Watsi

Success! Thon from Cambodia raised $1,025 to fund hip replacement surgery.

100%

$1,025 raised, $0 to go

$1,025

raised

to go

Fully funded

Thon's treatment was fully funded on January 7, 2019.

Thon's story
Thon's update

Photo of Thon post-operation

November 14, 2018

Thon underwent hip replacement surgery.

Thon is recovering well from surgery. She is doing light physiotherapy as her mobility continues to improve. Thon will continue her exercises at home, and looks forward to getting back to her family and village.

She says, “I am happy with the results of the operation. I can walk well without pain now.”

Thon is recovering well from surgery. She is doing light physiotherapy as her mobility continues to improve. Thon will continue her exercise...

November 6, 2018

Thon is a rice farmer from Cambodia. She has one daughter. She likes to spend time at home and watch TV when not working.

A year and a half ago, she developed hip pain on her left side. She was diagonsed with avascular necrosis, which is the death of bone tissue due to lack of blood supply.

Fortunately, Thon learned about our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre. At CSC, surgeons can perform a total hip replacement to relieve Thon of her pain and allow her to walk easily. Treatment is scheduled for November 7, and Thon needs help raising $1,025 to pay for this procedure.

She says, “I hope I have no more hip pain and I can walk on my own after the surgery.”

Thon is a rice farmer from Cambodia. She has one daughter. She likes to spend time at home and watch TV when not working. A year and a ha...

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Thon's case was submitted by Lindsay Bownik at Children's Surgical Centre in Cambodia.

Thon's Timeline

November 6, 2018
PROFILE SUBMITTED
Thon was submitted by Lindsay Bownik, Stakeholder Relations Officer at Children's Surgical Centre, our medical partner in Cambodia.
November 07, 2018
TREATMENT OCCURRED
Thon received treatment at Kien Khleang National Rehabilitation Centre. 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.
November 07, 2018
PROFILE PUBLISHED
Thon's profile was published to start raising funds.
November 14, 2018
TREATMENT UPDATE
Thon's treatment was successful. Read the update.
January 07, 2019
FULLY FUNDED
Thon's treatment was fully funded.

Share Thon's story

Funded by 28 donors

Funded by 28 donors

Treatment

Hip Replacement

Cost Breakdown
Diagnosis
Procedure

On average, it costs $1,025 for Thon's treatment

Hospital Fees

$160

Medical Staff

$517

Medication

Supplies

$340

Labs

Radiology

Symptoms
Impact on patient's life
Cultural or regional significance

What kinds of symptoms do patients experience before receiving treatment?

Patients typically experience severe hip pain and difficulty walking or standing. By the time Children's Surgical Centre provides treatment, patients have often lived with these symptoms for months or more. A total hip replacement (THR) treats hips that are severely damaged and therefore not amenable to other forms of treatment.

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

Patients may not be able to walk or walk normally. Physical activity is extremely restricted, making any movement painful. This prevents patients from carrying out daily life, going to work, attending school, or taking care of themselves and their families.

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

Many Cambodians use motorbikes as their main form of transportation. Because of weak traffic laws, motorbike accidents are common. Injured individuals who cannot afford treatment often self-medicate or rely on Khmer traditional healers. Their fractures never heal, and patients live with the pain. Steroids are a common painkiller in Cambodia. No prescription is required. Individuals who do intense physical labor take steroids regularly, which restricts blood flow to the joints. This causes bone tissue death and tiny bone breaks, making bones more susceptible to breaks and fractures.

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

What does the treatment process look like?

During a hip replacement, doctors replace both the acetabulum (hipbone socket) and femoral head (head of the femur) with prosthetic implants. Doctors remove the dead or broken bone. A cup is inserted into the acetabulum, and a metal hip prosthesis is inserted into the femur.

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

The patient will be able to walk independently without pain, improving quality of life.

What potential side effects or risks come with this treatment?

Severe disability, arthritis, and avascular necrosis of the hip can be successfully treated by a THR. This treatment is highly effective, with few risks.

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

Most Cambodians visit Khmer traditional healers before seeking modern medical care. As recently as ten years ago, a THR was unavailable in Cambodia. Children's Surgical Centre is one of the few centers that provides this procedure.

What are the alternatives to this treatment?

Younger patients can elect to undergo hip fusion surgery and postpone the THR until later in life. The duration of the prosthesis is 10-15 years.

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