Nathaniel SwanbergUNIVERSAL FUND MEMBER
Nathaniel's Story

Nathaniel joined Watsi on December 28th, 2013. Eight years ago, Nathaniel joined our Universal Fund, supporting life-changing treatments for a new Watsi patient every month. Nathaniel's most recent donation traveled 8,300 miles to support Su, a 21-year-old woman from Burma, to fund life-saving heart surgery.

Impact

Nathaniel has funded healthcare for 105 patients in 14 countries.

Patients funded by Nathaniel

Three year old Tilian is the youngest of the 12 children in his family. They all live in a remote village in the Kiteto Manyara region of Tanzania. The family resides in a communal boma, consisting of small mud houses, which are just enough to accommodate them all. Tilian's parents are small farmers who depend on agriculture and livestock for sustenance and income. However, their region has been plagued by prolonged dry seasons, leading to the death of cattle and reduced harvests. As the sole provider for the family, the father has been compelled to seek day jobs to support them. Unfortunately, his income falls short of meeting the most basic necessities for their family. In September 2022, while Tilian was playing with his friends, he inadvertently came into contact with a stove, and accidentally knocked over a container of hot water. This resulted in Tilian sustaining severe burns to his arms and chest. His injuries were extensive, and Tilian was brought to the nearest dispensary for immediate first aid and wound care. After the initial treatment, Tilian was discharged and sent home with instructions for caring for the wounds, because the dispensary lacked the resources to continue caring for him. The burns on Tilian's hands took more than two months to heal, while the one on his chest required even more time for proper recovery. In March 2023, Tilian was brought to our medical partner's center. The medical team thoroughly assessed his condition, and told his parents about the availability of visiting doctors who specialize in treating similar cases. Initiating a daily wound care regimen, the medical team began to attend to Tilian’s needs. However, Tilian's father struggled to afford the transportation for multiple trips to the center. As a result, the family had to make the difficult decision to leave Tilian at the facility as a resident, while he underwent his wound care, and awaited treatment at the plastic surgery clinic. During a plastic surgery clinic this month, Tilian was evaluated by visiting surgeons. The proposed course of action is surgery to facilitate the healing of the wound on his chest. Additionally, the doctors will need to address the burn scar contractures that have developed, tightening the skin around his arm. His parents are appealing for help to ensure their son receives the proper and necessary treatment for his wounds. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Tilian receive treatment. On August 15th, surgeons will perform a burn contracture release surgery to enable him to use his hand with ease. With continued care, the wound on his chest will heal completely, preventing any further risk of infection, and allowing Tilian to lead a normal life as he grows. Now, his family needs your help to fund this $874 procedure. Tilian’s father says: “We hope for his improvement, which would reduce the concerns about the risk of infection in his wound and allow him to play freely with his friends.”

$150raised
$724to go

Chit Htun is a 21-year-old man from Burma who lives with his mother, two sisters and a brother. His mother is a homemaker, while Chit Htun and his siblings are students. They are supported financially by two aunties and Chit Htun's former teacher. Chit Htun was born with spina bifida as well as hydrocephalus. When Chit Htun was just over a month old, he had a shunt inserted in his brain to control hydrocephalus. In October 202, Chit Htun fell down the stairs in his home and hit his head during the fall. Since that time, he has been experiencing headaches and dizziness with occasional loss of consciousness. Chit Htun's mother brought him to a hospital in Yangon, where he received a CT scans showing that the original shunt was in place. A second shunt was inserted to help with the loss of consciousness, but the headaches and dizziness continued to be a problem. In October 2022, Chit Htun had a seizure, accompanied by nausea and vomiting. Chit Htun's mother brought him to Mae Sot Hospital, where he received a CT scan on November 28th, 2022 with the help of Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF). The doctor diagnosed Chit Htun with severe chronic hydrocephalus and suspected shunt malfunction. BCMF is now fundraising $1,500 to help cover the cost of surgery to replace Chit Htun's current shunt. Chit Htun's mother shared, "My son and I have been in Mae Sot for the past two months and we are homesick already. I hope that he will receive surgery soon and recover from his symptoms."

$1,500raised
Fully funded

Miheretu is a sweet nine month old boy, who loves to play with his mother and other children. Miheretu's father works as a day laborer, while his mother stays at home to care for their children. Sadly, the family's income is insufficient to supply adequate food for the children, leaving Miheretu nutritionally deprived. Due to the concerns of his doctors, Miheretu underwent a colostomy for what was determined to be Hirschsprung's Disease. This is a condition that is present at birth, in which the baby's colon is missing necessary nerve cells. Without these cells, the muscles of Miheretu's gut cannot move contents through his colon, which can result in the contents backing up and causing a bowel blockage. After the colostomy, Miheretu's parents brought him back home, as they were unable to pay for the additional medical care that he needs. Thanks to the intervention of a local charitable organization, Miheretu was brought to BethanyKids Myungsung Christian Medical Centre, where on January 5th, doctors from our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, will perform a Hirschsprung Pull Through. During this procedure, doctors will remove the damaged section of Miheretu's colon, which will alleviate the bowel obstruction, and allow for normal colon function. Miheretu's parents cannot afford the $1,500 cost of the surgery, and are looking to you for help. Miheretu's mother says: “If my child gets the surgery and recovers, I will give thanks to God in front of all church members and tell my testimony. I will take care of him to the best of my capacity. I want him to get an education and to get married one day.”

$1,500raised
Fully funded