Gabi's Story

Gabi joined Watsi on March 3rd, 2021. Two years ago, Gabi joined our Universal Fund, supporting life-changing treatments for a new Watsi patient every month. Gabi's most recent donation traveled 6,700 miles to support Erick, a 5-month-old baby from Bolivia, to fund heart surgery to close holes in his heart.

Impact

Gabi has funded healthcare for 27 patients in 8 countries.

patients you have funded

Saoly is a 33-year-old former garment factory worker from Cambodia. He is from the Kampong Speu province, and married with two children. His wife makes and sells traditional Khmer cakes at the local market. His children are four and seven years of age. Since an accident, he has been home and likes to listen to the news, watch TV, and play with his children. In March 2020, he was in a motorcycle collision with a truck and fell on his left shoulder on the pavement. This caused paralysis of his left shoulder and arm. He has been diagnosed with a brachial plexus injury on his left side. The brachial plexus is a nerve network that transmits signals from the spine to the shoulder, arm, and hand. Injuries to this nerve network can result in loss of function and sensation. In August 2020, he had a surgical nerve graft, which allowed him to successfully bend his elbow, but he still cannot move his shoulder or his fingers. He cannot work, feels phantom pain in his arm, and is very depressed he cannot support his family and his wife has to work hard. Saoly traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. This is the only center in the whole country where this treatment is available. On December 1st, he will undergo a brachial plexus repair surgery. After recovery, he hopes that he will be able to move his shoulder, use his hand, and work again to support his family. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $709 to fund this procedure. Saoly said: "I hope this surgery will help me to use my arm again. I would like to work in a factory again to support my family."

29%funded
$207raised
$502to go

Mkaluza Katunga is a 54-year-old woman from Malawi. She is the mother of eight children and is currently separated from her husband. Because he no longer supports her, Mkaluza depends upon selling her pottery and on farming, in order to survive. In 2021, Mkaluza started experiencing pain on the left side of her abdomen, which would be especially bad after she had eaten. She went to the hospital, where she was given medication and sent home. In early 2022, Mkaluza noticed that the left side of her abdomen was becoming hard and swollen. She returned to the hospital, but could not afford the tests that were recommended. Instead, she went home with pain medication. On September 14th of this year, Mkaluza visited the hospital once again, as her condition had persisted. After assessment in the surgical clinic, and after having undergone an X-ray, Mkaluza was diagnosed with an enlarged spleen. The doctor told her that she would need to undergo a splenectomy, to remove the enlarged organ. While Mkaluza does not have sufficient funds to cover this procedure, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is here to help. They are requesting your assistance in funding the $709 needed to pay for Mkaluza's surgery, which is scheduled for October 13th, at Nkhoma Hospital. This operation will prevent the possible rupture of Mkaluza's spleen, and will also enable her to return to her life, free from pain and the worries of the potential complications posed by her condition. Mkaluza says: “I am looking forward to a healthy and bright future after treatment.”

$709raised
Fully funded

Faith is a beautiful four-month-old baby from Kenya. She is the youngest of two children. To support their family, her mother is a stay-at-home mom, and her father herds and sells cattle. Faith was born at home with several congenital conditions. Her parents took her to a nearby facility for examination, where she was diagnosed with spina bifida, hydrocephalus, and clubfoot. They were referred to another facility where a medical device, called a shunt, was used to help treat the hydrocephalus, draining the excess fluid from her brain. On discharge, the hospital referred her and her family to our medical partner's care center, BethanyKids Kijabe Hospital, where Faith was examined and scheduled for spina bifida repair surgery. Spina bifida is a type of neural tube defect in which the spine does not properly close around the spinal cord. Without treatment, Faith is at risk of lower-limb paralysis, infection of the exposed nervous tissue, development of tethered cord syndrome, and possible developmental delays. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,151 to cover the cost of Faith's spina bifida closure surgery. The surgery is scheduled to take place on July 13th. This procedure will hopefully spare Faith from the risks associated with her condition, instead allowing her to grow and develop along a healthy trajectory. Faith’s father says, “When I saw the problems that my child has, I was worried that she would never receive treatment. I am hopeful she will receive treatment with your help.”

$1,151raised
Fully funded