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Sai is a 6-year-old kindergarten student from Thailand who needs $1,500 to fund lens replacement surgery in his left eye so that he can see.

Sai
75%
  • $1,126 raised, $374 to go
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$374
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December 7, 2022

Sai is a six-year-old kindergarten student. He lives with his parents and siblings (a 12-year-old brother who is in grade four and a 11-month-old sister) at Mae Sot District, Tak Province in Thailand. His father is a daily worker and works as a blacksmith. Sai’s mother is a homemaker who looks after the children at home.

Sai was born with a healthy delivery however just after his sixth birthday, his mother noticed that Sai’s left eye was red. He told her that it was not painful, so they did not worry about it. In June 2022 though, his mother saw that there was a white dot in the pupil of Sai’s eye. When his mother covered Sai’s right eye and asked if he could see, he answered that he did not see clearly. Sai had his eyes checked at Mae Tao Clinic and the medic suspected that he had a cataract. He was sent to Mae Sot Hospital (MSH) for further investigation. He was referred to the ophthalmology department which later the doctor diagnosed him with mature left eye cataract. Currently, Sai’s vision in his left eye is blurry and he has trouble seeing the board when he is in the classroom.

Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund lens replacement surgery for Sai. On December 9th, doctors will perform a lens replacement, during which they will remove Sai’s natural lens and replace it with an intraocular lens implant. After recovery, he will be able to see clearly. Now, he needs help to fund this $1,500 procedure.

Sai’s mother said, “We cannot afford to take a loan (for the surgery) because we would have to pay the interest. There is less work during the pandemic and so it makes things very hard to have such a large loan. My words cannot express the thanks that I feel. It is so lucky for us to have the assistance from BCMF and donors.”

Sai is a six-year-old kindergarten student. He lives with his parents and siblings (a 12-year-old brother who is in grade four and a 11-mont...

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Sai's Timeline

  • December 7, 2022
    PROFILE SUBMITTED

    Sai was submitted by Bue Wah Say, Project Officer at Burma Children Medical Fund.

  • December 9, 2022
    TREATMENT SCHEDULED

    Sai was scheduled to receive treatment at Mae Sot General 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.

  • December 9, 2022
    PROFILE PUBLISHED

    Sai's profile was published to start raising funds.

  • TODAY
    AWAITING FUNDING

    Sai is currently raising funds for his treatment.

  • TBD
    AWAITING UPDATE

    Awaiting Sai's treatment update from Burma Children Medical Fund.

Treatment
Lens Replacement
  • Cost Breakdown
  • Diagnosis
  • Procedure
On average, it costs $3,505 for Sai's treatment
Subsidies fund $2,005 and Watsi raises the remaining $1,500
Hospital Fees
$1,597
Medical Staff
$501
Medication
$186
Supplies
$1,020
Labs
$30
Other
$171
  • 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.

Vanis

Vanis is a 60 year old small-scale farmer. She and her husband - who passed away in 2021 - had eleven children, of whom nine are still alive. Vanis had to leave school because of a lack of the fees necessary to remain in school, and of her children, only her youngest has been able to be educated. Over 20 years ago, Vanis began to experience troubling symptoms, including a small neck swelling that later started progressing in size. She initially thought it was a temporary condition, and resorted to using herbs, which did not help to relieve her symptoms. After delivering her first five children, she underwent a thyroidectomy, and she felt better. However, her symptoms recurred after she gave birth to six more children, and this time, the swelling was larger than it had ever been. She finds that she is unable to carry loads on her head, and she will occasionally experience difficulty breathing. Vanis has been diagnosed with a non-toxic, multinodular goiter, and she needs surgery to resolve her condition. Her family cannot afford to pay for her treatment, but our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, has stepped up to help Vanis access the care that she needs. They are requesting $333 to fund Vanis' procedure, which is scheduled to take place on December 3rd, at Rushoroza Hospital, and which will ensure that Vanis' symptoms do not get worse over time. Vanis says: “I pray that I may be considered for treatment so that I may live a normal life once again. I will continue with farming as soon as possible.”

40% funded

40%funded
$136raised
$197to go

Meet another patient you can support

100% of your donation funds life-changing surgery.

Vanis

Vanis is a 60 year old small-scale farmer. She and her husband - who passed away in 2021 - had eleven children, of whom nine are still alive. Vanis had to leave school because of a lack of the fees necessary to remain in school, and of her children, only her youngest has been able to be educated. Over 20 years ago, Vanis began to experience troubling symptoms, including a small neck swelling that later started progressing in size. She initially thought it was a temporary condition, and resorted to using herbs, which did not help to relieve her symptoms. After delivering her first five children, she underwent a thyroidectomy, and she felt better. However, her symptoms recurred after she gave birth to six more children, and this time, the swelling was larger than it had ever been. She finds that she is unable to carry loads on her head, and she will occasionally experience difficulty breathing. Vanis has been diagnosed with a non-toxic, multinodular goiter, and she needs surgery to resolve her condition. Her family cannot afford to pay for her treatment, but our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, has stepped up to help Vanis access the care that she needs. They are requesting $333 to fund Vanis' procedure, which is scheduled to take place on December 3rd, at Rushoroza Hospital, and which will ensure that Vanis' symptoms do not get worse over time. Vanis says: “I pray that I may be considered for treatment so that I may live a normal life once again. I will continue with farming as soon as possible.”

40% funded

40%funded
$136raised
$197to go