SokKea is a 48-year-old traditional Khmer noodle seller. She was widowed twenty years ago, and now lives with her married son, who is a garment factory worker. At home, she likes to do housework and to take care of her grandchildren. Many years ago, SokKea developed nasal polyps, which are noncancerous growths in the lining of the nasal passage. For this reason, she experiences difficulty breathing. She frequently has a runny nose, and sneezes constantly. She tried different medications that she purchased at her local pharmacy, but none of them has been able to alleviate her symptoms. There are many times when she doesn't feel well enough to work, which puts a strain on the family's finances. SokKea learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, and sought their help. Doctors diagnosed her with a deviated septum, in addition to the nasal polyps. She is now scheduled to undergo a nasal polypectomy on December 19th at Kien Khleang National Rehabilitation Centre. After the polyps have been removed, SokKea should be able to breathe more easily. Now, she needs your help to fund this $319 procedure. SokKea said: "I hope after surgery I won't have any more pain in my nose, and I can breathe easily."

Chit Htun is a 21-year-old man from Burma. He lives with his mother and two younger sisters and a younger brother. His father is deceased and his mother is a homemaker. She takes care of the household and her children. All of his younger siblings are students, while Chit Htun and his eldest sister are doing an online general education diploma. Chit Htun has two aunts who help the family financially as they can. He also has a former teacher who is able to contribute some money consistently to the family. This normally has been enough to cover the family’s basic necessities but since the February 2021 coup, prices have increased significantly and there is not always enough money to pay for food. Sometimes the family has free meals at the local monastery. Chit Htun was born with spina bifida as well as hydrocephalus at the Maternal and Child Hospital in Myawaddy in Burma and when he was just over a month old, he had a stent inserted in his brain to control hydrocephalus. He has multiple conditions arising from the spina bifida, including bilateral atrophy to his lower legs with club feet, a neurogenic bladder requiring a suprapubic catheter, a neurogenic bowel requiring a colostomy, along with scoliosis. Despite the number of surgeries he has undergone, and the pain he endures, he is a pleasant and engaging young man, thoughtful and independent. In Oct 2021, Chit Htun fell down from some stairs at his home. Though there was no loss of consciousness at the time, he hit his head with the fall. Since that time, he has been experiencing headaches and dizziness with occasional loss of consciousness. His mother brought him to the hospital in Yangon and a scan showed that the original shunt was in place. A second shunt was inserted, and it appeared to help with the loss of consciousness, but headaches and dizziness continued to be a problem. After the second shunt was cleared of partial blockage, Chit Htun still continued to have headaches and dizziness and then in October, he had a seizure, accompanied by nausea and vomiting. His family cannot afford to go for further investigation and treatment so that they came to Mae Tao Clinic across the border in Mae Sot, Thailand. Doctors want Chit Htun to undergo a CT scan, a procedure in which x-ray images taken from several angles are combined to produce cross-sectional images of the body. This scan will hopefully help doctors diagnose his condition and formulate an appropriate treatment plan. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $414 to cover the cost of Chit Htun's CT scan and care, scheduled for November 28th. Chit Htun said, “My condition is interrupting my education and my future. When I always have to stop my studies for treatment, it makes it difficult to continue.”

Hosea is a shy, 21 year old student, living with his parents and brothers in Kenya. Hosea's father herds cattle, while his brothers are casual laborers. His mother is unwell, and unable to contribute to the support of the family. When Hosea isn't at school, he helps to cultivate the land and to set up fencing in order to earn more income for the family. Hosea was recently sent home from school, due to a lack of the necessary fees to keep him there. He decided to find some work to earn the money for his school fees, and borrowed a bike from a friend, so that he could transport people and luggage, earning a commission for his work. Unfortunately, Hosea lost control of his bike, and was in a traffic accident, sustaining an injury to his leg. As a result, he is in chronic pain and is unable to work. Hosea sought the help of our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, and was diagnosed with a fracture of the tibia and fibula. Now he is scheduled to undergo fracture repair surgery on November 1st, at AIC Kapsowar Hospital, after which he should be able to resume his life, free from pain. African Mission Healthcare Foundation is requesting $1,145 to fund this procedure. Hosea said: "I am in need and appealing for help from all well-wishers reading my story."

Foster is a 70-year-old father of nine, from Makwenda Village in Malawi. He lives with his wife and grandchildren. To support his family, he solely depends on farming where he grows maize, groundnuts, and soya beans. Foster is a village headman and he is a member of the Church of African Presbytery. Foster was well until 2020 when he noticed a swelling on the right side of his groin. The swelling was very painful and made passing stool and urine very difficult. The swelling would disappear and reappear after a while, especially when it is cold, and when he coughs or strains himself. Foster decided to seek medical help at a health center in his area where he was referred to Nkhoma Hospital, but at the time surgeries were limited due to the coronavirus pandemic. He was told to come back another time. As the condition persisted, Foster went to seek medical help at Dedza District Hospital where he has been visiting up to now and had been given pain medication. Last week, Foster visited Nkhoma Hospital once again, and he presented that the swelling has now been appearing on both sides. After assessment in the surgical clinic, Foster was diagnosed with Bilateral Inguinal Hernia. The doctor advised that he needs to undergo Hernia Repair surgical procedure and this was scheduled for October 5th. This hernia condition has impacted Foster’s life negatively. Since the condition surfaced, he experiences pain that hinders him from doing his daily activities and he fails to work on his farm. Additionally, he cannot walk a long distance or ride his bike as the swelling appears when he strains himself. Treatment will be a welcome development in Foster’s life. He will be able to work on his farm and continue taking care of his family as he is the sole breadwinner. In addition to that, treatment will prevent Foster from developing complications that a hernia can cause, such as enlargement, incarceration, small bowel obstruction, and strangulation of the hernia, which can be fatal. Foster shared that he does not have enough money to pay for his surgery and other expenses so the medical team referred him to Watsi and our medical partner African Mission healthcare. He has been able to contribute $15 to his care and our medical partner is requesting $500 to cover the cost of Foster's surgery. Foster says, “I was afraid that this condition will start affecting my duties as a village headman, I am thankful that there is hope for me through my donors.”

Horn is a grandmother from Cambodia who is 87 years young. She has four sons, one daughter, and fifteen grandchildren. She and her husband live with their daughter, who is a teacher. For many years, Horn worked selling groceries from their house, but she has had to stop due to poor eyesight. At home, she likes to listen to monks pray on the radio. Six years ago, Horn developed a cataract in her right eye, causing her to experience light sensitivity and poor vision. 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. She previously enjoyed walking to the pagoda with her husband, but she now fears that she will trip and fall because she is unable to see well. When Horn learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for four and a half hours seeking treatment. On August 15th, doctors will perform a small incision cataract surgery and place an intraocular lens implant in her right eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Now, she needs help to fund this $253 procedure. Horn says, "I hope my vision improves and I can get around easily by myself."

Jayden is an adorable 1-month-old baby from Kenya. He has two older siblings. His mother works as a hairdresser but currently stays home caring for Jayden, while his father works as a casual laborer at construction sites. The family shared that they do not have the insurance coverage to cover Jayden’s surgery needs and request assistance. Jayden was born with spina bifida, 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, exposed nervous tissue infection, tethered cord syndrome development, and possible developmental delays. Jayden will undergo spina bifida closure surgery on December 13th. This procedure will help Jayden grow up healthy and without any risks associated with this condition. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,151 to cover the cost of Jayden’s spina bifida closure surgery. Jayden’s mother says: “We have never seen such a condition in our family, and it is very hard to explain to people. We are hopeful that he will be treated soon.”

Abigael is a bright seven-year-old from Kenya. She is the firstborn in a family of two children. Her mother is a single mom who works to support her family by doing a variety of work on other people’s farms. Abigael attends school, and one of her favorite ways to spend time is playing with her friends, both at school and at home. Abigael was born with clubfoot on her left foot. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. This causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Abigael's mother noticed the condition and took her to the nearest hospital when she was two weeks old. She underwent a series of casting there; however, over time, her clubfoot became progressively worse rather than improving. Fortunately, Abigael and her family traveled to our medical partner's care center, AIC Cure International Hospital, to seek treatment. There, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on July 12th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,286 to fund Abigael's clubfoot repair. After treatment, she will be able to put on shoes, walk comfortably, play with her friends freely, and continue with her education uninterrupted. Abigael’s mom shares, “I request support for my daughter's clubfoot to be corrected so that she can be able to put on her shoes and walk like other children.”

Lim is a 24-year-old man from Cambodia. He and his wife were recently married, and she works as a garment factory worker. Lim was a truck driver, but now stays home due to his injury. In February 2022, Lim was in a motorbike collision, which caused trauma to his right hip. He cannot walk without the help of crutches, and he is not able to help his wife around the house. He feels despondent due to his chronic pain and his inability to work. Fortunately, our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), is helping Lim receive treatment. Doctors at CSC diagnosed him with a right hip fracture and dislocation and on November 15th, he will undergo a total hip replacement. Now, Lim needs help raising $1,500 to fund his procedure and care. Lim shared, "after surgery, I hope my right hip will have no pain, I can walk without pain and work for my family again."

Piseth is a 21-year-old construction worker. His parents are rice farmers, and he has two brothers. In his free time, Piseth enjoys playing football, listening to music, and helping his family at home. In June 2021, Piseth was in a traffic accident where he fractured his left leg. After the accident, he visited a clinic where they placed screws in his leg. The fracture has since healed, but the wound site has become infected. Piseth is unable to walk or work, and experiences pain. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, are able to help. On June 2nd, Piseth will undergo a surgical procedure where surgeons will remove the hardware and treat the infected wound so he can walk easily again. Now, Piseth needs help raising $304 to fund his procedure and care. Piseth shared, "I hope I can walk without crutches after my surgery and be free from this pain."

U Nyan is a 62-year-old man who lives with his wife in Mon State, Burma. He used to work as a tricycle taxi driver as well as a day labourer but since he had stroke around three months ago, he stopped working. His wife also had a stroke and cannot work. They have a daughter who works across the border in Bangkok, and she sends them some money every three or four months. However, the amount that her daughter sends is not enough for U Nyan and his wife for their daily expenses and they shared that, occasionally, their neighbor also gives them food. Recently, U Nyan noticed a small lump on his left elbow, which rapidly became enlarged and painful. Currently, U Nyan is in a lot of pain and cannot sleep. After seeking treatment at various clinics and hospitals, U Nyan was finally referred to Mawlamyine Christian Leprosy Hospital (MCLH) where he was diagnosed with an abscess around his left elbow joint and scheduled for surgery on May 9th. When he told the doctor that he could not afford to pay for his surgery, the doctor referred him to our medical partner Burma Children Medical Fund for financial assistance accessing surgery. He has already borrowed about $350 so far to help with his diagnosis and treatment, and people in his community have pitched in to support him financially. Our medical partner is helping him raise $760 for his surgery. “After surgery I want to go home and look after my wife. I want to listen to sermons, meditate and do good deeds,” shared U Nyan.

Sophea is a 17-year-old construction worker. He lives at home with his family and has four brothers and two sisters, and is the youngest child in his family. His parents are both farmers. He went to school until the 9th grade, but started to work to help support his family. In his free time, Sophea enjoys playing football, singing songs, meeting friends to drink coffee, fishing, and helping his mother with housework. In March 2022, he was driving a tuk-tuk when he badly burned his right ankle on the motor. He went to a local hospital for burn treatment, but in early April, the burn scar broke and he now has dead tissue on the back of his leg that is painful and makes it difficult for him to walk. He is unable to work or help around the house. When Sophea learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, he traveled for two and a half hours seeking treatment. On April 22nd, surgeons at CSC will perform a skin graft procedure to to help him walk easily again and return to his job in construction. Now, Sophea needs help to fund this $487 procedure. Sophea hopes that his wound will finally be healed soon, and that he will be able to resume his daily work.