Caroline is a 26 year old woman who lives in the Nairobi area with her husband and five year old son. Caroline is a casual laborer who washes clothes for her neighbors, while her husband is also a casual laborer at construction sites getting work whenever he can. Six years ago Caroline began to experience troubling symptoms, including a swelling of the neck, accompanied by regular headaches, increased heartbeat at times, and difficulty sleeping. The problem appeared to start with a small nodule in her neck, which increased in size during her pregnancy. She was ultimately diagnosed with an enlarged thyroid gland, which will need to be excised to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. Luckily Caroline's friend, Teresia, who had a thyroidectomy supported by the Watsi community, brought Caroline to meet with doctors from our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare. Now on February 28th Caroline will undergo a thyroidectomy at Nazareth Hospital, where surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. This procedure will cost $657, and Caroline and her family need your help to raise this money. If not treated, the goiter will continue to grow, causing more severe symptoms and potentially leading to thyrotoxicosis. “I thank my friend for bringing me to Nazareth. I also request for help so that I can be treated and get back my normal life. My family is just beginning, and I hope to be well to take care of my young family like other mothers,” said Caroline.

A (Aye) is a 37-year-old homemaker who lives with her husband, father, and son in a village in Thailand. Her father cannot work as a result of having suffered a stroke and her son was born with a disability. A's husband works as an agricultural day laborer. Since April 2022, A has been experiencing back pain and difficulty sleeping. These symptoms are caused by a large mass on her ovary. She has been advised to undergo a total abdominal hysterectomy, which is the surgical removal of her uterus and cervix. If left untreated, A's symptoms will continue to intensify, and she will be at risk for further health complications in the future. Fortunately, A is now scheduled to undergo her hysterectomy on April 23rd at Mae Sot General Hospital. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of her procedure and care. Once she has recovered, A should be free from pain and able to comfortably sleep through the night. “I really want to be healthy again so that I can take care of my father and son. My husband had to stop working for the past week to look after our son, so now we have no income. But I am happy that I have a donor [to pay for my surgery], and I hope that I will get better soon. After I recover, my husband can go back to work and save money to pay back our debt,” said A.

Helen is a young student from Haiti. She lives with her parents in a neighborhood of Port-au-Prince; she is in first grade and likes her math and reading classes. Helen has a cardiac condition called ventricular septal defect. A hole exists between the two lower chambers of her heart. Blood leaks through this hole without passing through her lungs to be oxygenated, leaving her weak and short of breath. The surgery that Helen needs is not available anywhere in Haiti, so she will fly to the United States to receive treatment. On May 22, she will undergo cardiac surgery, during which surgeons will sew a patch over the hole in her heart to close it. Another organization, HeartGift Foundation, is contributing $14,000 to pay for surgery. Helen's family also needs help to fund the costs of surgery prep and travel. The $1,500 bill covers labs, medicines, and checkup and followup appointments. It also supports passport obtainment and the social workers from our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, who will accompany Helen's family overseas. Helen's father said: "Our family is all very excited and hopeful to know that our daughter's heart can be fixed soon!"