Stevenson is a 26-year-old man from Haiti. He lives in a neighborhood of Port-au-Prince with his parents and several siblings. Stevenson had been attending university, studying for a business degree, when poor health forced him to leave school. When he was a child, Stevenson developed rheumatic fever, which has resulted in rheumatic mitral valve prolapse. This condition has meant that one of Stevenson's heart valves is unable to pump sufficient blood through his body, leaving him weak and short of breath. Thanks to our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, Stevenson will fly to the Dominican Republic, where on September 27th, surgeons at Hospital CEDIMAT will perform surgery to remove the damaged valve, and implant an artificial one. Haiti Cardiac Alliance is contributing $8,000 to pay for Stevenson's surgery. But Stevenson's family also needs your help to fund the $1,500 to cover the cost of labs, medicines, and follow up appointments, as well as for the passports and the social workers, who will accompany the family to the Dominican Republic. Stevenson shared, "I feel very lucky to have this chance to finally have my heart healed!"

Meet Katweensly, a 16 year old student, living with her mother and siblings in a small town in Haiti, near the border with the Dominican Republic. Katweensly, who is a junior in high school, particularly enjoys her math and science classes. As a young child, Katweensly suffered a bout of rheumatic fever, which damaged one of the four valves in her heart. As a result, her heart cannot pump blood efficiently through her body, leaving her feeling weak and short of breath. Thanks to the help of our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, Katweensly is scheduled to travel to the Dominican Republic for surgery, which is scheduled for November 10th, at Hospital CEDIMAT. There, doctors will first try to repair the damaged valve. If they are unable to do this, they will implant an artificial valve. Another organization, Mitral Foundation, is helping supporting the cost of the surgery, but Katweensly's family needs an additional $1,500 to pay for lab tests, medicines, and follow up appointments that are a part of her overall treatment. In addition, support will help cover the travel costs and ensure a social worker from Haiti Cardiac Alliance can support the family during treatment in the Dominican Republic. Katweensly said: "I am feeling very happy to finally have the chance to have my heart repaired after waiting for so long."

Rozaleny is a 70-year-old woman from the Philippines. She lives with her husband, who is a tricycle driver. For the past few months, Rozaleny has been experiencing pain and difficulty sitting. After three months of enduring this pain and discomfort, she decided to seek medical care. She was diagnosed with external hemorrhoids and was advised to undergo surgery to prevent her condition from worsening. However, Rozaleny and her husband could not fund her needed treatment due to financial constraints. Fortunately, our medical partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines (WSFP), is helping Rozaleny receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a hemorrhoidectomy on July 30th at WSFP's care center. During this procedure, surgeons will remove her external hemorrhoids. A portion of the cost of her treatment is being supported by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and WSFP is raising the remaining $1,137 to cover the cost of Rozaleny's procedure and care. After her recovery, she will no longer experience pain and will avoid future complications. Rozaleny's husband shares, "This free surgery will really be a big help to us. We can't afford to pay for her treatment. We're eternally grateful to Watsi and World Surgical Foundation Philippines for all their help."

Gladys is a strong, hardworking mother from Kenya who is raising her five children on her own. Her oldest child is 14 years old, while her youngest is only three. To support her family, she works as a casual laborer plucking tea. She currently lives in a single-room rental house, which costs Ksh.1200 (~10 USD) per month. Gladys shares that her income is inconsistent and not enough to cover her needed medical treatment. She also does not have active medical coverage and currently has a large accrued bill due to her recent hospital admission. Recently, Gladys was involved in a road traffic accident that caused several fractures. One of the fractures she sustained in this accident was of her left tibia. As a result of this injury, she is currently unable to walk. In order to properly heal her fracture, she must undergo an open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) procedure. She also has facial fractures, which will require another ORIF later the same week. However, undergoing an ORIF for her fractured tibia is the current priority. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner can help. On August 8th, Gladys will undergo fracture repair surgery so she can walk easily again. Now, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,500 to fund this procedure. Gladys says, “I cannot walk and my face is in pain. I am the only breadwinner of the family, and I cannot work if my leg is broken. All my five children depend on me for upkeep and survival. I need this treatment to get back on my feet.”

Aalyia is an adorable nine-month-old infant who lives with her parents and two brothers in Haiti. Aalyia has been diagnosed with hydrocephalus, a condition in which excess cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the brain and increases intracranial pressure. As a result of her condition, the circumference of Aalyia's head has been increasing. Without treatment, she will experience severe physical and developmental delays. Our medical partner, Project Medishare, is requesting $897 to cover the cost of surgery for Aalyia at Hospital Bernard Mevs. This is the only site in the country where this care is currently available, and the procedure is scheduled to take place on September 1st. This critical treatment will drain the excess fluid from Aalyia's brain to reduce intracranial pressure and greatly improve her quality of life. With proper treatment, she will hopefully develop into a strong, healthy young girl. Aalyia's family shares that they hope their child will live a great life.

Daw Moe is a 43-year-old mother from Burma who likes to listen to music in her free time. She lives with her husband and her two children. Both of her children had to stop going to school two years ago when she could no longer afford to pay for their school fees. Her husband sometimes works as a day laborer, and since unenrolling in school, her son now also works as a day laborer. Daw Moe has a cow, and they earn money by selling the cow’s milk. She would also help support her family by managing all of the household chores, but she has been unable to do much for the past five months due to her condition. Since then, her son and daughter have stepped up to help. Daw Moe has dealt with pain on the sole of her right foot since the end of January. The pain was initially caused by a blister, but even after seeking medical care at a hospital and treating the wound, the pain returned. She went back to the hospital about two months ago due to severe pain, and the doctor diagnosed her with a chronic ulcer. They gave her medications and cleaned the ulcer, but this did not heal her condition. The doctor told her that in order to properly heal, she would need to undergo a debridement, which is a procedure to remove any damaged or dead tissue. When she told the doctor that she could not pay for the surgery, the doctor referred her to our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF), for assistance accessing further treatment. Currently, Daw Moe’s right foot is in pain and swollen. She cannot walk and needs help using the restroom. To get around, she uses a wheelchair because she does not feel comfortable putting any weight on her right foot. She struggles sleeping at night because she feels saddened about her condition. She also can no longer help with household chores, so her son has to handle everything while her daughter looks after her in the hospital. Fortunately, BCMF is helping Daw Moe receive treatment. On July 8th, surgeons will perform a debridement to help relieve her pain and allow her to walk again. Now, Daw Moe needs help to fund this $694 procedure. Daw Moe expresses, “I feel pity on my son as he has to do everything when I am admitted at the hospital. He is also the sole bread winner, as my husband hardly works. I hope that I will get well soon so that I can go home and help him.”

Julbert is a hardworking 41-year-old tricycle driver from the Philippines. He is the sole provider for his family. With the recent rise of fuel prices, Julbert's income is being severely affected, making it more difficult to provide for his family. In November 2021, he began experiencing right abdominal pain, which compelled him to get himself checked. Later on, he was diagnosed with a gallbladder stone, which needs to be extracted surgically. After reaching out to our medical partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines (WSFP), Julbert is now scheduled to undergo surgery on June 30th to treat his condition. After his recovery, Julbert will no longer be in pain or at risk of developing severe health complications in the future, allowing him to continue providing for his family. A portion of the cost of his care is being supported by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation and WSFP raising the remaining $826 to cover the cost of Julbert's procedure and care. "Times have been extra challenging, but thanks to the kind hearts and generous pockets of people from all over the world, I know I'll be able to continue to provide for my family," he shared. "Thank you World Surgical Foundation Philippines and Watsi. Your help means a lot to us who have no capacity to afford treatments like this."

Kaitikeii is a seven-month-old baby boy, living with his parents and three siblings in Kenya. His father herds cattle to provide for the family, while his mother stays at home to care for Kaitikeii and his siblings. Two months after Kaitikeii was born, his parents noticed that his head was increasing in size, and his eyes looked smaller. They brought him to BethanyKids Hospital for examination, where he was diagnosed with hydrocephalus. Without care, he will experience severe physical and developmental delays. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $720 to cover the cost of Kaitikeii's surgery, which is now scheduled for May 19th. With proper care, Kaitikeii should develop into a strong, healthy young boy. Kaitikeii’s father says: “I do not want my baby to feel neglected while he’s growing up.”

Klyn is a 12-year-old boy who lives in a small town in central Haiti with his parents, grandparents, and several other relatives. He likes school, especially science and math. Klyn was born with a condition called atrial septal defect. The defect means there is a hole between the two upper chambers of Klyn's heart. Blood leaks through this hole, which leaves him often weak and short of breath. Our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, has arranged for Klyn and his mother to travel to the Dominican Republic for surgery since this treatment is not available within Haiti. On May 24th, doctors will first attempt to use a catheter to close the opening between Klyn's upper cardiac chambers. If that's not possible, they will need to perform open-heart surgery and use a patch to close the hole in Klyn's heart. Another organization, Gift of Life International, is contributing $5,000 for Klyn's care. His family is raising $1,500 to help cover remaining costs of the procedure and related care, including travel expenses for Klyn. Klyn's mother says, "We are very thankful to everyone who is making this surgery possible for our son!"

Cornelius is four-month-old baby boy. He is the youngest in a family of eight children. Cornelius's older siblings are still school ranging from high school to primary school. Cornelius's parents are laborers on a tea farm making enough to meet the essential needs of the family. Without medical insurance, Cornelius's family cannot afford the cost of necessary medical treatments. Cornelius has been diagnosed with hydrocephalus, a condition in which excess fluid accumulates in the brain and increases intracranial pressure. As a result of this condition, Cornelius has experienced swelling in his head. Cornelius's parents took him to a hospital where he was examined and sent for a brain scan. Cornelius's parents could not afford the scan at that time, but soon after, friends of the family referred them to BenthanyKids Hospital. It was there Cornelius was was examined and scheduled to undergo a shunt insertion. This treatment will decompress the excess pressure in Cornelius's head, alleviate the swelling, and give Cornelius a chance at a better life. Without treatment, Cornelius will experience severe physical and developmental delays. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Cornelius and his family raise $720 to cover the cost of the surgery. The procedure is scheduled to take place on March 31st and is expected to greatly improve Cornelius's quality of life. With proper treatment, Cornelius will hopefully develop into a strong, healthy young boy. Cornelius’ mother says, “We have faith that Cornelius will be healed.”