Proscovia is a 29-year-old lady from Uganda. She had been employed in a factory for the past five years. However, when she became pregnant, she was dismissed from the payroll due to the factory's policy of not allowing employees with babies. This left her with no choice but to become the primary caregiver for her baby. Her husband works as a security assistant at a supermarket. Unfortunately, both lack the means to raise the necessary funds for the surgery that she now needs. For the past two years, she has been experiencing progressive neck swelling which is worsening. Proscovia has begun to experience troubling symptoms including speech difficulties, and is unable to talk well anymore. Even small activities cause her to become easily fatigued. Moreover, she sometimes struggles to breathe appropriately and experiences profuse sweating, especially at night. She was diagnosed with multinodular goiter. She needs surgery to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Proscovia receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on July 4th at our medical partner's care center. Surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. This procedure will cost $252, and she and her family need help raising money. Proscovia shared quietly, “I kindly seek consideration and support for my surgery. I will be very grateful and live a better quality of life as I look for another job for a living.”

66-year-old Anna is a widow from Malawi where she lives with her two daughters, one of whom runs a saloon while the other sells second-hand clothing. Anna is in the business of renting houses. Last year, Anna noticed an asymptomatic swelling on the left side of her neck. She visited the nearest clinic where she was referred to Kamuzu Central Hospital for tests on her thyroid. Anna was diagnosed with a goiter and was informed she would need surgery. Surgeons at Partners in Hope Hospital are scheduled to perform a thyroidectomy on May 3rd, during which all or part of Anna's thyroid will be removed. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is seeking $1,015 to cover the costs of Anna's procedure and care. Anna is hoping to get better after surgery so that she can continue supporting her family as a caring mother. Anna believes that her two daughters are the greatest priority in her life and that she has to be in good health for their sake as their only remaining parent. Full of smiles, Anna said: “Thank you, sponsors. I did not know this day would come in my life; I can smile again.”

Sofia is a 21-year-old student from the Philippines. She loves to read and is very active in school. She is in her final year of college and is getting ready to graduate. During her spare time, Sofia likes to help out in her family's sari-sari store. When Sofia was in high school, she noticed a mass in her left breast. Fearing their family’s history of breast cancer, Sofia and her mom decided to consult a doctor. Sofia was diagnosed with breast cancer. A mastectomy, a surgery to remove breast tissue, was suggested to rid her body of breast cancer and to prevent the cancer from metastasizing. However, due to financial constraints, Sofia was unable to undergo treatment at the time. Fortunately, our medical partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines (WSFP), is helping Sofia receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a mastectomy on June 24th at Our Lady of Peace Hospital. A portion of the cost of her treatment is being supported by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and WSFP is raising $1058 to cover the remaining cost. After treatment, Sofia will hopefully return to a cancer-free life. Sofia shared, "I hope the operation will be a success so that I can continue my studies, and my mom can stop worrying about my future health conditions. I'm grateful to WATSI and World Surgical Foundation Philippines for providing me with this opportunity to have the surgery free of charge."