Meet Gerson

Success! Gerson from Guatemala raised $492 to fund malnutrition treatment.

Photo of Gerson post-operation
$492
raised
$0
to go
Fully funded
Gerson's treatment was fully funded on December 19, 2019.
  • Gerson's story
  • Gerson's update
June 8, 2017
August 24, 2017

Since beginning treatment for malnutrition, Gerson has been gaining weight and growing taller. Gerson’s mother says that her son is not gett...

Read more

Gerson's Timeline

  • June 8, 2017
    PROFILE SUBMITTED

    Gerson was submitted by Ana Lopez, Complex Care Coordinator at Wuqu’ Kawoq

  • June 22, 2017
    TREATMENT OCCURRED

    Gerson received treatment at Clinic Tecpán in Guatemala. 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.

  • August 11, 2017
    PROFILE PUBLISHED

    Gerson's profile was published to start raising funds.

  • August 24, 2017
    TREATMENT UPDATE

    Gerson's treatment was successful. Read the update

  • December 19, 2019
    FULLY FUNDED

    Gerson's treatment was fully funded.

Funded by 1 donor

Meet another patient you can support

100% of your donation funds life-changing surgery.

Ly Chheng is a 77-year-old man from Cambodia. He lives in Phnom Penh with his wife and their third child, who works as a tailor. He has six children in total, all of whom are married and have their own jobs. He is no longer working, and in his free time, he enjoys planting vegetables around his home. Ly Chheng has severe cervical spinal stenosis, a condition in which narrowing of the spinal canal puts pressure on the spinal cord. He has experienced intermittent numbness and weakness in his hands and extremities for approximately four to five years, with his symptoms becoming progressively worse since early 2026. He now experiences numbness and weakness in both hands, hand clumsiness, difficulty walking steadily, and frequent urges to urinate. He also has neck stiffness and pain that can extend toward his shoulders. These symptoms have made it increasingly difficult for him to move around safely and manage his daily activities independently. Ly Chheng's family was referred to our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC), to seek specialized care. On August 17th, surgeons at CSC plan to perform cervical spine decompression to relieve pressure on his spinal cord and help prevent further deterioration. The surgery costs $1,500, and his family can contribute $50, but they need help covering the remaining $1,450. After surgery, he hopes to have less numbness and weakness, walk more steadily, and become more independent in his daily activities. Ly Chheng said, “I hope the treatment will relieve the pressure on my spinal cord, improve the numbness and weakness in my hands, and help me walk more steadily. I want to be more independent and able to manage my daily activities more comfortably.”

$878raised
$572to go