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.

Manin is an eight-year-old student in grade three. She and her family live in Kampong Cham province. Her father is a driver, and her mother stays home to care for the children, including her younger brother and sister. In school, her favorite subjects are Khmer literature and mathematics. At home, she likes to eat her mother's fried pork and soup, and ride her bicycle around the village. When Manin is older, she would like to be a nurse. For the past four years, Manin has been experiencing a sore throat and difficulty swallowing. Her mother said she has had throat problems since she was a small child, accompanied by infections and high fevers. In the last few years, Manin has lost her appetite because of difficulty swallowing and it is hard for her to breathe at night. Manin was recently diagnosed with enlarged tonsils and adenoids, which, if not treated, will cause her symptoms to persist and possibly intensify over time. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is helping Manin receive a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy, which is scheduled to take place on January 24th. Surgeons will remove her tonsils and adenoids, hopefully relieving Manin of her symptoms and helping her live much more comfortably. Manin's family needs help raising $265 to fund her procedure and care. Manin's mother said: "We hope Manin will no longer have infections. She can swallow without pain, eat better, and not take so much medicine."

Sarin is a 63-year-old tuk-tuk driver from Cambodia. His wife works at a clothes factory, and they have a daughter. At home, Sarin enjoys watching the news on his phone. About a year ago, Sarin developed a cataract in his right eye, causing him blurry vision and photophobia. It has become difficult for him to see his cellphone map to drive customers to the correct destination, so he can no longer work. He also cannot see things clearly and is worried about falling when walking, so he cannot go places independently. When Sarin learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), he traveled for three hours seeking treatment. On January 3rd, doctors will perform cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in his right eye. After recovery, he will be able to see clearly and resume his work. CSC is requesting $253 to fund this procedure. Sarin said: "After this operation, I hope I will able to drive my tuk-tuk and earn money to support my family again."