coming months.

Kaliyan said: “I am very grateful to have this treatment and want to thank the sponsors of my surgery and the doctors at CSC. I look forward to my recovery and hope to return to work soon!”

Kaliyan traveled to the hospital in the hope that an operation would improve his quality of life by repairing the nerve damage in his should...

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February 28, 2022

Kaliyan is a 27-year-old construction worker. He is an only child and his parents are divorced. He is currently living with his aunt. In his free time, he enjoys playing on his phone, playing football with his friends, and singing along to music.

In May 2020, Kaliyan fell off of a motorbike and experienced paralysis of his right shoulder. He was offered physiotherapy at a government hospital, but his condition did not improve. He has since been diagnosed with a brachial plexus injury on his right side. The brachial plexus is a nerve network that transmits signals from the spine to the shoulder, arm, and hand. Injuries to this nerve network can result in loss of function and sensation. He has no movement in his right upper arm, and is unable to move his fingers or flex his wrist and elbow.

Fortunately, our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC), is helping Kaliyan receive treatment. On February 28th, he will undergo a brachial plexus repair surgery. After recovery, he hopes to regain use of his right arm so that he can work. Now, he needs help raising $696 to fund his procedure and care.

Kaliyan shared, “I am hopeful that I can return to work to help my family. This injury has been very difficult for me because I can only stay home now and am not useful to anyone.”

Kaliyan is a 27-year-old construction worker. He is an only child and his parents are divorced. He is currently living with his aunt. In his...

Read more

Kaliyan's Timeline

  • February 28, 2022
    PROFILE SUBMITTED

    Kaliyan was submitted by Sieng Heng at Children's Surgical Centre.

  • February 28, 2022
    TREATMENT OCCURRED

    Kaliyan 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.

  • March 1, 2022
    PROFILE PUBLISHED

    Kaliyan's profile was published to start raising funds.

  • June 11, 2022
    FULLY FUNDED

    Kaliyan's treatment was fully funded.

  • June 17, 2022
    TREATMENT UPDATE

    Kaliyan's treatment was successful. Read the update.

Funded by 11 donors

Funded by 11 donors

Treatment
Brachial Plexus Injury Surgery
  • Cost Breakdown
  • Diagnosis
  • Procedure
On average, it costs $696 for Kaliyan's treatment
Hospital Fees
$87
Medical Staff
$561
Medication
$0
Supplies
$40
Labs
$3
Radiology
$5
  • Symptoms
  • Impact on patient's life
  • Cultural or regional significance

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

Symptoms of brachial plexus injury (BPI) vary on the severity and location of the injury, but include muscle weakness, loss of sensation, pain, and paralysis. BPI can cause neuropathic pain with damage to the spinal cord and can be long-lasting, with effects such as burning numbness.

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

The impact of a brachial plexus injury can range in severity; some patients may experience weakness or great pain, others may be paralyzed in their shoulder and upper arm. This can make day-to-day tasks difficult and impair quality of life.

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

Motorcycle collisions are the most common cause of brachial plexus injury, and are, unfortunately, an exceedingly common occurrence in Cambodia.

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

What does the treatment process look like?

Treatment for brachial plexus injury can involve nerve repair, nerve grafting, nerve transfer, or tendon and muscle transfers depending on the location and type of injury, and the amount of time since the injury occurred. A nerve repair involves reattaching a severed nerve; nerve graft is a procedure that takes a healthy nerve from another part of the body and transplants it to the injured nerve to guide regrowth; a nerve transfer is a procedure that cuts a donor nerve and connects it to the injured nerve when there is no functioning nerve stump to attach a graft. Nerve regeneration occurs approximately at a rate of 1 mm/day, and so recovery from a brachial plexus injury can take months for small improvements. Physical therapy during this time is important to prevent stiffness, contractures, or atrophy and increase the chances of regaining good movement in the affected limb.

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

While BPI surgery may not restore full movement to a patient, it can greatly increase the patient’s ability to use the affected limb and reduce the pain of the injury.

What potential side effects or risks come with this treatment?

BPI surgery is complicated and risks include infection as well as failure to restore movement, which would require further surgery.

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

Surgery to treat brachial plexus injury can be very complex and not widely performed. Surgical treatment in Cambodia can be expensive and hard to access. Patients will travel for hours by car, motocycle, and bus to receive free surgery at CSC.

What are the alternatives to this treatment?

Brachial plexus injury can have a range of severity; some patients may be able to be treated by splinting or physical therapy, but serious cases require surgical intervention. These types of injuries do not have alternatives to improving movement and functionality.

Meet another patient you can support

100% of your donation funds life-changing surgery.

John

John is a hawker (the local name for a street vendor) from Kenya. He has six children all under the age of 18 years. His wife helps at home and John is the family's sole breadwinner. Lately, due to his condition, John has been unable to work. He has no alternate source of income, and shared that he is struggling to raise his family. John first started experiencing a loss of appetite and stomach pain in April 2022. He visited a local health center and was treated for stomach aches, but his condition did not improve. He later started having episodes of diarrhea and has lost a significant amount of weight. He also has been experiencing bleeding that has caused him anemia. As a result, he has had several blood transfusions and hospital admissions. Recently, a biopsy at Kijabe Hospital revealed that John has colorectal cancer. Colorectal cancer is a disease in which cells in the colon grow out of control. At the current stage, his doctors feel the cancer can be stopped surgically from spreading. However, the procedure has to be done as soon as possible because it is urgent. He is now scheduled to undergo surgery and needs support. Unfortunately, John does not have medical coverage and cannot afford the surgery. He is requesting financial assistance to support the $1,074 needed for his medical care. John says, “I cannot eat, and I have lost a lot of weight. I have had several blood transfusions because of bleeding. I need this surgery to help fight the cancer.”

81% funded

81%funded
$870raised
$203to go

Meet another patient you can support

100% of your donation funds life-changing surgery.

John

John is a hawker (the local name for a street vendor) from Kenya. He has six children all under the age of 18 years. His wife helps at home and John is the family's sole breadwinner. Lately, due to his condition, John has been unable to work. He has no alternate source of income, and shared that he is struggling to raise his family. John first started experiencing a loss of appetite and stomach pain in April 2022. He visited a local health center and was treated for stomach aches, but his condition did not improve. He later started having episodes of diarrhea and has lost a significant amount of weight. He also has been experiencing bleeding that has caused him anemia. As a result, he has had several blood transfusions and hospital admissions. Recently, a biopsy at Kijabe Hospital revealed that John has colorectal cancer. Colorectal cancer is a disease in which cells in the colon grow out of control. At the current stage, his doctors feel the cancer can be stopped surgically from spreading. However, the procedure has to be done as soon as possible because it is urgent. He is now scheduled to undergo surgery and needs support. Unfortunately, John does not have medical coverage and cannot afford the surgery. He is requesting financial assistance to support the $1,074 needed for his medical care. John says, “I cannot eat, and I have lost a lot of weight. I have had several blood transfusions because of bleeding. I need this surgery to help fight the cancer.”

81% funded

81%funded
$870raised
$203to go