Andy HineUNIVERSAL FUND MEMBER
Andy's Story

Andy joined Watsi on December 1st, 2015. Six years ago, Andy joined our Universal Fund, supporting life-changing treatments for a new Watsi patient every month. Andy's most recent donation supported Teodoro, a 60-year-old part-time construction worker from Philippines, to fund hernia repair surgery.

Impact

Andy has funded healthcare for 83 patients in 13 countries.

patients you have funded

Teodoro is a hardworking man from the Philippines. He has nine children, six of which have their own families, and the youngest three currently live with him and his wife. He works as a part-time construction worker to make ends meet. Over the years, he experienced pain but never sought a medical checkup due to financial constraints. Unfortunately, his condition seems to have worsened in January, as he could feel a lump in his right groin. Despite his worries about their finances, he went to the hospital. Teodoro was diagnosed with an indirect inguinal hernia. This hernia causes him pain and discomfort, limiting his physical movements. Fortunately, on April 28th, Teodoro will undergo hernia repair surgery at our medical partner's care center, Our Lady of Peace Hospital. A portion of the cost of Teodoro's treatment is being supported by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation. Our medical partner needs help raising the remaining $1,103 to cover the cost of his surgery and care. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully allow him to live more comfortably and confidently. Teodoro is very grateful for the medical support that he'll receive. He shared, "Thank you, Watsi and the World Surgical Foundation Philippines! This free surgery is a big help for me and my family. Through you, I'll get the treatment that I needed. Thank you for giving me a second chance to live."

$394raised
$709to go

Ma Tin is a 41-year-old mother from Burma. She lives with her husband and three sons in Karen State - an area with conflict and lots of uncertainty and insecurity for the people who live there. Her husband is a day laborer and her three sons are students. Ma Tin is a homemaker but she also sells vegetables sometimes to earn extra money. Her husband's income is usually enough to cover their basic needs, but they sometimes rely on financial support of their adult children. In her free time, she enjoys playing with her children. She is currently expecting a baby and her doctors recommend that she deliver via a caesarean section because she started to leak amniotic fluid at 32 weeks. On April 3rd, she experienced pain and the doctor scheduled her to undergo an emergency c-section to ensure the safety of both mother and child. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is helping Ma Tin undergo a C-Section on April 4th at Taw Win Thu Kha Hospital. This procedure will cost $1328, and Ma Tin needs your support. Ma Tin said, "When I learned that I would need a c-section, I lost hope. I thought about giving birth at home and if I were lucky, I would be able to give birth like before [without complications]. If not, I would die. Now that I was told that there would be donors to help pay for my c-section, I felt so happy. You are a miracle that appeared in my life to help me when I needed it with the cost of my surgery. Thank you so much to all the staff and donors who are willing to help me."

$725raised
$603to go

Nwe Ni is a 43-year-old woman who lives with her mother, her two sisters, and her older brother in Karen State, Burma. Nwe Ni used to work as a homemaker, but stopped once the goiter in her neck became enlarged. Her discomfort began in November 2019, when Nwe Ni started to experience neck stiffness and swelling. Currently, she also has trouble with insomnia, leaving her tired and prompting her to rest during the day. At the same time, she has lost her appetite and, with her neck swollen, at times it feels constricted. In February 2023, Nwe Ni was referred to the Mae Sot General Hospital for further investigation. The doctor there diagnosed her with a multinodular goiter and told her that she would require surgery. Nwe Ni’s mother told the doctor that they could not cover the cost of surgery, and they were referred to Burma Children Medical Fund, which is seeking $1,500 to fund Nwe Ni's thyroidectomy, which is scheduled for March 8th, at Mae Sot General Hospital. She and her family are looking to you to help cover the costs of her life-changing procedure. Nwe Ni said: “I am so delighted when I heard that I could have this mass removed. It feels so heavy, and I am not comfortable living like this. I would like to say thank you so much [to the donors] and you will always be in my prayers for your assistance.”

$800raised
$700to go

Benedister is a 45-year-old single mother and small-scale farmer from Kenya. She plants maize and millet for her family's consumption and for sale. Benedister has seven children between 11 and 23 years old. When she is done with her farm work, Benedister always looks for casual jobs in order to earn extra wages. She is very hardworking, as she is her family’s sole breadwinner. One day, while walking around her compound, Benedister fell and injured her right lower limb. She was unable to walk, so she was carried by some of her relatives to the hospital. Her pain was so intense that she was given some pain medication, then sent for an x-ray. The x-ray revealed that she had a bimalleolar fracture with a joint dislocation, which means that in addition to a bone being broken, the ligaments on the inside of her ankle were injured as well. She was treated, and then her ankle was immobilized with a bulky jones splint. She is not able to walk on her own and is in a lot of pain. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner can help. On February 7th, Benedister will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation. Afterward, she will be able to walk easily again. Now, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,145 to fund this procedure. Benedister says, “It’s really sad that I cannot walk without support. My children look up to me for all their needs and here I am now with a broken leg and cannot offer any help to them. Please help me get my bones fixed so that I will be able to work and live normally as before.”

$433raised
$712to go

Meet Zephania, a jovial, 34 year old farmer, living in the highlands of Kenya with his wife and three children. Zephania has a small piece of land, on which he plants maize and potatoes, mainly for his family's consumption. He dropped out of high school early because his family could not afford to cover the necessary fees. He has been a casual laborer working on people's farms, clearing bushes and carrying loads, in order to earn a living. His wife is not working currently, as she is expecting a child. Zephania was involved in an accident while riding his motorbike. When he arrived at the hospital, he was unable to stand or to walk, and he complained of a lot of pain in his left leg. Upon examination, it was revealed that his leg had been shortened, and there was also some swelling of the limb. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, can help. On January 10th, Zephania will undergo a fracture repair procedure at AIC Kapsowar Hospital. As a result of this surgery, called an open reduction and internal fixation, Zephania will no longer be in pain; his leg will heal, and he will be able to return to work and to provide for his family. Now, African Mission Healthcare Foundation is requesting $1,145 to fund this procedure. Zephania says: "My family depends on me for their daily needs, so it is really difficult for them. I don’t want to see them struggle when I am living.”

$474raised
$671to go

Naw Klee is a 75-year-old woman who lives alone in a refugee camp. She receives 364 baht (approx. $12) every month from an organization called The Border Consortium. She also receives free basic health care in the refugee camp provided by Malteser International (MI) Thailand. Currently, Naw Klee’s right eye is sensitive to light and will water and hurt whenever she opens her eye. The vision in both of her eyes is blurry, though the vision in her right eye is worse. Because of her poor vision, she cannot cook or carry water, so she has to eat with her nephew’s family. When she walks to his house, she has to use a walking stick to make sure she does not trip over uneven ground. She also cannot go to church every Sunday, because she needs someone to go with her and guide her. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund lens replacement surgery for Naw Klee. On December 8th, doctors will perform a surgery to remove Naw Klee's natural lens and replace it with an intraocular lens implant. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly and she needs help to fund this $1,500 procedure. Naw Klee says, “After I receive surgery, I want to be able to cook for myself, to weave (traditional) Karen clothes again, to earn money, and I want to be able to go to church by myself.”

$1,500raised
Fully funded

Frank is a 2-week-old baby. His mother is a young student and needs to raise her new baby on her own and with the generosity of her family. Since the birth, she depends on her parents to provide for her and the newborn baby. Frank’s grandparents are small-scale farmers that try their best to provide for their family. It is very difficult for them to afford to take care of everyone right now. Frank was born with clubfoot of his left foot. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. This causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner's care center, Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre, will perform clubfoot repair surgery on November 8th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $935 to fund Frank's clubfoot repair. After treatment and as he grows, he will be able to walk easily and wear shoes. Frank’s grandmother says, “It has been hard ever since she got pregnant, and after delivering we were shocked but we are glad to know that the baby’s condition is treatable.”

$935raised
Fully funded

Beatrice is a student in the fourth grade but has been unable to continue with her studies since she her injury on her right hand. She lives with her parents and four siblings in a one room rental house. Her parents are part-time workers with an inconsistent income and cannot afford her surgery. They are relying on well-wishers to pay her medical bills. Beatrice sustained a burn on her right hand in early June. She accidentally slipped on boiling water as she was getting out of the bed and sustained serious burns on her right arm. She was admitted to Kiambu Level Five Hospital and stayed there for almost three months where a debridement and a skin graft was done but failed. Her mother shares that the wound has been discharging pus. She was reviewed at our medical partner Kijabe Hospital and doctors agreed that she needs several debridement and skin grafting sessions to save the hand from amputation. She is in pain and unable to use her hand and has not been going to school since she had the accident. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Beatrice receive treatment. On October 11th, surgeons will perform a debridement and skin graft procedure to aid in the healing of the wound and help her use the hand again. Now, Beatrice needs help to fund this $1,185 procedure. Beatrice's mother says, “My baby has not been attending school since the accident. Her hand has a foul smell, and it might be cut if not treated.”

$1,185raised
Fully funded

Joyce is a 52 year old, small-scale farmer. She relies on the proceeds from her small farm, and from the milk that she sells from the one cow that she and her husband own. Her husband is also a farmer, and together, they have five adult children. In October 2017, Joyce began to experience troubling symptoms, including pain in her neck - especially during swallowing - and difficulty in breathing. She went to a nearby health facility, and underwent several surgical procedures on her thyroid and esophagus, but her condition did not improve. In May of this year, Joyce presented at Kijabe Hospital with progressive difficulty in breathing. After she was evaluated and scans were done, Joyce was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. While she has an excellent prognosis, Joyce needs to be treated quickly, to prevent the cancer from spreading. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is helping Joyce access the care that she needs. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on September 20th, at our medical partner's care center, AIC Kijabe Hospital. During this procedure, surgeons will remove all or part of Joyce's thyroid gland. This operation will cost $949, and she and her family need help raising money. Joyce says, “I am almost losing my voice. I have been through several hospitals seeking treatment. This cancer is threatening my life.”

$949raised
Fully funded

Francis is a helpful and supportive son who lives with his single mother and eight siblings. His family lives together in a rental house. Together, he and his mother work tending farms to support their family. Francis has been a great source of support for his family, especially in helping his mother raise his siblings. However, Francis experiences frequent convulsions, or uncontrollable muscle contractions, preceded by dizziness, nausea, and headaches, which have affected his lifestyle and his family. Francis first experienced a convulsion at the end of 2020 after being hit in the head by a ball and losing consciousness while playing football with his colleagues. This marked the beginning of his health troubles. Although he has been seeking treatment at a local health center, he decided to seek out specialized care at our medical partner's care center, AIC Kijabe Hospital, once the intervals of his convulsions began to increase. After receiving a CT scan, it was revealed that Francis has a brain tumor, which is the cause of his convulsions. Fortunately, he is scheduled for a craniotomy for tumor resection. This procedure will help remove the tumor and stop its spread. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,500 to fund Francis's tumor removal surgery. The procedure is scheduled to take place on August 22nd. Once completed, he will hopefully be able to live more comfortably and confidently. Francis says, “My work is to tend farms so that I can help my mother and siblings. I sometimes experience many convulsions that are affecting my livelihood. I hope for treatment to end these discomforts.”

$1,500raised
Fully funded

Neima is an adorable 16-month-old baby from Ethiopia. She loves to play and eat with her mother! She has an older sister who is eight years old. To support their family, her father works as a farmer and her mother manages their household. Neima was born with an anorectal malformation, a congenital abnormality that leads to a complete or partial intestinal blockage. She needs to undergo a series of procedures to eliminate bowel dysfunction. Her family has taken her to different hospitals seeking treatment, resulting in them using all of their savings. This left them unable to fund her needed treatments, so Neima went without a colostomy for one year. This led to her experiencing difficulty eating, only taking breast milk and liquids. She eventually developed bowel obstruction because of her condition, and an emergency colostomy was done. However, she now needs to undergo another procedure to eliminate her bowel dysfunction. Fortunately, Neima is scheduled to undergo surgery to correct her condition on August 1st. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of Neima's procedure and care. After her recovery, Neima will no longer experience bowel dysfunction or be at risk of developing health complications in the future. Her mother shares, “For my child, I am so hopeful that she will completely heal, and I will celebrate her birthday with my whole family. I will educate her, and I have hope that she will be a teacher or a doctor.”

$1,500raised
Fully funded

Seak Long is a 26-year-old construction worker. He lives in the far northwest of the country in Battambang province with his parents. In his free time, Seak Long enjoys playing football and listening to music. Two years ago, Seak Long developed an ear infection that caused a cholesteatoma, or abnormal skin growth, to develop in his middle ear behind the ear drum. For this reason, Seak Long experiences ear discharge, hearing loss, and ear pain accompanied by headaches. Consequently, it is difficult for him to communicate clearly with others. Fortunately, Seak Long could travel to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On June 14th, he will undergo a mastoidectomy procedure in his right ear. During this procedure, ENT surgeons will remove the cholesteatoma. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $926 to fund this procedure, which covers medications, supplies, and inpatient care. Seak Long shared, "I hope my ear pain stops and my hearing improves."

$926raised
Fully funded