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

Subsidies fund $89 and Watsi raises the remaining $1,500

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.

Kanhchana is a clever 4th grader. She lives in rural Kratie province with her parents and two older brothers. Her mother is a teacher, and her father is a police officer. Her dream is to be a lawyer when she's older. For now, she is busy in school and gets good grades. Before her injury, she liked to jump rope with her friends. On January 23rd, she was playing with her friends when she fell and wounded her ankle. She went to clinic near her house a day later and started taking antibiotics. A few weeks after that, she went to a local referral hospital and had a cast for 20 days, but the wound has still not healed. She experiences pain, wound discharge, and difficulty walking. When Kanhchana's family learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, they traveled for five hours seeking treatment. On April 6th, surgeons at CSC will perform a debridement procedure to remove the damaged and infected tissue from the wound. Now, Kanhchana's family needs help to fund this $324 procedure. After surgery, her family is hopeful that the wound will be able to finally heal and she can grow up healthy, happy, and active.

Khemar is an active 23-month-old toddler from Cambodia. His parents work in Thailand, so he lives with his grandmother and older sister in Southern Cambodia. He stays home with his grandmother and his sister is in first grade in school. His favorite foods are fried chicken and milk, and he loves playing with the neighborhood children. Khemar was born with syndactyly of both feet, which means that he was born with fused or webbed toes. Khemar's big toe and second toe are fused together on both of his feet. His parents worry that he will face challenges when he starts school, and he does not walk well due to his condition. Fortunately, our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), is helping Khemar receive treatment. On May 19th, surgeons at CSC will perform a syndactyly repair procedure to separate and release the fused toes. After surgery, Khemar will be able to walk more easily and wear shoes. Now, he and his family need help raising $444 to fund his procedure and care. Khemar's grandmother shared, "after surgery, we hope Khemar's feet look better and it will be easy for him to move his toes."

Saroeun is a 43-year-old mother of three from Cambodia. She lives in a village with her husband, son, and two daughters. Her husband is a mechanic, and both of her daughters work in a nearby garment factory. Her son is still in school. In her free time, Saroeun enjoys cooking, spending time with her family, and watching Cambodian dramas on TV. About one year ago, Saroeun developed a cataract in her left eye, causing her itchiness, tearing, and blurry vision. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, including colors and faces, and is worried about falling when walking, so she cannot go places on her own. When Saroeun learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), she traveled for three hours seeking treatment. On May 10th, doctors will perform cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in her left eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. CSC is requesting $253 to fund this procedure. Saroeun contributed $75 to her care Saroeun shared, "I hope I can see clearly and start a new job to 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.