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Mary is a 51 year old loving mother from Uganda who needs $219 to fund her hysterectomy surgery to cure painful myomas.

Mary
16%
  • $36 raised, $183 to go
$36
raised
$183
to go
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January 18, 2023

Mary is a 51-year-old mother of one and considers herself blessed as she was unable to conceive for a long time. As a single mother, Mary rents a two-roomed semi-permanent house where amenities are outside of the house. She is a farmer and supports herself with the little produce grown on her farms.

For the past five years, Mary has been experiencing severe lower abdominal pains. She has been diagnosed with multiple uterine myomas. Recently, the pains have been quite severe, affecting her ability to work and move comfortably in day-to-day tasks. This has affected Mary’s performance and she hopes to be treated and relieved of the pain. She needs to undergo a hysterectomy, a procedure in which surgeons will remove her uterus.

On January 19th, she will undergo gynecological surgery at our medical partner’s care center. Mary needs help raising $219 to fund her procedure and care. Once recovered, Mary will be able to resume her daily activities free of pain.

Mary says “I will praise God when the condition is no more so that I can live a better life and do farming to sustain myself.”

Mary is a 51-year-old mother of one and considers herself blessed as she was unable to conceive for a long time. As a single mother, Mary re...

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Mary's Timeline

  • January 18, 2023
    PROFILE SUBMITTED

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

  • January 20, 2023
    TREATMENT SCHEDULED

    Mary was scheduled to receive treatment at Karoli Lwanga Hospital, Nyakibale in Uganda. 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.

  • January 22, 2023
    PROFILE PUBLISHED

    Mary's profile was published to start raising funds.

  • TODAY
    AWAITING FUNDING

    Mary is currently raising funds for her treatment.

  • TBD
    AWAITING UPDATE

    Awaiting Mary's treatment update from African Mission Healthcare.

Funded by 2 donors

Funded by 2 donors

Treatment
Total Abdominal Hysterectomy
  • Cost Breakdown
  • Diagnosis
  • Procedure
On average, it costs $219 for Mary's treatment
Hospital Fees
$126
Medical Staff
$0
Medication
$17
Supplies
$59
Labs
$6
Other
$11
  • Symptoms
  • Impact on patient's life
  • Cultural or regional significance

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

Symptoms vary depending on the condition that requires the total abdominal hysterectomy. If the cause is cervical, uterine, or ovarian cancer, there may not be symptoms, especially if the cancer is early-stage. In more advanced cases of cervical and uterine cancers, abnormal bleeding, unusual discharge, and pelvic or abdominal pain can occur. Symptoms of ovarian cancer may include trouble eating, trouble feeling full, bloating, and urinary abnormality. If the cause is fibroids, symptoms may include heavy bleeding, pain in the pelvis or lower back, and swelling or enlargement of the abdomen.

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

Fibroids (tumors in the uterus) can grow large, cause abdominal pain and swelling, and lead to recurring bleeding and anemia. Cancer can cause pain and lead to death.

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

Cervical cancer is caused by a sexually transmitted infection called human papillomavirus (HPV), which can often occur alongside an HIV infection. As a result, cervical cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among African women in areas of high HIV prevalence. Cervical cancer is also more prevalent in Africa than in the United States due to the lack of early-detection screening programs. The other conditions treated by a total abdominal hysterectomy are not necessarily more common in Africa.

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

What does the treatment process look like?

The patient first reports for laboratory testing. The following day, the patient undergoes surgery. After the operation, the patient stays in the hospital ward for three to four days, during which time she is continually monitored. The surgery is considered successful if the wound heals without infection, bleeding, or fever, and if the patient no longer experiences urinary dysfunction.

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

In the case of uterine fibroids or early-stage cancer, a total abdominal hysterectomy is curative.

What potential side effects or risks come with this treatment?

If performed early enough, this surgery is low-risk and curative, with few side effects.

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

This surgery is available, but many patients cannot afford it. Many women are screened for cervical cancer with a low-cost alternative to a pap smear. This is common in HIV treatment programs. If necessary, the woman is referred for surgery, which she often cannot afford.

What are the alternatives to this treatment?

If cervical cancer is caught early enough, some minor procedures can solve the problem. Women with fibroids who still wish to have children may opt to undergo a surgery that only removes the fibroids, which is called a myomectomy.

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100% of your donation funds life-changing surgery.

Benedister

Benedister is a 45-year-old single mother and small-scale farmer from Kenya. She plants maize and millet for her family's consumption and for sale. Benedister has seven children between 11 and 23 years old. When she is done with her farm work, Benedister always looks for casual jobs in order to earn extra wages. She is very hardworking, as she is her family’s sole breadwinner. One day, while walking around her compound, Benedister fell and injured her right lower limb. She was unable to walk, so she was carried by some of her relatives to the hospital. Her pain was so intense that she was given some pain medication, then sent for an x-ray. The x-ray revealed that she had a bimalleolar fracture with a joint dislocation, which means that in addition to a bone being broken, the ligaments on the inside of her ankle were injured as well. She was treated, and then her ankle was immobilized with a bulky jones splint. She is not able to walk on her own and is in a lot of pain. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner can help. On February 7th, Benedister will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation. Afterward, she will be able to walk easily again. Now, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,145 to fund this procedure. Benedister says, “It’s really sad that I cannot walk without support. My children look up to me for all their needs and here I am now with a broken leg and cannot offer any help to them. Please help me get my bones fixed so that I will be able to work and live normally as before.”

37% funded

37%funded
$433raised
$712to go

Meet another patient you can support

100% of your donation funds life-changing surgery.