Janet is a 6-year-old girl from Tanzania. She is a bright-eyed, curious girl living in a remote village called Manyus, Tanzania. She is the second youngest of five children, raised by her hardworking parents, who do everything possible to provide for their family. Her father is a farmer and cattle breeder; however, due to the fluctuating prices of crops and cows, he struggles to make enough money to provide for his family. From a young age, Janet's legs started bowing, making it difficult to walk, run, or play like other children her age. Janet was able to reach our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), where she was diagnosed with bilateral genu varus. Her legs bow outward so that her knees do not touch. This condition is typically caused by an excessive accumulation of fluoride in the bones, often stemming from contaminated drinking water. AMH is requesting $880 to fund corrective surgery for Janet. The procedure is scheduled to take place on April 17th. Treatment will hopefully restore Janet's mobility, allow her to participate in various activities, and greatly decrease her risk of future complications. Janet’s mother says, “We are concerned about her future. I hope my daughter will be better after this treatment.”

15-year-old Min, whose parents passed away five years ago, lives with his uncle and his cousins in a village on the border of Burma and Thailand. He helps his uncle with his work as a farmer. On March 19, 2023, Min accidentally hit a stopped tractor-trailer with his motorcycle while driving at night. He was unable to move due to his pain, but people who were nearby brought him to the hospital. Currently, Min continues to live in pain and is unable to move his legs. With the help of our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, Min will undergo surgery to reset his fractured bones, and ensure proper healing. The procedure is scheduled for March 19th at Mae Sot General Hospital and will cost $1,500. Now Min and his family need your help to raise the money for Min's surgery, which will enable him to walk again. Min said: "I feel sorry for the accident. I want to thank you [BCMF and the donor] for helping me get treatment. I hope for full recovery. After I get treated, I will try to help my uncle who has been raising me and taking care of me all the time.”

Srey Touch is a 33-year-old mom of six from Cambodia. She lives in a rural village with her daughter and five sons. Outside of working as a full-time cleaner, she enjoys spending time with her kids and cooking. Fourteen years ago, Srey Touch had an ear infection that caused the eardrum in her left ear to perforate, leading to pain and hearing loss. She has trouble communicating and experiences discomfort from ear pain. Srey Touch traveled to our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), to receive treatment. On March 7th, she will undergo a myringoplasty procedure in her left ear during which surgeons will close the perforation. CSC is requesting $487 to fund this procedure. This amount will cover medications, supplies, and inpatient care. Srey Touch said, "I would like to be able to communicate with my children more easily."

Ashin Mala is a 30-year-old monk from Burma. He became a monk a year ago and currently lives in a monastery in Karen State. He receives two meals a day and cash donations from worshippers. In October 2022, he visited the house of a member of the ethnic armed group in the village. At the home, a child was playing with a pistol and accidentally shot the gun, hitting a wall. Unfortunately, a part of the bullet ricocheted off the wall and hit Mala in his left eye. Immediately, Ashin Mala was brought to a hospital, where an X-ray showed that bullet shards were lodged under his left eye. The doctor removed most of the bullet shards and closed the gunshot wound. Though time has since passed, he still feels pain in his left eye and has lost vision in that eye. He has also developed itchiness and a burning sensation in that eye. Eventually, he was brought to Mae Sot Hospital in Thailand, where, with the help of Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF) and Watsi donors, he underwent a CT scan. The results showed multiple foreign bodies in his left eye, most likely shards left from the bullet, and indicated that his left eyeball was most likely ruptured. He was then referred to Chiang Mai Hospital (CMH), where an ophthalmologist told him they would have to remove his left eyeball. He was then admitted for surgery at CMH on February 22nd. Mala needs help raising $1500 to fund this procedure that will relieve him of his pain. Ashin Mala said, "I believe my pain will disappear after the operation. I want to get rid of the pain. Afterward, I will work hard to attend Dhamma University. I want to become a preacher. I will preach about Dharma [the teachings of Buddha] around my country.”

Htwe is a 12-year-old student who lives with his uncle's family in Thailand. His parents are day laborers in Bangkok, who send his uncle money every month to support him. In his free time, Htwe enjoys playing football with his friends. Two years ago, Htwe's right eyelid became swollen and red. By July 2021, the swelling had worsened and he felt a small mass in his right eyelid. He also developed double vision. He visited several clinics and was given oral medications and eye drops, but he never felt better. Currently, Htwe has redness and swelling in his right eyelid, and sometimes his eye will water. He also has blurry vision and feels uncomfortable with the mass pressing on his eyelid. Due to his blurry vision, he finds it hard to study and do his homework. Eventually, his aunt took Htwe to Mae Sot Hospital (MSH), where he was diagnosed with a cyst in his right eyelid. The doctor told him that he will need to have surgery to remove the cyst. Thanks to our partner's care center, Htwe will have the cyst surgically removed on May 11th. Now his family needs your help to fund this $1,500 procedure. Htwe said, “I want to be a football player when I grow up.” (His family hopes he'll become a medic himself one day and can help others in need!)

Chit Htun is a 21-year-old man from Burma who lives with his mother, two sisters and a brother. His mother is a homemaker, while Chit Htun and his siblings are students. They are supported financially by two aunties and Chit Htun's former teacher. Chit Htun was born with spina bifida as well as hydrocephalus. When Chit Htun was just over a month old, he had a shunt inserted in his brain to control hydrocephalus. In October 202, Chit Htun fell down the stairs in his home and hit his head during the fall. Since that time, he has been experiencing headaches and dizziness with occasional loss of consciousness. Chit Htun's mother brought him to a hospital in Yangon, where he received a CT scans showing that the original shunt was in place. A second shunt was inserted to help with the loss of consciousness, but the headaches and dizziness continued to be a problem. In October 2022, Chit Htun had a seizure, accompanied by nausea and vomiting. Chit Htun's mother brought him to Mae Sot Hospital, where he received a CT scan on November 28th, 2022 with the help of Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF). The doctor diagnosed Chit Htun with severe chronic hydrocephalus and suspected shunt malfunction. BCMF is now fundraising $1,500 to help cover the cost of surgery to replace Chit Htun's current shunt. Chit Htun's mother shared, "My son and I have been in Mae Sot for the past two months and we are homesick already. I hope that he will receive surgery soon and recover from his symptoms."

Paw is 52-year-old woman from Thailand. She lives with her husband, two daughters and son-in-law in a refugee camp. She and her husband are homemakers, while her eldest daughter and son-in-law are teachers. Her youngest daughter is a student. She has cataracts and she has blurred vision in both of her eyes. Because of her poor vision, she has difficulty walking around the refugee camp and she has had to stop weaving and selling traditional Karen clothes from her home-region of Burma. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund lens replacement surgery for Paw. On December 29th, doctors will perform a lens replacement, during which they will remove Paw's natural lenses and replace them with an intraocular lens implant in each eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Now, she needs help to fund this $1,500 procedure. "I hope that my treatment will be successful. I want to be able to see well. I want to continue weaving clothes in the future, and I want to live with my family for the rest of my life,” she said.

Cheng is a 48-year-old rice farmer. He is married with two sons. He is also chief of his local commune. His wife farms the rice paddies with him and his sons are students. When he is at home, he likes to watch the news and boxing on TV. Five years ago, Cheng developed a cataract in his right eye, causing him blurry vision and tearing. This has made life much more difficult for him. But when Cheng learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, he traveled for four and a half hours hoping for treatment. On November 21st, doctors will perform a phacoemulsification cataract surgery and place an intraocular lens implant in his right eye. After recovery, he will be able to see clearly again and live his full life in the future. Now, he needs help to fund this $253 procedure. Cheng said: "I hope after surgery I will see better. I want to visit places by myself and read the news."

Nat is a 40-year-old farmer, living with his wife in southern Kampot province in Cambodia. Nat and his wife have been married for 15 years, and currently, they do not have any children. They are both rainy-day rice farmers, and during the off season, Nat works on motors for neighbors to earn more income. In April 2018, Nat fell off his motorbike, and suffered a severe fracture of his left femur. He underwent surgery at a local government hospital to repair the fracture, and a nail was placed in the bone to stabilize it. Subsequently, Nat lost blood flow to his injured leg, and doctors at this local hospital recommended that it be amputated. Instead, Nat traveled for further surgery, to reconstruct one of the major blood vessels in his leg. Now, the bone is healed completely, and Nat has full function of his leg. To avoid any possible future complications and infections, he needs to have the nail removed. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, can help. On October 21st, Nat will undergo a hardware removal procedure at Kien Khleang National Rehabilitation Centre. Now he needs your help to fund the $304 cost of this procedure, which in removing the nail, will also relieve Nat of the chronic ache that he has experienced for the past four years. Nat said: "I hope the metal in my leg will be removed and I will heal quickly."

Joyce is a 52 year old, small-scale farmer. She relies on the proceeds from her small farm, and from the milk that she sells from the one cow that she and her husband own. Her husband is also a farmer, and together, they have five adult children. In October 2017, Joyce began to experience troubling symptoms, including pain in her neck - especially during swallowing - and difficulty in breathing. She went to a nearby health facility, and underwent several surgical procedures on her thyroid and esophagus, but her condition did not improve. In May of this year, Joyce presented at Kijabe Hospital with progressive difficulty in breathing. After she was evaluated and scans were done, Joyce was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. While she has an excellent prognosis, Joyce needs to be treated quickly, to prevent the cancer from spreading. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is helping Joyce access the care that she needs. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on September 20th, at our medical partner's care center, AIC Kijabe Hospital. During this procedure, surgeons will remove all or part of Joyce's thyroid gland. This operation will cost $949, and she and her family need help raising money. Joyce says, “I am almost losing my voice. I have been through several hospitals seeking treatment. This cancer is threatening my life.”

Koy is a 60-year-old retired farmer from Cambodia. She has two daughters, three sons, and ten grandchildren. She lives with her husband, who raises chickens on a local farm, and her youngest daughter, who is a garment worker. In her free time, Koy enjoys listening to monks pray on the radio. Three years ago, Koy developed a cataract in her left eye, causing her to experience blurry vision, light sensitivity, and eye tearing. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, including colors and faces, and is worried about falling when walking, so she is not able to go places on her own. When Koy learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for four and a half hours seeking treatment. On August 11th, doctors will perform a small incision cataract surgery and place an intraocular lens implant in her left eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Now, she needs help to fund this $253 procedure. Koy says, "After surgery, I hope I can see well enough to go outside on my own and help my husband."

Simon is a 20-year-old who, since he was a little boy, he has worked selling goods at a nearby open market. He has no stable source of income and is currently unable to work due to his medical condition. His single mother is unable to support him. Fortunately, his friend is allowing him to stay in their single room close to the city market. Two years ago, Simon began experiencing pain in his left knee, causing him to limp as he walked. His pain eventually spread to his hip. He now cannot walk without a walking stick and has an infected hip and knee, which are limiting his mobility. After receiving a CT scan, Simon was diagnosed with septic arthritis, which is inflammation of a joint caused by an infection, and sequelae of the hip. In hopes to help his condition, Simon visited visited Kenyatta National Hospital. He has since been on medical follow-up for septic arthritis at the facility without any surgical intervention. He eventually had to stop attending the follow-up clinics due to a lack of financial resources. Fortunately, a friend told Simon about our medical partner's care center, and he traveled there to receive treatment. Now, Simon is scheduled to undergo a treatment on July 8th. This will hopefully finally help heal his condition and relieve his pain. Our medical partner is requesting $1,500 to fund his treatment. Simon shares, “I can barely move my leg without support from this walking stick. My hip is painful and my knee is just unbearable. I cannot work in my condition and therefore am struggling to survive.”