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Success! Ann from Kenya raised $949 to fund a thyroidectomy to relieve her swelling and pain.

Ann
100%
  • $949 raised, $0 to go
$949
raised
$0
to go
Fully funded
Ann's treatment was fully funded on January 20, 2022.

Photo of Ann post-operation

January 28, 2022

Ann underwent a thyroidectomy to relieve her swelling and pain.

Ann had been diagnosed with hyperthyroidism and has been on medication for the last two years. She was scheduled for a total thyroidectomy surgery to rid her of hyperthyroidism. She successfully underwent the procedure and her doctors are looking forward to a full recovery. She hopes to finally be past the condition that has made her worried for the last two years.

Ann says, “I hope and I am looking forward to get rid of this condition finally. It has made me so worried for the last two years but it is time to say bye to it!”

Ann had been diagnosed with hyperthyroidism and has been on medication for the last two years. She was scheduled for a total thyroidectomy s...

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November 4, 2021

Ann is a farmer and the mother of two children aged 10 and 5 years. They live in their ancestral home in Central Kenya. Ann and her husband are small-scale farmers growing food for home use. The couple does not have jobs and therefore has no source of income. They also don’t have a medical coverage and are required to pay for the treatment and surgery out-of-pocket, which they cannot afford.

Two years ago, Ann began to experience troubling symptoms, including pain and discomfort. She was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism. She needs surgery to prevent her symptoms from getting worse.

Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Ann receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on November 10th at our medical partner’s care center. Surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. This procedure will cost $949, and she and her family need help raising money.

Ann says, “I have been feeling uncomfortable with this condition. It has been two years since I was diagnosed and there has been no improvement. I hope this surgery is a solution to my long-term problem.”

Ann is a farmer and the mother of two children aged 10 and 5 years. They live in their ancestral home in Central Kenya. Ann and her husband ...

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Ann's Timeline

  • November 4, 2021
    PROFILE SUBMITTED

    Ann was submitted by Edward Mugane, Impact Assessment Coordinator at African Mission Healthcare.

  • November 10, 2021
    TREATMENT OCCURRED

    Ann received treatment at AIC Kijabe Hospital in Kenya. 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.

  • November 11, 2021
    PROFILE PUBLISHED

    Ann's profile was published to start raising funds.

  • January 20, 2022
    FULLY FUNDED

    Ann's treatment was fully funded.

  • January 28, 2022
    TREATMENT UPDATE

    Ann's treatment was successful. Read the update.

Funded by 15 donors

Funded by 15 donors

Treatment
Thyroidectomy
  • Cost Breakdown
  • Diagnosis
  • Procedure
On average, it costs $949 for Ann's treatment
Hospital Fees
$669
Medical Staff
$20
Medication
$37
Supplies
$140
Labs
$83
  • Symptoms
  • Impact on patient's life
  • Cultural or regional significance

​What kinds of symptoms do patients experience before receiving treatment?

Patients in need of a thyroidectomy often present with a small thyroid growth (nodule or cyst), a thyroid gland that is so overactive it is dangerous (thyrotoxicosis), cancer of the thyroid, noncancerous (benign) tumors of the thyroid that are causing symptoms, or thyroid swelling (nontoxic goiter) that makes it hard to breathe or swallow. Patients in need of thyroid surgery often present with nervousness, anxiety, rapid heartbeat, hand tremor, excessive sweating, weight loss, and sleep problems, among other symptoms.

​What is the impact on patients’ lives of living with these conditions?

The thyroid gland is an organ located in the front of your neck. It releases hormones that control your metabolism (the way your body uses energy), breathing, heart rate, nervous system, weight, body temperature, and many other functions. When the thyroid gland is overactive (hyperthyroidism) the body’s processes speed up and you may experience nervousness, anxiety, rapid heartbeat, hand tremor, excessive sweating, weight loss, and sleep problems, among other symptoms.

What cultural or regional factors affect the treatment of these conditions?

Thyroid disorders are relatively common in the African continent. Iodine deficiency, although still the commonly documented cause of thyroid disorders in Africa, is not as rampant as it used to be. There is a compelling need to set up thyroid disorder registries in order to determine not only the scope of the burden of these disorders, but also to document changing trends, if any, especially given the background of widespread iodization programs. Thyroid cancer is the most common endocrine cancer, and its incidence has continuously increased in the last three decades all over the world. This trend is present on every continent except Africa, where detection is possibly insufficient.

  • Process
  • Impact on patient's life
  • Risks and side-effects
  • Accessibility
  • Alternatives

What does the treatment process look like?

Thyroid surgery takes approximately three to eight hours depending on the patient. Patients will stay in the hospital for a maximum of six to eight weeks or as needed for recovery. A patient will usually have one follow-up appointment in six weeks.

What is the impact of this treatment on the patient’s life?

In case of thyroid cancer, the surgery is the patient’s best chance of preventing the spread of cancer and saving the patient’s life. In cases of hyperthyroidism, the treatment help stabilize the hormones that regulate metabolism and effectively treat some of the patient's symptoms, such as rapid heartbeat, anxiety etc.

What potential side effects or risks come with this treatment?

Thyroid surgery is often 90% curative should diagnosis be done early. For benign tumors and hyperthyroidism, the surgery is more than 90% curative. The surgery comes with few risks.

How accessible is treatment in the area? What is the typical journey like for a patient to receive care?

The accessibility of the treatment is fairly easy in this region. Due to the high numbers of patients flocking to the government facilities, most patients opt to seek care in missionary and private hospitals which are slightly more costly. In Kijabe, we have an average of 80 to 100 thyroidectomies in a year (three to four cases a week).

What are the alternatives to this treatment?

In Kenya, surgery is the only treatment offered for thyroid cancer and hyperthyroidism. This is because radiotherapy and medication alternatives are not easily accessible. Also, the cost of treating with radiotherapy and medication is higher than that of surgery.

Meet another patient you can support

100% of your donation funds life-changing surgery.

John

John is a hawker (the local name for a street vendor) from Kenya. He has six children all under the age of 18 years. His wife helps at home and John is the family's sole breadwinner. Lately, due to his condition, John has been unable to work. He has no alternate source of income, and shared that he is struggling to raise his family. John first started experiencing a loss of appetite and stomach pain in April 2022. He visited a local health center and was treated for stomach aches, but his condition did not improve. He later started having episodes of diarrhea and has lost a significant amount of weight. He also has been experiencing bleeding that has caused him anemia. As a result, he has had several blood transfusions and hospital admissions. Recently, a biopsy at Kijabe Hospital revealed that John has colorectal cancer. Colorectal cancer is a disease in which cells in the colon grow out of control. At the current stage, his doctors feel the cancer can be stopped surgically from spreading. However, the procedure has to be done as soon as possible because it is urgent. He is now scheduled to undergo surgery and needs support. Unfortunately, John does not have medical coverage and cannot afford the surgery. He is requesting financial assistance to support the $1,074 needed for his medical care. John says, “I cannot eat, and I have lost a lot of weight. I have had several blood transfusions because of bleeding. I need this surgery to help fight the cancer.”

81% funded

81%funded
$870raised
$203to go

Meet another patient you can support

100% of your donation funds life-changing surgery.

John

John is a hawker (the local name for a street vendor) from Kenya. He has six children all under the age of 18 years. His wife helps at home and John is the family's sole breadwinner. Lately, due to his condition, John has been unable to work. He has no alternate source of income, and shared that he is struggling to raise his family. John first started experiencing a loss of appetite and stomach pain in April 2022. He visited a local health center and was treated for stomach aches, but his condition did not improve. He later started having episodes of diarrhea and has lost a significant amount of weight. He also has been experiencing bleeding that has caused him anemia. As a result, he has had several blood transfusions and hospital admissions. Recently, a biopsy at Kijabe Hospital revealed that John has colorectal cancer. Colorectal cancer is a disease in which cells in the colon grow out of control. At the current stage, his doctors feel the cancer can be stopped surgically from spreading. However, the procedure has to be done as soon as possible because it is urgent. He is now scheduled to undergo surgery and needs support. Unfortunately, John does not have medical coverage and cannot afford the surgery. He is requesting financial assistance to support the $1,074 needed for his medical care. John says, “I cannot eat, and I have lost a lot of weight. I have had several blood transfusions because of bleeding. I need this surgery to help fight the cancer.”

81% funded

81%funded
$870raised
$203to go