Danilo is a 40-year-old man from Philippines. He is married and his wife owns a small food business. He previously worked as a construction worker, and now he works as a tricycle driver. In February 2022, Danilo began to notice a small lump on his navel. Over time, the lump grew in size and he visited a doctor for further examination. He underwent an abdominal ultrasound and was diagnosed with an umbilical hernia and gallstones. He needs to undergo surgery to treat his condition. If left untreated, his symptoms will continue to worsen and may put him at risk for health complications in the future. Fortunately, our medical partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines (WSFP), is helping Danilo receive treatment. On January 20th, he will undergo a hernia repair and a cholecystectomy to remove his gallbladder. A portion of the cost of his procedure is covered by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and he needs help raising the remaining $1,146 to cover the full cost of his procedure and care. Danilo shared, "I had to decline my colleague's offer to have a part-time construction job. It was an opportunity for me to bring more money to my family, but my condition is hindering me. This free surgery didn't just ease our worries about where to find the money to pay for the hospitalization but also gives me a chance to strive more for my family. Thank you so much, Watsi and World Surgical Foundation Philippines!"

Ibrahim is a new baby from Kenya and the youngest of three children. He lives with his family in their ancestral home. Ibrahim's mother had to stop working to take care of him, and his father makes ends meet by working casual labour jobs in addition to his small income from their farm. Their family does not have medical insurance. Ibrahim was diagnosed with hydrocephalus at birth. His parents took him to six different hospitals, but were not able to get his condition cured. They shared that they ran out of money and stopped going to hospitals for some time. After gathering more funds, Ibrahim's father took him to a private hospital, where the doctor referred him to our medical partner's care center BethanyKids Hospital and gave them money to pay for their travel to BethanyKids. Ibrahim has been diagnosed with hydrocephalus, a condition in which excess cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the brain and increases intracranial pressure. As a result of his condition, Ibrahim has been experiencing an unusually large head. Without treatment, Ibrahim will experience severe physical and developmental delays. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $720 to cover the cost of surgery for Ibrahim that will treat his hydrocephalus. The procedure is scheduled to take place on October 19th and will drain the excess fluid from Ibrahim's brain. This will reduce intracranial pressure and greatly improve his quality of life. With proper treatment, Ibrahim will hopefully develop into a strong, healthy young boy. Meanwhile, Ibrahim and his mother are being housed in our partners’ patient house in Nairobi as they await the surgery date. Ibrahim’s father says, “It has been very hard for us since Ibrahim was born as we have not been able to take care of our other children. We are really looking forward to when he will be treated for us to have some peace of mind.”

Safia is a bright student - she is an orphan who is still mourning the loss of her mother who passed on in February 2022. Her father died a few years ago, and she lives with her relatives in Moyale. She has not been able to attend her classes since she started feeling unwell. She is the last born in a family of five children. She does not have medical coverage and is unable to raise the required amount for the surgery. She first experienced a small itch on her leg at the beginning of April 2022. She later experienced swelling in that area, and she did not have any feeling on the infected leg. Over time, the situation worsened and developed pus. She now has a chronic wound on her left leg that requires debridement and skin grafting. Safia was referred to our medical partner's care center Kijabe Hospital by friends after her condition did not improve. She visited the facility and underwent a sequestrectomy on the 8th of September and now needs a debridement and skin graft procedure. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Safia receive treatment. On September 14th, surgeons will perform a debridement and skin graft procedure so she can walk without straining and be able to attend school and continue with her studies. Now, Safia needs help to fund this $1,185 procedure. Safia's aunt says, “She has been away from school for almost five months now. Her condition keeps getting worse that she is unable to walk. We even have to carry her to the bathroom. She needs this surgery, or she will lose her leg.“

Erick is a first grade student from Tanzania who dreams of becoming a truck driver like his father. He lives with his mother, who works in a coal mine, and his siblings. His father works in a different city, but he still helps support their family. Erick enjoys playing soccer with his friends at school and helping with house chores once he is home. Erick has clubfoot of his left foot, a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. In Erick's case, his left foot is twisted both downwards and inwards. This causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. His parents share that they are determined to see their child receive his needed treatment and get better. Fortunately, Erick and his family traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre. There, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on August 12th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $935 to fund Erick's clubfoot repair. After treatment, he will be able to run, walk for long distances, and carry things with ease. He will also be able to play soccer and help with house chores without difficulty. Erick's mother says, "My son has been through a lot. We are happy that he is going to get better after the surgery."

Chris is an adorable 19-month-old baby from Tanzania. He is the youngest of two children in his family. Chris’s parents are both small-scale farmers of corn, beans, potatoes, and other vegetables, which they use to feed their family. However, they also sell whatever they do not eat in order to earn some income. When Chris was born, his mother immediately noticed that his right foot was twisted out of shape. This is because he has clubfoot of his right foot, which caused this to occur and makes it difficult to walk and wear shoes. When his mother took him to receive a vaccination, she was referred to another hospital for treatment, but she shared that he could not undergo it due to financial constraints. She then sought the help of a local traditional doctor, who tried to heal his condition through massages and herbal medications, but they saw no effective change. Fortunately, Chris's family traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre. There, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on July 15th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $935 to fund Chris's clubfoot repair. After treatment, he will be able to walk easily. Chris's mother shares, “We couldn’t find the money to take him to the hospital, and that’s why he is still this way. We have no other means.”

Jayden is a sweet baby and the last born in a family of 5 children. His parents separated before he was born and his mother does laundry for neighbors to provide for the family. Shortly after Jayden was born, his mother noticed a large swelling on his back. She did not have the money to take him to a doctor at the time but, when he was seven months old, she took him to the hospital where Jayden was examined and was sent to another facility for a scan. Unfortunately, the scan was not done because Jayden's mother could not raise the required amount of money. She shared her plight with her boss who got in touch with one of the ambassadors from BethanyKids hospital in their village. The ambassador reached out to her the following day and helped bring Jayden to the hospital. Upon examination, he was diagnosed with spina bifida and urgent surgery was recommended. Spina bifida is a type of neural tube defect in which the spine does not properly close around the spinal cord. Without treatment, Jayden is at risk of lower-limb paralysis, infection of the exposed nervous tissue, development of tethered cord syndrome, and possible developmental delays. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,151 to cover the cost of Jayden's spina bifida closure surgery. The procedure is scheduled to take place on June 21. This procedure will hopefully spare Jayden from the risks associated with his condition, instead allowing him to grow and develop along a healthy trajectory. Jayden’s mother says, “I have been praying for a long time for Jayden’s healing and I now believe that he will be treated.”

Loserian is a student and the youngest of six children in his family in Tanzania. For over six years, Loserian experienced pain and discomfort when he walked, because his legs bowed inwards, forcing him to use a walking stick for support. Four years ago, he received surgery through Watsi funding, that helped to correct the inward bowing of the legs. This enabled him to walk with ease and to carry out his daily activities, like going to school and playing. However, Loserian was recently diagnosed with bilateral femoral varus, which causes his legs to bend outward at the thighs. This condition typically results from contaminated drinking water. Once again, Loserian is experiencing pain and difficulty walking. His parents, who are subsistence farmers, do not earn enough to be able to afford Loserian's treatment, and therefore, they are seeking help to cover the costs of his care. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $880 to fund corrective surgery for Loserian. The procedure is scheduled to take place on May 10th. Treatment will hopefully restore Loserian's mobility, allowing him to participate in a variety of activities, and greatly decreasing his risk of future complications. Loserian says: "After I had my surgery, walking became easy and normal and I was not having any challenges. But for the past few months, I have been feeling pain when walking and my legs are now bowing at the thighs."

Shee is a 23-year-old woman from Burma. In 2016, Shee and her family moved to a refugee camp in Thailand. There she has been able to continue her studies. Shee graduated from the junior college and now helps her cousin-in-law weave and sell traditional Karen clothes. She shared that it has been difficult for her family to find work within the camp at this time, but she hopes to become a teacher soon. In her free time, Shee enjoys playing with her nephews. In February, Shee began to develop a mass and experience pain in her abdomen, so she visited the camp's hospital. Upon review, she was diagnosed with a urinary tract infection and given medication. Since the mass continued to grow, Shee was referred to her our medical partner's hospital, Mae Sariang Hospital, in early April. After receiving an ultrasound, the doctors determined Shee has an ovarian cyst and needs to undergo surgery to heal. Currently, Shee experiences severe pain that makes it challenging for her to sleep, eat, or continue her weaving. Fortunately, our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF), can help Shee receive treatment. On April 20th, she will undergo surgery to remove the cyst. BCMF is requesting $1,500 to fund the total cost of this procedure. Shee shared, "I am not worried about my operation because I hope it will fix my health problem. I would like to become a teacher in the future because I like teaching. After I recover, I plan to apply at a school in the refugee camp."