Success! Hsa from Burma raised $1,500 to fund cataract surgery.

100%

$1,500 raised, $0 to go

$1,500

raised

to go

Hsa's story
Hsa's update

October 10, 2022

Hsa is an 18-year-old living with his parents, three brothers and a sister, in Burma. Two of his siblings are still in school, while the remainder of his family work as subsistence farmers. Hsa, however, is currently unemployed, and enjoys playing various sports with his friends.

Hsa has cataracts in both of his eyes, making it difficult for him to see clearly. Thanks to assistance from our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, Hsa is scheduled for cataract surgery on October 11th, at Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital. During the surgery, doctors will replace Hsa’s own lenses with intraocular implants, enabling Hsa to live a more independent life. Now, Hsa needs your help to fund this $1,500 procedure.

Hsa said: “I wish to see again so that I can look after myself. Then my family will no longer need to assist me with everything.”

Hsa is an 18-year-old living with his parents, three brothers and a sister, in Burma. Two of his siblings are still in school, while the rem...

Photo of Hsa post-operation

January 10, 2023

Hsa underwent cataract surgery.

Hsa’s surgery was a success. Before undergoing this procedure, Hsa’s vision was very blurry. He could not see people’s faces and had difficulty navigating his way around, so he had to rely on his family to help him. Now, having undergone surgery, Hsa shared that his future is brighter! He is thrilled to be able to see clearly again and be able to move and go out on his own. He and his family are no longer worried about his future, and Hsa is looking forward to returning to work as a soldier.

He shared: “I am extremely happy that I can look after myself, and my family does not have to look after me anymore. Thank you very much to each of you for helping. Now, I can go wherever I want without my father’s assistance and play cane ball with my friends again. When I had blurry vision, I felt like my life was in darkness, and now I feel light and happy. Thank you very much to all donors and BCMF for helping me to see again.”

Hsa’s surgery was a success. Before undergoing this procedure, Hsa’s vision was very blurry. He could not see people’s faces and had difficu...

October 10, 2022
PROFILE SUBMITTED
Hsa was submitted by Bridgitte Agocs at Burma Children Medical Fund.
October 11, 2022
TREATMENT OCCURRED
Hsa received treatment at Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital in Thailand. 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.
October 16, 2022
PROFILE PUBLISHED
Hsa's profile was published to start raising funds.
December 28, 2022
FULLY FUNDED
Hsa's treatment was fully funded.
January 10, 2023
TREATMENT UPDATE
Hsa's treatment was successful. Read the update.

Funded by 38 donors

Treatment

Lens Replacement

Cost Breakdown
Diagnosis
Procedure

On average, it costs $4,154 for Hsa's treatment

Subsidies fund $2,654 and Watsi raises the remaining $1,500

Hospital Fees

$1,597

Medical Staff

$501

Medication

$186

Supplies

$1,020

Travel

$478

Labs

$30

Other

$342

Symptoms
Impact on patient's life
Cultural or regional significance

What kinds of symptoms do patients experience before receiving treatment?

Patients may experience blurred or dim vision, shadows or blind spots in the field of vision, sensitivity to light and glare, and double vision.

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

Reduced vision can result in social isolation, depression, increased risk of falling and accidents, and ultimately a greater tendency to be disabled. Without surgery, the patient will have no choice but to live with end-stage ocular disease, often resulting in blindness or pain.

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

The healthcare system in Burma does not permit the average citizen to receive proper eye examinations. This lack of attention to ocular health is due to a variety of reasons. However, a low optometrist-to-population ratio and insufficient funds are the leading causes.

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

What does the treatment process look like?

Surgery will only be performed if the pressure in the eye is stable. The time it takes to stabilize the pressure in the eye depends on the severity of damage to the eye.

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

The patient will regain his or her vision, though it may not be perfectly clear. Fortunately, the surgery prevents a complete loss of vision.

What potential side effects or risks come with this treatment?

Potential side effects include bleeding, infection, scarring, persistent swelling, wound separation, and the need to undergo additional surgery.

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

Burma has 309 ophthalmologists and 150 eye nurses. Fewer than half of the ophthalmologists perform surgery, and almost two-thirds confine their practice to the cities of Yangon (with a population of about six million) and Mandalay (about three million), where many people have the financial capacity to meet high out-of-pocket healthcare expenses. Aside from these main facilities, there is roughly one ophthalmologist for every 500,000 people, and eye health screening and treatment for children and adults is neither comprehensive nor consistent.

What are the alternatives to this treatment?

There are no alternatives. If left untreated, the patient will eventually lose his or her vision completely.

Meet another patient you can support

100% of your donation funds life-changing surgery.

Hillary is a cool, caring 39-year-old man from Kenya. He is a middle child and lives at home with his parents and younger brother. Hillary experiences epilepsy and cannot talk or work due to his condition. His elderly parents are retired, and his brother practices small-scale farming and works labor jobs in the neighborhood to help earn a living for his family. Hillary recently fell from his bed and injured his arm and hand. He visited a nearby government facility and was diagnosed with a displaced fracture in his left humerus and received a splint. As Hillary is still experiencing pain, swelling, and discomfort in his arm, his family brought him to our medical partner's care center. Upon review, the doctor advised that Hillary needs surgery since the fracture is too displaced to heal with a splint. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner can help. On May 16th, Hillary will undergo a fracture repair procedure called an open reduction and internal fixation. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is requesting $1,145 to fund this procedure. Hillary's brother says, "My brother has had a lot of challenges in his life, and when I see him crying with pain, I feel hurt. I am so hopeful that he will get treatment and that he will live comfortably once again. Kindly help him."

Nant is a 47-year-old woman from Burma who lives with her husband and three sons. Her husband is a pastor, she is a homemaker, and her three sons are students. Nant has gallstones and common bile duct stones, which cause loss of appetite and poor sleep. She also feels weak and cannot walk as much as she could before. Nant has received medication and injections, which have helped to lessen the pain in her back and abdomen and decrease jaundice. However, only surgery can help her recover. Nant has been advised to undergo a cholecystectomy, the surgical removal of the gallbladder. If left untreated, Nant's symptoms will continue to worsen and put her at risk for further health complications in the future. After seeking treatment through our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF), Nant is scheduled to undergo her cholecystectomy on March 6th. BCMF is requesting $1,487 to cover the total cost of Nant's procedure and care. Nant said, “I have been praying for this miracle. I am very thankful to [BCMF] for their kindness in supporting me and my family. Now, I will pray for my surgery to be a successful one. I am looking forward to a full recovery from this condition because I want to continue serving God together with my husband and children.”

Sok is a 76-year-old retired rice farmer from the Kompong Cham province of Cambodia. He and his wife have three sons, three daughters, and fourteen grandchildren. They receive support from their daughters, who live nearby and work as rice farmers. Before his vision deteriorated, Sok's favorite things to do were going to the pagoda and walking around his village. About a year ago, Sok developed a cataract in his left eye, causing him to experience itchiness, tearing, and blurry vision. Sok has difficulty seeing things clearly, including colors and faces, and is worried about falling when walking, so he cannot go places on his own. When Sok learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), he traveled for three and a half hours seeking treatment. On April 20th, doctors will perform cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in his left eye. After recovery, he will be able to see clearly. CSC is requesting $253 to fund this procedure. Sok contributed $100 to his care. Sok shared: "I am hoping, after surgery, I can finally see better and take care of myself and my wife."

Hsa's Timeline

Share Hsa's story

Funded by 38 donors

Treatment

Meet another patient you can support

100% of your donation funds life-changing surgery.