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Success! Joy from Kenya raised $1,171 to fund hearing aids and treatment so she can hear and communicate well.

Joy
100%
  • $1,171 raised, $0 to go
$1,171
raised
$0
to go
Fully funded
Joy's treatment was fully funded on August 23, 2022.

Photo of Joy post-operation

September 6, 2022

Joy underwent fitting for hearing aids and treatment so she can hear and communicate well.

Joy was diagnosed with severe to profound bilateral hearing loss and needed hearing aids to participate fully in life. Her fitting went perfectly, and she was able to pick up voices right away.

Joy’s mother shared, “Joy is so excited that she can hear voices. She is always anxious and wants to go to school with her twin. I am hopeful with these hearing aids, she can now comfortably go to school and study.”

Joy was diagnosed with severe to profound bilateral hearing loss and needed hearing aids to participate fully in life. Her fitting went perf...

Read more
April 6, 2022

Joy is a curious, active, and happy six-year-old girl. Joy’s father works at a construction site, and her mother is unwell and unable to work. She also has a twin sister, and both girls attend school. The family lives in their ancestral home.

Joy has been diagnosed with severe to profound bilateral hearing loss and needs to be fitted for a hearing aid so that she can hear well. She is currently unable to speak and while she is able to attend school, she is unable to sit for exams due to her hearing loss.

Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is helping Joy to get treatment and fitted for hearing aids. On April 8th, she will undergo the fitting and afterwards, her hearing should improve. Now, she and her family need help raising $1,171 to fund her care.

Joy’s mother shared, “our baby is so curious and anxious to go to school. Although she is unable to hear, she insists on accompanying her twin to school.”

Joy is a curious, active, and happy six-year-old girl. Joy's father works at a construction site, and her mother is unwell and unable to wor...

Read more

Joy's Timeline

  • April 6, 2022
    PROFILE SUBMITTED

    Joy was submitted by Robert Kariuki, Process Coordinator at African Mission Healthcare.

  • April 12, 2022
    PROFILE PUBLISHED

    Joy's profile was published to start raising funds.

  • April 28, 2022
    TREATMENT OCCURRED

    Joy 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 23, 2022
    FULLY FUNDED

    Joy's treatment was fully funded.

  • September 6, 2022
    TREATMENT UPDATE

    Joy's treatment was successful. Read the update.

Funded by 30 donors

Funded by 30 donors

Treatment
Hearing Aids - Severe
  • Cost Breakdown
  • Diagnosis
  • Procedure
On average, it costs $1,171 for Joy'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.