Chadier is a 5-year-old boy who lives with his grandmother, a small-scale farmer and the sole breadwinner for the family, in South Sudan. She shared that he was abandoned by his mother, who had separated from her husband before Chadier's birth. Chadier was born with a congenital malformation, where his bladder formed outside the body (bladder exstrophy). His mother took him to a hospital at the age of 6 months for treatment of his condition. She was advised to wait 4 years for his surgery. The hospital that Chadier's mother visited approached an organization that supports needy patients and shared his case to them. Chadier and his grandmother reside in a rural village, and it was difficult for the organization to locate them. The village has inaccessible roads, no schools, and frequent outbreaks of war. Fortunately, the organization was finally able to locate Chadier and his grandmother in December of last year. He was referred to BethanyKids Hospital in Kenya for treatment after the organization coordinated with our medical partner African Mission Healthcare. Upon his arrival, Chadier was diagnosed and it was recommended that he undergo multiple surgeries to heal his condition. Chadier has underwent initial bladder exstrophy repair surgery. He still needs epispadias repair surgery to treat his condition. Chadier's grandmother cannot afford to pay for his medical treatments, so their family needs help to raise the $834 cost. Chadier's grandma says, "I have always wished for him to get treated, and I’m happy that it has started and is going well."

Eng is a 48-year-old cleaner from Cambodia. She has two sons, one daughter, and four grandchildren. During her free time, she enjoys playing with her grandchildren. In 2018, Eng had an ear infection that caused both of her ear drums to perforate. For this reason, she now experiences pain, headaches, hearing loss, ear discharge, and ringing in her ears. She also has difficulty communicating clearly with other people. Fortunately, Eng traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On August 4th, she will undergo a myringoplasty procedure in both ears. During this procedure, surgeons will close the perforations. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $914 to fund this procedure, which will cover supplies, treatment, and inpatient care. Eng says, "I hope my hearing will improve after surgery and the ear infections will stop."

Nancy is a small-scale farmer from Kenya. Together with her elderly husband, they grow food crops for home use on their half-acre piece of land. She is a mother of eight children who are all adults. All her children don’t have a stable source of income at the moment. She needs care but does not have medical coverage and hasn't been able to raise the required amount for treatment. In early July this year, Nancy was tripped by her dog and fell on a stone, hurting the left side of her hip. She sustained a left sub-trochanteric fracture that is making her immobile. This is a fracture of the proximal femur located a few centimeters from the hip. She was taken to a nearby health facility and had an x-ray done after review. She was then referred to our medical partner's care center Kijabe Hospital for surgery. She is unable to walk and is currently using a wheelchair and although jovial and smiling, she is in pain. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner can help. On September 30th, Nancy will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation. This procedure will relieve her of her pain and help her walk easily again. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,500 to fund this procedure. Nancy says, “I am unable to walk. I am desperate, and also struggling to pay for my treatment. I need this treatment to be able to get out of this wheelchair.”

Emmanuel is a 17-year-old student from Haiti who hopes to become a doctor. He lives with his aunt and uncle in a neighborhood of Port-au-Prince so that he can more easily attend school, as his parents live in the countryside. Emmanuel has a cardiac condition called rheumatic mitral regurgitation, which means one of his heart valves was severely damaged from an infection he experienced in early childhood. In 2017, Emmanuel underwent heart surgery to repair his existing valve. This surgery stabilized his heart for several years, but the valve remains unable to pump blood adequately throughout his body. Emmanuel needs to undergo a second surgery to replace the valve with a prosthetic heart valve. Emmanuel will fly to the Dominican Republic to receive treatment, as this surgery is unavailable in Haiti. On November 10th, he will undergo cardiac surgery, during which surgeons will remove the damaged heart valve and implant a replacement valve. An organization called Mitral Foundation is contributing $8,000 to pay for help pay for surgery. Emmanuel's family also needs help to fund the costs of surgery prep. The $1,500 bill covers labs, medicines, and check-up and follow-up appointments. It also supports passport obtainment and the social workers from our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, who will accompany Emmanuel's family overseas. Emmanuel shared, "I am looking forward to growing stronger and having much more energy after my surgery!"

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.”

Derrick is a 25-year-old student from Uganda who is pursuing his priesthood studies at a local Ugandan university. He is currently on holiday awaiting pastoral duties in September. Derrick is the youngest in a family of seven siblings. During his free time, he enjoys playing volleyball. Derrick has dealt with a burning sensation around his pelvic area for a long time. He was diagnosed with varicocele, an enlargement of the veins within the scrotum. This condition causes him discomfort when he carries out many of his daily tasks and duties. Fortunately, Derrick traveled to our medical partner's care center, African Mission Healthcare, to receive treatment. On August 16th, surgeons will remove the mass. Now, he needs help to raise $188 to fund this procedure. Derrick says, “I hope to get good health after my surgery because am really worried about my health.”

Meet Francis, a 36 year old mechanic and father of three, living in Uganda. Before being orphaned as a young boy, Francis had aspired to becoming a veterinarian. Due to the loss of his parents, Francis discontinued his education, and began working in a garage to train as a mechanic. While he has had to stop his work of repairing motorcycles for the past three months, he has done some small scale farming, in order to sustain his family. His wife sells roasted maize on the roadside to help support their family. Ten years ago, Francis developed an inguinal hernia. This hernia causes him weakness and pain, which has interfered with his ability to work, and to earn a stable livelihood. Fortunately, with the help of our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, Francis is scheduled for hernia repair surgery on October 4th, at Karoli Lwanga Hospital, Nyakibale. After he has fully recovered, Francis should be able to return to his work, and to enjoying life with his family. Now he needs your support to fund the $230 procedure. Francis says: “This condition has really thrown me into a terrible situation. I no longer work, meaning I can’t even provide for my family, but I hope with your support, I will be able to regain my health to continue working like I was before.”

Ian is a caring seven year old and is the second born in a family of two boys. Ian and his brother are under the care of their grandmother, because their mother has left the family, while their father sustained brain damage after a motorcycle accident, leaving him unable to provide for his children. Ian's grandmother works at a hospital, while his grandfather is a farmer. Ian discovered his condition with the help of his elder brother, and as the result of the new system of education in Kenya, where children are taught how to examine and better understand their bodies. After telling their grandmother, she brought Ian to the local hospital, where he was diagnosed with cryptorchidism, or undescended testicles. The doctor recommended an orchidopexy, to treat Ian's condition. If Ian does not undergo this procedure, he will live with an increased risk of developing hernias, testicular cancer, and fertility problems in the future. Ian's grandmother is not in a position to fund his treatment, and therefore, she requests your support. Thanks to the assistance of our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, Ian is scheduled for surgery on September 19th, at Nazareth Hospital. African Mission Healthcare Foundation is seeking $483 to cover the cost of Ian's surgery and care. Ian’s grandmother says: “These are my grandchildren and I love them. I plead for help so that Ian can get treatment and be able to grow in a normal way like other boys.”

Chan Tho is a 16-year-old student in grade nine from Cambodia. She is an only child, and her parents grow rainy-day rice and vegetables. In her free time, she enjoys reading books, doing homework, listening to music, and watching TV. Three years ago, she noticed a lump on her right leg above the knee. In the past two months, it has grown quickly, causing her to walk more slowly due to progressive pain. Doctors have diagnosed it as osteochondroma, an overgrowth of cartilage and bone that happens at the end of the bone near the growth plate, and is the most common noncancerous bone growth. Chan Tho traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On September 29th, surgeons at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), will remove the mass. Now, Chan Tho's family needs help to raise $469 to fund this procedure. She shared: "I hope the tumor will be removed quickly and my pain will stop."

Sokha is a 60-year-old rice farmer. She married and has three sons, three daughters, and thirteen grandchildren. Sokha lives with her husband and youngest daughter. Some of her favorite ways to spend her free time are listening to the news and the monks praying on the radio. Two years ago, Sokha developed a cataract in her right eye. As a result, she experiences cloudy vision and is unable to see in the dark or in bright light. She also 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 Sokha learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), she traveled for two and a half hours seeking treatment. On September 28th, doctors will perform cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in her right eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly again. CSC is requesting $253 to fund this procedure. Sokha shared, "After surgery, I hope my eye will see better and I can visit the pagoda for ceremonies."

Lynemandy is a 28 year old woman from Haiti, who is studying for a business degree at a local university. She lives with her parents in a neighborhood of Port-au-Prince. Lynemandy has a cardiac condition called rheumatic mitral regurgitation, which is a result of a bout of rheumatic fever that she suffered as a child. One of the four valves in her heart was severely damaged as a result of this illness, and in 2018, Lynemandy underwent surgery to repair the damaged valve. The valve functioned well for four years, but now it needs to be replaced so she can live healthy in the future. The care she needs is unfortunately not available within Haiti, so Lynemandy will need to travel to undergo cardiac surgery in the United States on November 17th. Her surgery, during which a new valve will be implanted, is being funded by Baylor Scott & White Heart Hospital. Now Lynemandy and her family need to raise $1,500 to cover the costs of pre and post operative treatment, and for the social workers from our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, who will accompany Lynemandy when she travels to the United States. Lynemandy said: "I am very grateful to everyone who is working so hard to keep me alive and healthy."

Faith is 26 years old and a mother to a preschooler. Calm and intelligent, she holds a certificate in nursing but has not yet been able to secure a job in her profession. Faith depends on her husband who operates a thrift shop to provide basic needs for the family. Due to the country's economic crisis, few people are buying clothes from his business, limiting his profit. Their family resides in a two-roomed rental house. Faith is an active home maker and during her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family. Faith is currently expecting her second child. Her doctors recommend that she deliver via a caesarean section to prevent complications like uterine rupture. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is helping Faith undergo a C-Section on December 8th. This procedure will cost $252, and Faith's family needs your support. Faith says "Last time I delivered my first child, I had health problems and was discharged after two weeks, this time I have decided to come early to seek support before things get worse. I know I won’t be able to raise the money needed for my surgery and I appeal for your financial support."