Crowdfund Health, Eight Months Later

August 4, 2014 - Sarah Rasmussen

If you’re familiar with our work, you probably know Priyanka. And if you know Priyanka, you know the power of crowdfunding—the ability for people to invest in the health of others from all over the world. Priyanka was six-months-old when she suffered severe burns on her arm, leaving her with a scar that made it painful to write, study, and even eat.

Twelve years later, an innovative partnership between Possible and the crowdfunding platform Watsi allowed a global network of supporters to fund a surgery that repaired Priyanka’s hand.

priyanka_CFH

At Bayalpata Hospital in rural Nepal, we treat hundreds of patients a day. Occasionally we see a patient like Priyanka whose complex health needs can’t be met using only the resources at the hospital. Our partnership with Watsi connects us to funding so we can provide these patients with the quality and complicated care they need.

Last December, we launched Crowdfund Health, a campaign that brought the stories of patients like Priyanka to people across the U.S.  During the campaign we funded 95 surgeries and 28 safe births for our patients. Eight months later, we continue to fund complex surgeries through investments made by people all over the world.

This next story of one boy shows how such a network of people can make healthcare possible in some of the world’s most impossible places.

Meet Deepak

Deepak is an 11-year-old boy living in rural Nepal. His home lies in one of Nepal’s most remote corners, a 36-hour bus ride from Kathmandu, the country’s capital.

He’s an active, playful kid—his love of cricket always keeping him on the move.

However, much of Deepak’s energy is spent working to take care of his family. When his father died while working abroad in India, his family’s farm became their only source of income. Deepak and his three siblings work hard to help their mother run both the farm and their home; his older brother works on the farm while Deepak and his younger sister help with household chores.

One day Deepak was carrying water from the spring to his house when he slipped on a wet rock and fell, hitting his elbow. Swelling with pain, Deepak’s arm needed to be seen by a doctor.

Deepak’s mother was put in an impossible situation. She knew her family couldn’t afford the $205 surgery her son’s injury would require. Yet she knew if Deepak’s arm weren’t treated he would be unable to work around the house and play cricket with his friends.

Her only option was to take out a loan, which would put her family in a financially vulnerable position.

Where Watsi Comes In

One of our local community health workers who is responsible for providing basic healthcare in Deepak’s village recognized that Deepak’s arm required more advanced care than she or the local clinic could provide. She referred Deepak to our hospital, where she knew he would receive the high-quality care he needed. At the hospital, a physician explained that Deepak’s arm would need to be put in a cast, and suggested the family consider allowing Deepak’s story be shared on Watsi.

From then on, paying for her son’s surgery was no longer a burden on Deepak’s mother. Rather, Watsi brought Deepak’s story to a network of donors who could each give a little to fund Deepak’s recovery.

Possible’s Advanced Care Coordinator, Sumesh, listened to Deepak’s story, took his photo, and with his permission, sent his information to Watsi to be shared online. People from around the world read his story and gave as little as $10. The result? Seven people collectively invested $205, and Deepak’s surgery was fully funded.

Watsi_Deepak

We didn’t wait for the donations to come in before providing Deepak with the care he needed. His arm was put in a cast, and Deepak was sent home to rest. Sumesh continued to check up on Deepak before and after his surgery, and within a week of the cast being removed Deepak’s arm was fully functional and he was back to playing cricket.

Redefining Possible

Not long ago, Deepak’s full recovery would have been impossible. But thanks to our partnership with Watsi and a strong network of supporters, he is one of 210 patients to be treated with their funding. Our innovative partnership with Watsi ensures that our patients can be treated free of cost, meaning families like Deepak’s can access high-quality healthcare without financial burden.

Crowdfund Health was our way of telling the world the stories of people like Deepak. Eight months later, our patients continue to receive free, high-quality care, and Watsi supporters continue to help us redefine what’s possible.

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