Christine is a 47-year-old woman from Uganda who practices small-scale farming alongside her brother. She has a teenage daughter, who is in school studying. Christine shared that she lost her parents at a young age, which affected her education, and she works hard to ensure her daughter’s needs are met. Christine has been experiencing severe backache and other troubling symptoms for a while. She has been diagnosed with uterine myoma and experiences anemia. The doctors determined that Christine needs to undergo a hysterectomy to finally heal. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), can help Christine receive treatment. On October 13th, she will undergo surgery at AMH’s care center. Upon recovery, Christine will be able to resume her daily activities free of pain. AMH is requesting $219 to fund this procedure. Christine says, “I have no one to help me with the money needed. I will be glad to be assisted since, without the treatment, I know I will suffer more.”

Hoeun is a 55-year-old hardworking father. He is married with four sons, four daughters, and two grandchildren. Hoeun recycles aluminum cans and his wife takes care of their home. Hoeun likes to watch the news on TV and listen to monks pray on the radio. Six months ago, Hoeun developed a cataract in his right eye, causing him photophobia, tearing, and blurry vision. It has been difficult for him to work outside, so he has stopped. Houen's children are currently supporting him. When Hoeun learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), he traveled for one hour seeking treatment. On September 6th, doctors will perform a small incision cataract surgery, and an intraocular lens implant in his right eye. After recovery, he will be able to see clearly. Now, CSC is helping Hoeun raise $253 to fund this procedure. Hoeun shared, "I hope after surgery I can see better and easily go outside. I hope to start working again to support my living."

Khu is a two-year-old toddler from Burma who lives with her parents and younger sister. She and her sister are both too young to attend school yet. To support their family, her father is a subsistence farmer, and her mother is a homemaker. They also raise chickens and pigs, and they forage for vegetables in the jungle. Two months ago, Khu's family noticed discharge in her right eye. Her right pupil eventually began to turn white, but she fortunately did not express that she was having trouble seeing. Worried about her, Khu’s father took her to the free clinic near their village. The medic at the clinic suspected that she was suffering from a congenital cataract and told Khu’s father that they could not treat her at their clinic. Instead, they recommended that she go to a hospital for further investigation. Doctors want Khu to undergo an MRI, an imaging procedure that uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce images of bodily organs. This scan will hopefully help doctors diagnose her condition and formulate an appropriate treatment plan. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $968 to cover the cost of Khu's MRI and care, which is scheduled to take place on August 4th. Her grandfather shares, “Khu is my beloved granddaughter. When I see her suffering from this condition, I feel very sad. I also worry about her future. I don’t want to see her in this condition. I want her to have good vision and have a beautiful life when she grows up. I want her to get treatment and have her vision restored.”

Nada is a 3-year-old girl and the youngest born into a family of three. She is a friendly and playful girl. Nada's parents are farmers of maize, beans, and vegetables. They rely entirely on what they harvest for food and sell off any surplus for income for their family. Nada's father also does small jobs on the side to generate extra income. Nada was diagnosed with acquired bilateral genu varus. Her legs bow inward so that her knees touch. This condition is typically caused by an excessive accumulation of fluoride in the bones, which often stems from contaminated drinking water. As a result, Nada has a hard time walking and complains of pain after a long day of play or when it gets cold. She is sometimes unable to stand due to severe pain in her knees when she wakes up in the morning. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $880 to fund corrective surgery for Nada. The procedure is scheduled to take place on June 21st. Treatment will hopefully restore Nada's mobility, allow her to participate in a variety of activities, and greatly decrease her risk of future complications. Nada’s father says, “My family and I cannot afford to get our daughter treated. We need your help to ensure that she is well and is not in constant pain.”

Kim Heng is a vegetable seller living with her husband who is a retired army nurse. Together they have three daughters, four sons and 15 grandchildren. She enjoys listening to the radio in her spare time. Three years ago, Kim Heng developed a cataract in her left eye, causing her tearing and blurry vision. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, including colors and faces, and she is uncomfortable going out on her own, as she has concerns about falling. When Kim Heng learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for four and a half hours to seek treatment. On May 16th, doctors at Kien Khleang National Rehabilitation Centre will perform cataract surgery, and implant an intraocular lens in her left eye. They are requesting $253 to cover the cost of Kim Heng's treatment, which will enable her to see clearly again, and to move about independently. Kim Heng says: "I hope I can easily go outside and take care of my family well after surgery."

Jane is a loving mother from the Philippines. She has an adorable 8-month-old baby boy. Jane works as as a municipal administrative aide, while her husband works as a contractual college teacher. However, even with their combined salaries, they still cannot afford to cover her medical treatment. In 2019, Jane began to experience troubling symptoms, including a painful, palpable mass on her neck. She was diagnosed with a nodular goiter, which is a solid or fluid-filled lump that forms within the thyroid. However, due to financial constraints, she opted to take the doctor’s prescribed medicine to alleviate the symptoms instead of having the surgery she needs. Fortunately, our medical partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines, is helping Jane finally undergo treatment. She is scheduled for a thyroidectomy on May 3rd at Our Lady of Peace Hospital. Surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. This procedure will cost $1323, and she and her family need help raising money for this life-changing care. “Once this surgery is done, I won’t have to endure this pain. Thank you World Surgical Foundation Philippines and Watsi for this opportunity to be treated. Now, we don't have to worry about where to get the money for my treatment,” Jane shared with relief.

Collins is seventh grade student and is looking forward to finishing his primary school studies. He is the second born in a family of three children. His father is a motorbike taxi driver but was involved in an accident and broke his hand and is now unable to work. Their family now relies on Collins' mother who does laundry work and house chores to earn a living for their family. Collins is a happy and talkative boy. When he was young, his parents noticed his health condition took him to a nearby hospital for treatment. There he was examined but was not able to receive care at that time. His parents were not satisfied and went to another hospital where they recommended surgery. His family has not been able to cover the cost and Collins has not yet been treated. Fortunately, their church pastor heard about Collins’ condition and referred them to our medical partner's care center, BethanyKids Hospital. Collins was diagnosed with cryptorchidism, a condition in which one or both of the testicles remains undescended. If left untreated, Collins has an increased risk of developing hernias, testicular cancer, and fertility problems in the future. Collins will be receiving assistance from our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH). Fortunately, he is scheduled to undergo corrective surgery on April 12th. AMH is requesting $646 to cover the total cost of his procedure and care. Collins’ mother says, “I used to feel bad about myself previously as I could not afford to cater for my son’s treatment. Now I’m happy with the progress and what God is doing in Collins’ life. We hope for the best with the surgery.”

Irine is a hardworking 76-year-old grandmother and widow from Kenya. She lives in a semi-permanent house and works as a small-scale farmer, growing food to feed herself. She receives other basic necessities from her children. Irine's home is located in an area with many hills, which become very slippery when it rains. One rainy day, Irine was doing her daily duties when she unfortunately slipped and fell. As she fell on the side of her hip, the load she was carrying also fell on top of her. She could not get up or move due to her right lower limb being in pain. Since she was home alone, she had to shout for help, and a neighbor eventually came to her rescue. A family member later took her to a hospital, where she was diagnosed with a fracture of her right femur. Irene currently experiences pain and is unable to use her leg. Although she was previously among the beneficiaries who received health insurance paid for by the government, the government eventually stopped providing payment. This meant Irine had to pay for her own monthly bill, a cost she could not provide. Due to financial constraints and not having insurance, Irine cannot fund her needed treatment. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner can help. On August 2nd, Irine will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation. After the surgery, she will hopefully be able to walk and care for herself again. Now, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,247 to fund this procedure. Irine says, "I know how my children struggle to earn a living. Kindly help me so that I may not be a burden to them.”

Eliya is a charming, happy, and friendly six-year-old. He's is the last born child in a family of five children. Eliya is a lover of football but it’s been a while since he could play. His parents are small-scale farmers who depend entirely on what they farm for food and a living. Eliya was diagnosed with genu valgus. His leg is bowed so that his knees touch. This condition is typically caused by an excessive accumulation of fluoride in the bones, which often stems from contaminated drinking water. As a result, Eliya has had difficulty walking for the past two years, which has impacted his ability to play and carrying out daily activities. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $880 to fund corrective surgery for Eliya. The procedure is scheduled to take place on March 18th. Treatment will hopefully restore Eliya's mobility, allow him to participate in a variety of activities, and greatly decrease his risk of future complications.

Sophea is a 16-year-old student in grade ten. Sophea has three siblings, and she is the youngest. All three siblings currently study at the secondary school near their home. Her parents have been divorced since she was two years old, so she lives with her mother, who is a construction worker. When she is not studying, she likes to read and spend time with her school friends. Since she can remember, Sophea has had ear infections which have caused a cholesteatoma, or an abnormal skin growth, to develop in the middle ear behind the ear drum. Sophea experiences hearing loss, discharge, and fevers. Doctors has diagnosed an ear condition called microtia, which means she is missing the ear canal. Her mother has taken her to different healers for treatment but it has not improved. It is difficult for her to hear at school, she does not communicate well with friends and family, and often misses school due to infections. This makes her feel shy with strangers. Sophea traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On March 8th, she will undergo a mastoidectomy procedure in her left ear. During this procedure, ENT surgeons will remove the cholesteatoma. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $925 to fund this procedure. This covers medications, supplies, and inpatient care. She is hopeful that her hearing will improve and she won't have any more infections!

Kyaw is a 50-year-old man who lives alone in a refugee camp on the Thai-Burma border. He used to work as a day laborer for a grocery shop, loading and unloading items from cars. However, he stopped working one month ago, when the vision in his right eye worsened. In his free time, he enjoys reading books and cleaning in his house. Kyaw has a cataract in his right eye and can't see more than light in that eye. Because of his vision, he will often not recognize his friends while he walks past them. Though he likes to read, it now gives him headaches. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF), can help. They are requesting $1,500 to fund lens replacement surgery for Kyaw. On February 23rd, doctors will perform a lens replacement, during which they will remove Kyaw's natural lenses and replace them with an intraocular lens implant. After recovery, he will be able to see clearly. Now, he needs help to fund this procedure. Kyaw shared, “I am so happy that you will support the cost of my surgery. I hope your organisation will continue to help patients in the future. Thank you so much for helping me."