Success! Daliza from Cambodia raised $1,500 to fund spinal surgery.

100%

$1,500 raised, $0 to go

$1,500

raised

to go

Daliza's story
Daliza's update

March 2, 2020

Daliza is fourteen years old, and enjoys reading, cooking, and going for walks around the village with her family. She has one brother and two sisters. Her favorite subject in school is Khmer Literature, and she hopes to become a teacher when she gets older.

Since Daliza was ten years old, she started to develop scoliosis, causing a curvature in her spine. She often feels uncomfortable while sitting in class and sleeping, and cannot walk well. Spinal surgery will help to correct the curvature in her spine, and ensure that, as Daliza gets older, her spine will remain straight.

“My daughter’s spine gets worse everyday. I hope that I will no longer worry about her condition and she will be comfortable and can return to school again.” -Daliza’s Mother

Daliza is fourteen years old, and enjoys reading, cooking, and going for walks around the village with her family. She has one brother and t...

Photo of Daliza post-operation

March 26, 2020

Daliza underwent spinal surgery.

Daliza’s spinal surgery was a great success! Her surgery took several hours, but she is now resting well in the recovery ward. Surgery has corrected her spinal position, allowing her to sit, stand, walk, and sleep without discomfort.

Spinal correction surgery is very important to make sure that, as Daliza grows older, her condition does not worsen over time. Daliza will spend the next two weeks working with the physiotherapist to improve her mobility. Her family is so happy that her operation went well and she can now return to her studies without any problems.

“I am so happy that my back is looking better than before, and that I can sleep well and return to school,” she shared.

Daliza's spinal surgery was a great success! Her surgery took several hours, but she is now resting well in the recovery ward. Surgery has c...

March 2, 2020
PROFILE SUBMITTED
Daliza was submitted by Lindsay Bownik, Stakeholder Relations Officer at Children's Surgical Centre.
March 3, 2020
TREATMENT OCCURRED
Daliza 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 3, 2020
PROFILE PUBLISHED
Daliza's profile was published to start raising funds.
March 26, 2020
TREATMENT UPDATE
Daliza's treatment was successful. Read the update.
May 10, 2020
FULLY FUNDED
Daliza's treatment was fully funded.

Funded by 38 donors

Treatment

Spinal Surgery

Cost Breakdown
Diagnosis
Procedure

On average, it costs $1,589 for Daliza's treatment

Watsi raises $1,500 and other contributions cover the rest

Hospital Fees

$160

Medical Staff

$810

Medication

Supplies

$611

Labs

Radiology

Symptoms
Impact on patient's life
Cultural or regional significance

What kinds of symptoms do patients experience before receiving treatment?

Patients experiencing severe back pain may also experience fever and chills, unexplained weight loss, sudden bowel and/or bladder incontinence, and severe, continuous abdominal pain. Back pain may be caused by vertebrae, the small bones of the spine. The back conditions for which surgery is recommended include degenerative disk disease, spondylolisthesis, spinal stenosis, scoliosis, fracture, infection, and tumor.

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

Patients with severe back pain experience difficulty walking, sleeping, sitting, riding a motorcycle, working, going to school, and carrying out everyday tasks. If the pain affects a patient's ability to work or go to school, the patient will be unable to earn money to support his or her family or continue his or her education. Patients may experience discomfort and difficulty breathing.

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

Cambodian culture emphasizes the importance of working hard and earning money to support the family. When a patient is unable to work, he or she may feel helpless or may experience financial difficulty.

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

What does the treatment process look like?

There are several types of spinal surgeries performed to treat back pain: Spinal fusion: This is the most common surgery for back pain and is used to keep the spine stable after injury, infection, or a tumor. The surgeon joins the spinal bones (vertebrae) together. In a spinal fusion for scoliosis, the surgeon attaches rods, hooks, wires, or screws to the curved part of the backbone to straighten and stabilize the spine. Laminectomy: In this procedure, the surgeon removes parts of the bone, bone spurs, or ligaments in the back. This relieves pressure on spinal nerves and can ease pain or weakness. Foraminotomy: The surgeon cuts bone at the sides of the vertebrae to widen the space through which nerves exit the spine, relieving pressure on the nerves and easing pain. Diskectomy: A disk, the cushion that separates the vertebrae, can slip out of place, pressing on a spinal nerve and causing back pain. In a diskectomy, the surgeon removes all or part of the disk to relieve pain. Disk replacement: A surgeon removes the damaged spinal disk and inserts an artificial one between the vertebrae. Interlaminar implant: The surgeon implants a U-shaped device between two vertebrae in the lower back. This device helps keep the space between them open and eases pressure on the spinal nerves. Bone grafting will also be performed to support the spine and stimulate bone healing.

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

The patient will be able to work or go to school without pain.

What potential side effects or risks come with this treatment?

As with any operation, there are potential risks associated with spinal surgery. These include: Infection: Antibiotics are regularly given to the patient before, during, and after surgery to lessen the risk of infection. Bleeding: A certain amount of bleeding is expected, but this is not typically significant. Pain at bone graft site: A small percentage of patients will experience persistent pain at the bone graft site. Recurring symptoms: Some patients may experience a recurrence of their original symptoms. Nerve damage: It is possible that the nerves or blood vessels may be injured during these operations. These complications are very rare. Blood clots: Another uncommon complication is the formation of blood clots in the legs.

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

Spinal surgery is not widely offered in Cambodia, especially for low-income patients who cannot afford treatment. Children's Surgical Centre (CSC) provides this procedure free of charge. Patients travel to CSC by bus, taxi, or motorbike from all over Cambodia.

What are the alternatives to this treatment?

Patients that do not seek a surgical procedure may try exercises and medication. However, these forms of treatment may not be effective.

Meet another patient you can support

100% of your donation funds life-changing surgery.

Recheal is a 20-year-old from Kenya. She is studying in secondary school but has been unable to attend school for the last three months due to her condition. Recheal is the sixth born in a family of eleven children. Her parents are small-scale farmers, growing maize and beans for their family’s home use. Recheal does not have medical coverage, and her parents had to sell cattle and maize to raise Ksh 120,000.00 ($783) to cover her initial surgery costs. Recheal needs to undergo urgent surgery, and her family is requesting financial assistance. Recheal has been diagnosed with an abdominal bile leak that is causing her discomfort and pain. Her doctors have recommended surgery to ease the pain and enable her to resume her studies. She first experienced painful stomach swelling in August 2023. She visited a local health center and was treated for worms, which relieved her of pain for a while, but it recurred with time. She then visited our medical partner’s hospital for review. At the beginning of November, she received a CT scan that showed a liver cyst that required surgery. She underwent a laparotomy to remove the cyst on November 23rd. Four days later, the doctors identified a bile leakage that needed to be rectified. She is now scheduled for emergency surgery on November 28th to fix the fatal condition. African Mission Healthcare (AMH) is requesting $1,074 to fund this surgery. Recheal said, “I have missed school for three months now. This procedure will help ease stomach pain and enable me to return to school.”

Telake is an adorable 4-year-old girl who loves to play with her friends. She loves to color, write, and play with her baby sister. Telake's mother stays at home while her father is a tuk-tuk driver. A tuk-tuk is a three-wheeled mother vehicle used as a taxi. At times when he doesn’t get a job, he does casual labor work. Telake's mother noticed swelling on the left side of her child’s stomach. Doctors at BethanyKids Myungsung Christian Medical Centre (BKMCM), diagnosed her with inguinal hernia, a birth condition where there is a weakness in the abdominal wall. In infants and children, inguinal hernias are operated on to prevent other complications. Symptoms may include pain, a burning sensation, swelling, and discomfort. Fortunately, on March 19th, she will undergo hernia repair surgery at our medical partner's care center, BKMCM. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $487 to fund Telake's surgery. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully allow her to live more comfortably and confidently. Her mom said, “I hope she will heal after the surgery. My daughter wants to buy me a house when she grows up. I wish she grows up independent and educated."

Leat is a 37-year-old mother of two and a rice farmer from Cambodia. Her husband also works in the rice fields. They spend their downtime with their two children. Leat enjoys cooking soups, looking after the house, and gardening. In November 2023, Leat fell and dislocated her elbow. She traveled three hours to a clinic for surgery and treatment. Unfortunately, her arm did not heal so she traveled five and a half hours to our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), for consultation. It is difficult for her to use her arm and she is in chronic pain. Fortunately, surgeons at CSC can help. On March 7th, Leat will undergo a fracture repair procedure, which will cost $483. This procedure will restore function in her arm. Leat shared, "I hope I can use my arm again so I can work, care for my children, and help support my family."

Daliza's Timeline

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Funded by 38 donors

Treatment

Meet another patient you can support

100% of your donation funds life-changing surgery.