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Success! Katelyn from Kenya raised $1,171 to fund life-changing hearing aids to improve her hearing and speech.

Katelyn
100%
  • $1,171 raised, $0 to go
$1,171
raised
$0
to go
Fully funded
Katelyn's treatment was fully funded on November 27, 2022.

Photo of Katelyn post-operation

December 5, 2022

Katelyn received life-changing hearing aids and care to improve her hearing and speech.

Katelyn’s procedure was successful and our medical partner shared that all went as planned! The procedure and equipment will help with her hearing, as well as her speech. She will be enrolled in speech therapy and hopefully go back to school to study.

Katelyn’s mother says, “As her parents, we are so excited that she can hear voices. She needs to get back to her studies as soon as possible. Thank you so much.”

Katelyn's procedure was successful and our medical partner shared that all went as planned! The procedure and equipment will help with her h...

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August 5, 2022

Katelyn is an eight-year-old girl from Kenya. She is the middle child, with her older sibling being 11 years old and her younger sibling being two. Her father previously worked as a butcher in their hometown, but he has since stopped and currently does not have a source of income. Her mother is a homemaker and takes full-time care of the children. They all live together in a rental house.

Katelyn was born with an ear condition, which has caused her to experience hearing loss. She eventually had to stop attending school due to her condition. She is currently unable to communicate with others despite her having some speech.

Last month, Katelyn’s parents took her to Kenyatta National hospital to receive medical care. After undergoing an audiogram scan, it was confirmed that Katelyn has moderate to profound hearing loss. Her doctor recommends that she receive hearing aids since this would help with her hearing and likely her speech as well. However, her family is not able to pay for them due to financial constraints.

Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is helping Katelyn receive treatment on August 5th. Now, Katelyn’s family needs help funding these $1,171 life-changing hearing aids.

Katelyn’s mother shares, “We didn’t know that she could not speak because she is unable to hear! Doctors have said that it’s possible for her to both hear and speak if she gets the aids.”

Katelyn is an eight-year-old girl from Kenya. She is the middle child, with her older sibling being 11 years old and her younger sibling bei...

Read more

Katelyn's Timeline

  • August 5, 2022
    PROFILE SUBMITTED

    Katelyn was submitted by Ruth Kanyeria, SAFE Program Coordinator at African Mission Healthcare.

  • August 5, 2022
    TREATMENT OCCURRED

    Katelyn 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.

  • August 5, 2022
    PROFILE PUBLISHED

    Katelyn's profile was published to start raising funds.

  • November 27, 2022
    FULLY FUNDED

    Katelyn's treatment was fully funded.

  • December 5, 2022
    TREATMENT UPDATE

    Katelyn's treatment was successful. Read the update.

Funded by 20 donors

Funded by 20 donors

Treatment
Hearing Aids - Severe
  • Cost Breakdown
  • Diagnosis
  • Procedure
On average, it costs $1,171 for Katelyn's treatment
Hospital Fees
$937
Medical Staff
$0
Medication
$0
Supplies
$124
Other
$110
  • Symptoms
  • Impact on patient's life
  • Cultural or regional significance

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

Patients who need hearing aids present with a variety of conditions, including cholesteatoma, conductive hearing loss, ear drainage, sensorineural hearing loss, otitis media-inflammation of the middle ear, or a perforated ear drum/tear in the ear drum. Patients are unable to perceive speech and sounds, leading to impaired speech.

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

Patients are unable to perceive speech and sounds, they have impaired speech and language development, impaired communication, difficulties in learning, and avoidance/withdrawal from social situations.

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

The prevalence of disabling hearing loss in children and adults is greatest in Sub-Saharan Africa, south Asia and Asia Pacific. Certain infections (e.g. meningitis and ear infections) may cause hearing loss if not treated promptly.

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

What does the treatment process look like?

Patients are fitted for hearing aids, which are electrical devices that assist in optimizing perception of speech and other sounds. They amplify sound and thus improve hearing. They are designed for hearing impaired individuals. A basic hearing aid consists of a microphone (collects sound energy), amplifier (increases amplitude of impulses collected), earphone/receiver (converts electrical energy into sound), battery (provides power supply), and mould (holds the hearing aid in place and acts like a seal and volume control). Generally, they can be categorized by technology and style. Selection depends on hearing loss, cosmetic appearance, and cost.

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

Patients will gain the ability to perceive speech and sounds, have improved speech and language development, improved learning ability, and active participation in social situations.

What potential side effects or risks come with this treatment?

Not using the optimal hearing aid or not using it in the correct way could lead to uncomfortable side effects, including bad fitting, headaches and tinnitus (ringing in the ear), and improper sound level and quality. However, this can be easily avoided and fixed with the assistance of an audiologist.

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

There are few quality centers with the specialized personnel (audiologists and ENT doctors) that offer this kind of service, but the cost of hearing aids is a major deterrent for patients to access care.

What are the alternatives to this treatment?

For many hearing disorders, there is no actual available cure. However, there are assistive devices like hearing aids and promising new treatments that allow patients to manage their hearing disorders.

Meet another patient you can support

100% of your donation funds life-changing surgery.

Meet another patient you can support

100% of your donation funds life-changing surgery.