Ashan is a 64-year-old small-scale farmer from Malawi. He is married with six children; five of them married, and one who is a secondary school student. Ashan lives with his wife, their last born child and four grandchildren. To support his family, he cultivates maize and beans, and also rears domestic animals like goats and chicken. Three months ago, Ashan started experiencing trouble with urination and bowel movements. He decided to visit our medical partner's care center, Nkhoma Hospital, where a catheter was placed. The solution worked for some time but later on, he started experiencing pain at the catheter site, and it became increasingly difficult for him to walk long distances and engage in his farming activities. He went back to the hospital where he was diagnosed with benign prostatic hyperplasia, also known as enlarged prostate. Surgery was recommended, but Ashan could not afford the cost of the procedure. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare is helping Ashan receive treatment. On April 16th, Ashan will undergo a prostatectomy, a surgical procedure for the partial or complete removal of the prostate. The surgery will help treat his condition and improve his quality of life after recovery. Ashan and his family are able to contribute $87 towards the cost of his treatment and need help raising $530 more to fund the operation. Ashan says,” I am looking forward to feeling better after the treatment.”

Spencer is the last born in a family of four children. His father is a fisherman, and mother stays home to care for Spencer. Shortly after birth, Spencer's stomach became swollen. He was diagnosed with Anorectal Malformation - a birth condition in which the rectum is malformed. He was scheduled for a colostomy opening surgery, but Spencer's parents did not have any money for the surgery. They went back home with some medication to help pass stool as they were looking for money. After one month, they gathered some money and underwent the surgery. Spencer is now scheduled for an anorectoplasty surgery, where the surgeon will further correct the malformation. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, will perform the surgery on February 27th and is requesting for $743 to fund the surgery. Spencer’s mother says, “As a parent, it's very painful to see your child suffering yet there’s nothing you can do to help. I hope that my child will be able to recover and live a normal life.”

Nyunt is a 50-year-old father of three from Burma. Nyunt and his wife stay home and care for the kids and their nephew. They cultivate and sell bananas and beetle nuts for a living. During his leisure time, Nyunt enjoys spending time with his family. Nyunt is a former patient of Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF) who received surgery for his renal stone problem with the help of Watsi in 2020. He had been in good health until earlier this year when he suddenly started experiencing difficulty passing urine. The doctor diagnosed him with bladder stones after conducting an X-ray and ultrasound. Doctors want Nyunt to undergo a CT scan, a procedure in which X-ray images taken from several angles are combined to produce cross-sectional images of the body. This scan will help doctors diagnose his condition and formulate an appropriate treatment plan. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $414 to cover the cost of Nyunt's CT scan and care, scheduled for March 5th. Nyunt said, "When I get healthy, I want to continue planting more beetle nut and banana plants on my property, as space still exists. They need some years to grow, but I think I can sell the fruits in the future."