Robert DouganUNIVERSAL FUND MEMBER
Robert's Story

Robert joined Watsi on February 6th, 2017. Six years ago, Robert joined our Universal Fund, supporting life-changing treatments for a new Watsi patient every month. Robert's most recent donation traveled 5,300 miles to support Eh, a 58-year-old father from Burma, to fund gallbladder removal surgery so he can live without pain.

Impact

Robert has funded healthcare for 80 patients in 12 countries.

Patients funded by Robert

Eh is a 58-year-old father of two from Burma. Eh became unemployed following a motorbike accident that left his leg weakened. He now relies on his wife, who sells betel nuts and noodles for support. During his free time, Eh enjoys weaving bamboo baskets. Eh has been diagnosed with multiple large gallstones. He has enduring intense right-sided abdominal pain, accompanied by back pain and a diminished appetite. Due to the pain, he also faces trouble sleeping at night. Eh has been advised to undergo a cholecystectomy, the surgical removal of the gallbladder. If left untreated, Eh's symptoms will continue to worsen and put him at risk for further health complications in the future. After seeking treatment through our medical partner Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF), Eh is scheduled to undergo his cholecystectomy on September 4th. BCMF is requesting $1,500 to cover the cost of Eh's procedure and care. Eh said, "I stopped working for a year, and I have no income, so I am stressed about my treatment. However, when I learned that BCMF would help me access treatment, I felt very happy. I want to express my gratitude and say thank you to the donors and BCMF for supporting my treatment."

$689raised
$811to go

Bahati is a 14-year-old girl in grade 8. She is expected to sit for her primary school national exams this year. Bahati is the second born in a family of four children. Her father passed away six years ago. Her mother is the family’s only breadwinner and works whenever she can to get jobs washing clothes for people around her community. On July 4th, Bahati was hit by a speeding motorbike as she was coming home from school. She was left unconscious and rushed to a nearby facility by well-wishers. She had an x-ray and a CT scan that revealed a fractured bone in her right leg. The fracture is affecting her studies and mobility. It is difficult for her to walk, and she cannot ambulate without support. Fortunately, our medical partner African Mission Healthcare (AMH) can help. On July 25th, Bahati will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation. This procedure will help her walk easily again, and she can return to school. AMH is requesting $1,500 to fund this procedure. Bahati's mother says, “This child is a candidate who should be in school studying. This injury has caused her not to go to school because she cannot walk. We pray that she gets treatment so that she can continue with her studies."

$1,192raised
$308to go

Darwin, a two-year-old toddler, resides with his parents and older sister in a small mining community nestled in the mountains of central Bolivia. Darwin was born with a cardiac condition called ventricular septal defect, in which a hole exists between the two lower chambers of his heart. Blood leaks through this hole without passing through his lungs to obtain oxygen, leaving him weak and in need of supplemental nasal oxygen. The only way to treat his condition is through Congenital Cardiac Surgery. Skilled doctors at Hospital del Niño Dr. Ovidio Aliaga Uría aim to close this hole using a patch, enabling blood to flow more naturally. Presently, our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, is seeking assistance in raising the necessary funds of $1,500 for this crucial procedure. Your support would have a profound impact on Darwin's life and well-being. Edwin's mother said: "I am hopeful that Darwin will be able to be a normal and healthy child once his surgery is over."

$769raised
$731to go

Vibol, who is 12 years old, is a student living in Phnom Penh, Cambodia with his parents and three younger siblings. His father works in construction, while his mother stays at home to care for the children. Vibol particularly enjoys studying mathematics and would like to be an engineer when he grows up. Four years ago, Vibol had an ear infection. This infection caused a cholesteatoma, or abnormal skin growth, to develop in the middle ear behind his ear drum. As a result, Vibol experiences ear fullness/pain, foul-smelling ear discharge, and increasingly poor hearing. He has not had any treatment because his family cannot afford the cost of medication. It is difficult for Vibol to communicate with others due to his poor hearing and he is often absent from class. Vibol and his family sought the help of our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre. On May 4th, he will undergo a mastoidectomy on his left ear at Kien Khleang National Rehabilitation Centre. During this procedure, ENT surgeons will remove the cholesteatoma so that Vibol will no longer experience his current symptoms. Children's Surgical Centre is requesting $926 to fund this procedure. This money will cover medications, supplies, and inpatient care. Vibol said: "I hope that my ear will stop the discharge and pain. When my hearing is better, I will feel better and do well in school."

$281raised
$645to go

23-year-old Josephine and her two siblings live with their mother in Kenya and participate in small-scale farming for home consumption. Josephine has no source of income but is hoping to pursue a course in hairdressing. On April 16th, 2022, while planting corn on their farm, Josephine slipped and plunged into a hole she hadn't seen. She sustained a fracture in her right leg and surgery was performed to stabilize the bone and help the fracture heal. Two months after the surgery, Josephine started noticing pus accumulating in the affected area. She returned to the hospital and was treated, but her condition did not improve. In October 2022, doctors noted that the hardware that had been placed in Josephine's leg to stabilize the bone had actually caused an infection. Despite the removal of the hardware, the infection has persisted. Josephine has a large mid-diaphyseal sequestrum. This means that her femur bone is infected. As a result, she is unable to use her right leg to walk. If left untreated, the infection can spread, and potentially result in an amputation. With the assistance of our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, Josephine has been scheduled for a Right Femur Sequestrectomy and Exfix to clear the infection and strengthen the bone, allowing it to heal completely. The surgery, which will take place at AIC Kijabe Hospital on April 17th, will enable Josephine to walk easily again so that she can farm and pursue the course in hairdressing. She and her family need your help to raise the $1,500 to fund her treatment. Josephine says, “I want to go to college and do a course in hairdressing. I am unable to pursue this dream since I have a broken bone that needs to be attended to.”

$1,000raised
$500to go

Joemer is a hard-working street vendor from Philippines. He is the breadwinner in the family. He earns money by cooking and selling local delicacies and his earning of $4 daily is just enough to bring food to the table. In January 2020, Joemer began to experience troubling symptoms. He sought medical consultation and was told to undergo an ultrasound. The test showed that he has a 1.2cm gallstone. Due to the financial crisis, he decided to delay his treatment and opted to take pain relievers instead. His pain intensifies forcing him to be checked again by a surgeon. Joemer has been advised to undergo a cholecystectomy, the surgical removal of the gallbladder. If left untreated, his symptoms will continue to worsen and put her at risk for further health complications in the future. After seeking treatment through our medical partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines (WSFP), Joemer is scheduled to undergo a cholecystectomy on March 7th. A portion of the cost of the procedure is being supported by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and WSFP is raising the remaining $1,128 to cover the cost of Joemer's surgery and care. Joemer shared, "I'm truly grateful to WATSI and World Surgical Foundation Philippines for being one of your beneficiaries. Your hearts are so kind for helping out people like me who are sick but not capable of paying for our needed surgery."

$1,128raised
Fully funded

Meet Clerize: a beautiful and bright 4-year-old. She is the 1st born in a family of two and her family hails from a small village in rural Kenya. We met her at our Nyandarua medical camp outreach accompanied by her grandmother. Clerize's grandmother is a farmer while her father, who is separated with his wife, works as a boda boda (motorcycle taxi) driver. Clerize was born healthy however at the age of three, her grandmother noticed an unusual walking style. She stared tiptoeing and would fall every time she tried to walk. For lack of information and because of the distance, they didn’t take her to the hospital. Later their family heard about CURE hospital medical camp in Nyandarua and brought her to be seen by the doctors. The medical team diagnosed Clerize with clubfoot. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. This causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Fortunately, Clerize's family has now traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, AIC Cure International Hospital. There, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on February 26th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,286 to fund Clerize's clubfoot repair. After treatment, she will be able to walk more easily and is looking forward to attending school. “I am pleading for help to help my granddaughter undergo surgery so that she can resume with her normal life and walking,” Clerize's grandmother told us.

$1,286raised
Fully funded

Valmy is a 10-month-old infant from Haiti. He lives with his mother, father, and older brother. Valmy has been diagnosed with hydrocephalus, a condition in which excess cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the brain and increases intracranial pressure. As a result of his condition, Valmy has been experiencing Increasing head circumference. Without treatment, Valmy will have severe physical and developmental delays. Our medical partner, Project Medishare, is requesting $897 to cover the cost of surgery for Valmy at Hospital Bernard Mevs that will treat his hydrocephalus. This is the only site in the country where this care is currently available, and the procedure is scheduled to take place on February 2nd. This critical treatment will drain the excess fluid from Valmy's brain to reduce the intracranial pressure and will greatly improve his quality of life. With proper treatment, Valmy will hopefully develop into a strong, healthy young boy. The family is looking forward to their child being able to grow up to walk and talk.

$897raised
Fully funded

Travis is a wonderful baby boy from Tanzania. He is his single mother's only child. He spends most of his time with his grandmother, as they both have a strong bond. His mother is very hard working; she works a nine-hour job throughout the week. Because of this, she has limited time with her son. Travis has clubfoot of both legs. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape, causing him to have difficulty sitting and standing. Since his father does not provide any support, Travis depends fully on his mother for his daily needs. They live near the town center, and due to inflation and the high cost of living, his mother's income only caters to their basic needs. Travis was brought to the hospital by his grandmother seeking financial support for his treatment. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner's care center, Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre, will perform clubfoot repair surgery for Travis on September 2nd. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $935 to fund Travis's clubfoot repair. After treatment, he will be able to sit and walk comfortably without support. Travis's grandmother shares, “I look at how my daughter struggles to raise my grandson on her own. It is hard and this weighs on her every day. I hope her son will get better."

$935raised
Fully funded

Na is a 54-year-old homemaker from Thailand. She lives with her husband and her niece in a refugee camp. Her husband is a mechanic and her niece helps her with household chores since her vision worsened. In her free time, she likes to pray and listen to the news. She also enjoys helping her husband repair bicycles and motorcycles. Na has cataracts. The vision in her right eye is very blurry and she can only perceive light with her left eye. Her niece now has to do most of the household chores since her vision is so poor. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund eye surgery for Na. On November 27, doctors will perform a lens replacement, during which they will remove Na's natural lenses and replace them with an intraocular lens implant. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Now, she needs help to fund this $1,500 procedure. "I have no children to take care of me and my husband," Na said. "Because of this, I want to receive surgery as soon as possible so that I can recover."

$1,500raised
Fully funded

Stevenson is a 26-year-old man from Haiti. He lives in a neighborhood of Port-au-Prince with his parents and several siblings. Stevenson had been attending university, studying for a business degree, when poor health forced him to leave school. When he was a child, Stevenson developed rheumatic fever, which has resulted in rheumatic mitral valve prolapse. This condition has meant that one of Stevenson's heart valves is unable to pump sufficient blood through his body, leaving him weak and short of breath. Thanks to our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, Stevenson will fly to the Dominican Republic, where on September 27th, surgeons at Hospital CEDIMAT will perform surgery to remove the damaged valve, and implant an artificial one. Haiti Cardiac Alliance is contributing $8,000 to pay for Stevenson's surgery. But Stevenson's family also needs your help to fund the $1,500 to cover the cost of labs, medicines, and follow up appointments, as well as for the passports and the social workers, who will accompany the family to the Dominican Republic. Stevenson shared, "I feel very lucky to have this chance to finally have my heart healed!"

$1,500raised
Fully funded

Nancy is a bright and social 12-year-old student from Tanzania. She is the youngest in a family of three children. Her and her siblings are being raised by their grandparents with the help of amazing well-wishers, since their grandparents are older and appreciate the extra help. Nancy currently attends primary school, and her favorite subjects include Swahili, mathematics, and social studies! She is very friendly and loves to play netball with her schoolmates. However, playing is becoming increasingly difficult due to her condition. Nancy has clubfoot of the left foot. Clubfoot is a condition where the foot is twisted out of shape, which causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Fortunately, Nancy and her family traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre. There, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on July 15th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $935 to fund Nancy's clubfoot repair. After treatment, she will be able to walk easily. Her grandmother says, "Nancy and her siblings have been in my care since they were babies. We struggle to raise them. That's why well-wishers help. Unfortunately, they can’t help her with her treatment. Please help us."

$935raised
Fully funded