Marivel is a hardworking and loving daughter from the Philippines. She is a 2nd-year college student. While studying, she tried to look for jobs to support her family. Unfortunately, to date she has been unable to pass the medical (health) requirements. The only breadwinner in the family is her father who works as a pedicab driver. Her father's income is often not enough to bring food to the table. In 2018, Marivel began to experience troubling symptoms, including a mass on her neck that is growing in size, and episodes of difficulty breathing. Due to the inadequate family resources, she did not seek treatment. By the time she finally had a chance to be checked by a doctor, her condition had worsened. She was diagnosed with Nodular Non-Toxic Goiter, a thyroid gland enlargement with no disturbance in the thyroid function. She needs surgery to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. Fortunately, our medical partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines (WSFP), is helping Marivel receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on December 10th at Our Lady of Peace Hospital. Surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. A portion of the cost of her treatment is being supported by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and WSFP is raising the remaining $890 to cover the cost of Marivel's procedure and care. Marivel shared, "I'd like to thank Watsi and World Surgical Foundation Philippines. You're not just giving me surgery, but also a chance to support my family. After my treatment, I'd be able to find a decent job and provide for our needs."

Kheng is a 59-year-old retired rice farmer from Cambodia. Her husband passed away many years ago. She has two sons, five daughters, and many grandchildren. At home, Kheng enjoys listening to the monks pray on the radio and playing with her grandchildren. A year ago, Kheng developed a cataract in her left eye, causing her itchiness, tearing, and blurry vision. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, including colors and faces, and is worried about falling when walking, so she cannot go places on her own. When Kheng learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), she traveled for three and a half hours seeking treatment. On November 15th, doctors will perform cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in her left eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. CSC is requesting $253 to fund this procedure. Kheng shared: "After surgery, I hope I can see well, go outside, and recognize the faces of my grandchildren."

Thet is a 35 year old husband and father, who lives with his wife, son and in-laws in Mon State in Burma. Both Thet and his wife work in his uncle's grocery store, while his in laws are farmers. When he isn't working, Thet enjoys spending time with his son and reading. In November 2018, Thet started to experience tiredness when working, and frequent headaches. He also had a rapid heartbeat, and he couldn't sleep well. He went to a hospital in Mawlamyine, where he was referred to a different hospital in Yangon for further treatment. At the hospital in Yangon, Thet was diagnosed with mitral valve regurgitation and stenosis, which would require surgery to correct. Thet was sent home with medications to manage his condition. In March 2022, Thet went back to the hospital in Yangon, because of continuing fatigue, headaches, coughing and fever. The doctor told him they would contact him to schedule his surgery in May, but Thet never heard back from the hospital. When Thet told his neighbor about this, his neighbor gave him the phone number of a heart patient who had been helped by our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF). Thet followed up, and thanks to the assistance of Burma Children Medical Fund, he is finally scheduled for surgery to replace the valve in his heart on October 13th, at Pun Hlaing Hospital. Now Thet needs your help to fund the $1,500 to cover the cost of this surgery. "I have sold all my jewelry to pay for the cost of traveling to the hospital. I feel less stressed since I met the BCMF staff,” said Thet.

Chorn is a 33-year-old father of three. Chorn is married; he and his wife both work in a local factory. Chorn's children are all in public school. When Chorn and his wife have free time, they grow vegetables around their house to support their daily meals. When he was a child, Chorn had a severe ear infection. This infection caused the tympanic membrane, or the ear drum, in his right ear to perforate. For this reason, Chorn experiences pain, fevers, and frequent ear discharge. It is difficult for him to hear in the busy factory and he often misses work because he feels poorly. Chorn traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On September 6th he will undergo a myringoplasty procedure in his right ear. During this procedure, surgeons will close the perforation. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $487 to fund this procedure. This covers medications, supplies, and inpatient care. Chorn shared, "I hope the doctors can help me so I will no longer have infections and can hear better. It is important for me to work to support my family."

Nath is a seven-year-old boy from Cambodia. He is the youngest child in his family and has an older brother and older sister. To support their family, his parents both work as rice farmers. Due to being diagnosed with Down syndrome, Nath does not attend school. One of his favorite ways to spend time is playing with toys. When Nath was a newborn, he had several injections of medication in his thigh. These injections left him with a stiff right knee and contracture of his quadriceps muscle, which led to a dislocated knee. He now experiences difficulty walking and often cries due to pain. When Nath's family learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), they traveled for two and a half hours seeking treatment. On August 3rd, surgeons at CSC will perform a quadricepsplasty procedure of his right leg. The goal of this surgery is to improve knee flexion, making it easier for him to walk and decreasing his pain. Now, Nath's family need help funding this life-changing $482 procedure. His mother says, "I hope after this surgery my son will be able to walk normally and not be in pain."

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.”

Mu is a 34-year-old wife and mother, living in Thailand. Mu lives with her husband, son, and two daughters in Mae Sot, Tak Province. Their family moved from Yangon, Burma to Thailand 14 years ago, in search of better job opportunities. Today, Mu is a homemaker, her son is a student, while her two daughters are still too young to study. Her husband is a dockworker in Mae Sot. Because their income is insufficient to cover their daily expenses, they sometimes have to borrow money from a neighbor. About two years ago, Mu developed a femoral hernia. Because of the hernia, Mu experiences severe pain in her left groin area, and she also has a lump that has been increasing in size, and which hangs down when she walks. Mu is very stressed about her condition, and because of chronic discomfort, she has been unable to keep up with her daily tasks. Fortunately, with the help of our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, Mu is scheduled for hernia repair surgery on October 27th, at Mae Sot General Hospital. Burma Children Medical Fund is seeking $1,500 to cover the cost of Mu's surgery and care, which should enable Mu to return to a life without the hardship she experiences now. Mu said: “I feel like I have to hold myself so this will not fall down when I walk, which makes me feel very uncomfortable. I want to receive surgery soon so that I can work to earn more money in the future. Now, my baby—our youngest daughter—is older so I will find a job after I have fully recovered from surgery.”

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."

Sol is a 42-year-old man who works as a blacksmith, while his wife sells groceries from their home. They have three daughters, who are all students in the local public school. When Sol is not working, he likes to listen to the news on the radio or on his phone. Two years ago, Sol developed a pterygium in his left eye, causing him irritation, tearing, and difficulty seeing in low light. Pterygiums are non-cancerous growths of the conjunctiva, which is the mucous layer that lubricates the eye. These growths occur when the conjunctiva is exposed to excessive sun damage, and the cells grow abnormally over the pupil. As a result of this condition, Sol has difficulty seeing things clearly, recognizing faces, working, and going outside. When Sol learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), he traveled for three and a half hours hoping for treatment. On May 2nd, he will undergo surgery to remove the abnormal conjunctiva from the cornea surface and replace it with a conjunctival graft to prevent a recurrence. CSC is requesting $225 to fund this procedure, which includes medications, supplies, and inpatient care for two days. Sol said, "After surgery, I hope my eye can see better. I need good eyesight to work well in my trade."

Olivia is a 45-year-old small businesswoman and mother of four. Her children are in school, and she sells vegetables while her husband tends to their small piece of land. Olivia shared that their income helps them to meet their daily needs, however it has been very difficult for them to save up money for the cost of her surgery. Three years ago, Olivia began to experience troubling symptoms, including neck swelling, breathing problems, and fatigue. Upon review, doctors diagnosed her condition as a multi-nodular goiter and determined that she will need to undergo surgery to prevent her symptoms from worsening. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is helping Olivia receive treatment. On April 12th, she will undergo a thyroidectomy, in which surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. AMH is requesting $252 to cover the cost of Olivia’s surgery. Olivia shared, “It is hard for me to work well because this swelling gives me ill-health. I hope that once it is removed, I will regain my health and continue providing for my family.”

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.”

Zara is a bright and creative 3-year-old from Haiti. She lives with her parents and two older sisters, and she loves going to preschool. One of her favorite ways to spend her time is by exploring her creativity and doing arts and crafts projects. Zara was born with a cardiac condition called patent ductus arteriosus, in which blood leaks through a hole between two major blood vessels next to her heart. This causes her to experience weakness and shortness of breath. Our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, is seeking $1,500 to fund her procedure and care. During the procedure, doctors will use a catheter to plug the hole so blood can properly flow through her body. This will allow Zara to breath with ease. Zara's mother said, "Our family is very hopeful that after this surgery our daughter will become healthier and stronger."