Angelika is a caring daughter from the Philippines. The eldest of 5 children, she stopped studying due to inadequate finances, and also to support her younger siblings. Her mother works as a part-time laundress, while her father is still recovering from tuberculosis. Despite her eagerness to support her family, she failed to land a job because of her medical condition. In 2021, Angelika began to experience troubling symptoms, including sudden weight loss, bulging eyes, and amenorrhea. Worried about her condition, she decided to be checked by a doctor. She was advised to undergo series of tests. She was diagnosed with Papillary thyroid carcinoma, which appears as an irregular solid or cystic mass or nodule. It is the most frequent thyroid neoplasm and carries the best overall prognosis. She needs surgery to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. Fortunately, our medical partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines (WSFP), is helping Angelika receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on December 17th at Our Lady of Peace Hospital. Surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. A portion of the cost of her treatment is being supported by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and WSFP is raising the remaining $890 to cover the cost of Angelika's procedure and care. Angelika shared, "Once treated, I'd be able to apply for jobs and will be able to support my family again. Thank you for this opportunity, WATSI, and World Surgical Foundation Philippines. May the Lord bless you."

Francklin is a loving husband and father from Haiti. He lives with his wife and two children in a neighborhood of Port-au-Prince. He works as a security guard for a private security company. Francklin has a cardiac condition called severe mitral stenosis which resulted from a rheumatic fever that he suffered when he was young. Blood cannot pass through a valve in his heart properly, leaving him weak and short of breath. The cardiac surgery that Francklin's condition requires is not available in Haiti, so he needs to fly to the United States to receive treatment. On November 18th, he will undergo cardiac surgery, during which surgeons will attempt to repair the damaged valve; if they are unable, they will need to implant an artificial replacement. Another organization, the Baylor Scott & White Heart Hospital, is contributing $20,000 to pay for his surgery. Francklin's family also needs help to fund the costs of surgery prep, travel, and follow-up care while he heals. The $1,500 bill covers labs, medicines, and check-up and follow-up appointments. It also supports passport obtainment and the social worker from our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, who will accompany Francklin overseas. Francklin says, "My family and I will pray for God's blessings on everyone who is helping us."

Hellen is a soft-spoken, 23 year old student, living with relatives in Gilgil Town in Kenya. Hellen's parents are elderly, and as neither they nor Hellen have a stable source of income, Hellen's relatives are paying for her studies in food and beverage. Just two weeks ago, after undergoing an MRI because of abdominal pain, Hellen learned that she has a fast growing mass in her abdomen, that has displaced her uterus. Hellen was told that she needs surgery urgently in order to remove the mass. If left untreated, the mass could become cancerous, and threaten Hellen's ability to bear children. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is here to help Hellen access the care that she needs. On September 9th, Hellen will undergo a laparoscopic procedure at AIC Kijabe Hospital, at which time the mass will be removed. African Mission Healthcare Foundation is seeking $1,074 to fund Hellen's surgery. Hellen says: "The swelling in the stomach is growing so fast. I am scared it might be cancerous. It might also affect my ability to get kids if not treated.”

Samuel is a 38 year old casual laborer and single father of one son, who is six years old. As Samuel's income is modest, both he and his son live with Samuel's parents in Malawi. Samuel enjoyed good health until April 2022. He was visiting relatives at a distance from his home, when he developed a cough and lost his voice. He was treated for his cough, but in June, he noticed a small, painful swelling on the right side of his neck. Although he went to a local hospital, nothing was done, and the swelling continued to grow, causing Samuel more pain, difficulty swallowing, and occasional breathlessness. After visiting numerous hospitals, Samuel finally went to Partners in Hope Medical Center, where tests revealed the existence of a goiter on his thyroid gland. As the goiter was fast growing, the surgeons informed Samuel that he would need to have a thyroidectomy, to remove all or part of the thyroid gland. Thanks to our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, Samuel is scheduled to have surgery on October 4th, at Partners in Hope Medical Center. After the procedure, Samuel will be able to return to his work, and to caring for his child, which he has been unable to do since falling ill. Samuel and his family are seeking $1,015 to help fund Samuel's care. “I wish to get better and look after my child,” said Samuel while looking worried.

Henrico is a kind 3-year-old boy, who lives with his parents in a small fishing village in western Haiti. He was born with a cardiac condition called Tetralogy of Fallot, which involves several related defects including a hole between two chambers of the heart and a muscular blockage of one of the valves. As a result of these defects, his heart cannot adequately provide oxygen to his body, leaving him weak and short of breath. As the care he needs is not available in Haiti, Henrico will fly to Italy to receive treatment and, on September 27th, he will be able to undergo the life-saving cardiac surgery he needs. Henrico's family needs help to fund the costs of surgery prep and travel. The $1,500 bill covers labs, medicines, and checkup and followup appointments. It also supports passport obtainment and the social workers from our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, who will accompany his family overseas. His family hopes he will have a bright future and plans to start him in preschool as soon as he has recovered from his heart surgery. Henrico's mother shared, "Our family is praying for everyone who is making it possible for our son to have this surgery!"

Daw Tin is a strong, hardworking 60-year-old woman from Burma who enjoys cleaning her home, visiting her local Buddhist temple, meditating, and praying. She lives on her own and supports herself by working as a day laborer, herding goats and collecting firewood to sell. However, her siblings have been supporting her since her recent injury because she is unable to work. This past May, Daw Tin stepped on a nail protruding from a wooden board while herding her neighbor’s goats. Over time, the wound on her right heel turned into a painful ulcer, and she could no longer work or walk. She was able to undergo wound debridement surgery in July thanks to donations collected from her community. However, her doctor told her that she would need to have a second surgery in order to fully heal her condition. Without treatment, Daw Tin is at risk of developing severe damage to underlying bone and tissue. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $851 to cover the cost of a local rotation flap procedure for Daw Tin, which is scheduled to take place on July 28th at BCMF's care center. During this procedure, surgeons will rotate a partially attached piece of skin onto the wound. This will allow for optimal vascularization, or the ability to grow blood vessels to improve oxygen and nutrient supply, as well as optimal tissue reconstruction. Daw Tin says, "I was so happy to hear that I would receive surgery with the help of donors and the organization. Without your help, I could never receive surgery."

Zara is a bright and creative 3-year-old from Haiti. She lives with her parents and two older sisters, and she loves going to preschool. One of her favorite ways to spend her time is by exploring her creativity and doing arts and crafts projects. Zara was born with a cardiac condition called patent ductus arteriosus, in which blood leaks through a hole between two major blood vessels next to her heart. This causes her to experience weakness and shortness of breath. Our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, is seeking $1,500 to fund her procedure and care. During the procedure, doctors will use a catheter to plug the hole so blood can properly flow through her body. This will allow Zara to breath with ease. Zara's mother said, "Our family is very hopeful that after this surgery our daughter will become healthier and stronger."

Htun is a four year old boy living with 12 other children and a pastor and his wife who are helping to raise them in Tak Province, Thailand. Htun enjoys riding bicycles, watching cartoons, and playing with action figures. Towards the beginning of April, Htun began experiencing discomfort while walking and when he was sitting down. According to his guardian, whenever Htun begins to feel pain, he will point to where the pain is coming from and cry. Htun has been diagnosed with an inguinal hernia, which will need to be treated with surgery. Fortunately, he was brought to our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, and he is now scheduled for hernia repair surgery on May 31st, at Mae Sot General Hospital. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund Htun's hernia repair surgery, after which Htun will be able to live a full and healthy life ahead. "I want to support him as if he were my own child, and I want him to feel like we are his family," shared the pastor.