Linn's Baby is a four-day-old girl who lives with her parents and three older sisters in a village in Thailand. She is so young, that she is not yet named. Her parents are day laborers. Linn's Baby was born with multiple health challenges including Down syndrome and congenital heart disease. In addition, her mother noticed that she wasn't passing stool, and when the doctors examined her, they discovered that she also has a condition known as imperforate anus. What this means is that Linn's Baby was born without an opening, which is a birth condition that occurs while the fetus is still developing in the womb. To address her condition, Linn's Baby will undergo surgery on August 4th at Mae Sot General Hospital, to place a colostomy, that will allow her to pass stool until she grows bigger and stronger, and better able to tolerate additional surgeries. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is seeking $1,500 to cover the costs of this procedure. Her mother said: "I cannot watch my daughter suffer from these conditions. I think she is crying because she wants breastmilk. She is my first baby born with such conditions. My other daughters are all healthy. I feel very sad for her.”

Ruthmeeah is a one-year-old baby girl living with her parents near the northern coast of Haiti. Ruthmeeah was born with a rare, congenital heart condition, known as Tetralogy of Fallot. This condition is characterized by four separate defects of the heart, including a hole between the heart's two lower chambers, and a muscular blockage of one of the valves. Ruthmeeah will fly to the Dominican Republic to receive treatment. On April 25th, she will undergo cardiac surgery at Hospital CEDIMAT, during which surgeons will sew a patch over the hole to prevent blood from leaking through it; they will also remove the blockage from the valve. Our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, is contributing $6,000 to pay for Ruthmeeah's surgery. Ruthmeeah's family needs your help to raise an additional $1,500 to cover the costs of her pre-surgical prep, labs, medicines, and follow-up appointments. This money will also be used to pay for passports and for the social workers who will accompany Ruthmeeah and her family to the Dominican Republic. Ruthmeeah's mother said: "Our family has been praying very hard that our daughter would survive long enough to have this surgery, and we are so glad that our prayers are being answered."

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."

Roly, who is two years old, is a happy and loving child, who lives with his family in a small town, which is a nine hour drive from La Paz, Bolivia. Roly's parents are farmers. Roly was born with a cardiac condition called patent ductus arteriosus. Because of this condition, blood leaks through a hole that connects two major blood vessels next to the heart, leaving Roly sick and short of breath. He needs surgery in order to be able to live a full and healthy life. Fortunately our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, is helping Roly access the care that he needs. On March 1st, surgeons at Hospital del Niño Dr. Ovidio Aliaga Uria will operate on Roly, sewing the hole in his heart closed, so that blood can no longer leak through it. Now Roly and his family need your help to raise the $1,500 necessary to fund this life saving procedure. His mother is hopeful that he will be better soon and said, "We are hoping that our son will have a better appetite and gain more weight after his surgery is finished."

Meet Aman, a smart, kind, five year old boy, who lives with his family in Ethiopia. Aman likes to help care for his siblings, and to play football. While his parents are farmers, his mother has been unable to work, of late, due to an issue with her eyes. Aman's mother shared that he developed visible changes to the shape of his abdomen, swelling, pain and bloating. Ultimately, he has been diagnosed with a mass on his abdominal wall. As a result of this mass, Aman experiences a variety of challenging symptoms, while his parents are emotionally distressed from watching their child suffer. With the assistance of our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, Aman is now scheduled for an abdominal resection - the removal of the mass - on January 5th, at BethanyKids Myungsung Christian Medical Centre. The cost of Aman's procedure and care is $1,500, and their family needs your help to fund this procedure to alleviate Aman's suffering. Aman's mother says: “I want him to recover from this disease and be healthy. After this treatment I wish for him to play like his friends. I hope he will get married one day, and I want to see my grandchildren in the future.”

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!"

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.”