Sambath is a 73-year-old woman living in Cambodia with her husband, four daughters, and four grandchildren. Sambath traveled four hours, accompanied by one of her daughters, to reach our medical partner Children's Surgical Centre (CSC). CSC shares, "Sambath spends her free time visiting the pagoda and listening to the monks pray." Sambath has developed cataracts in both of her eyes. Cataracts occur when the lens of the eye becomes cloudy. For six years she has been experiencing pain, blurred vision, and tearing as a result of her ocular condition. Sambath says, "it is hard for me to see everything, and I cannot recognize people's faces. I can't go walking places by myself." For $225, Sambath’s cataracts can be surgically treated. Cataract surgery is the most common surgery performed worldwide. It consists of removing the cloudy lens (phaco procedure) and placing a clear lens (IOL) implant in its place. "After a phaco procedure and IOL implant in each eye, Sambath will be able to see clearly again," explains CSC. "I hope my mother can see everything clearly as normal again so she can do work and go places on her own," Sambath's daughter shares. "I hope I won't have to worry about her eyes losing vision anymore." Sambath says, "I hope after treatment I can see everything better than now so I can easily go walking anywhere and can help my daughter take care of her grandchildren at home too."

Two years ago, Hoy, a 63-year-old woman from Cambodia, developed a pterygium -- a noncancerous growth on the surface of her right eye. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), explains that the growth "causes blurred vision, irritation, itchiness, tearing, and redness, all of which makes it difficult to see clearly." Hoy is married with two sons, two daughters, and six grandchildren. "Hoy spends her time visiting the pagoda to listen to the monks pray and helping the monks clean the pagoda," her doctor says. Unfortunately, due to the pterygium, these activities have become increasingly difficult. "I worry that the cyst will continue to worsen my vision. It is hard to see clearly or go very far outside," she shares. However, for $150, Hoy’s pterygium will be surgically removed, and she will be able to see normally once again. "I hope surgery will make it easier for my eye to see things clearly," she says, "so I can help my children do work at home and so I can go anywhere outside."

"Sometimes I can't go to work because I am in pain," says Soklin, 24-year-old garment worker who lives with her husband in Cambodia. Soklin came to our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC), seeking treatment for pain and swelling in her chin resulting from a silicone gel implant she received years ago. After a previous surgery removed only a portion of the implant, “her condition has become worse and more painful,” CSC tells us. For $99, CSC doctors will remove the remaining implant from Soklin’s chin. Funding also pays for an overnight hospital stay, including one day of post-operative care, as well as follow-up appointments one week, two weeks, and one month after surgery. "I hope I can be better after surgery,” shares Soklin. “After I am healed, I want to go to work properly again."

Rin is a 75-year-old mother of eight children who lives in Cambodia. She also has around 30 grandchildren, and spends her time looking after them. Five years ago Rin began developing an uncontrolled growth of cells on her face that was diagnosed as a squamous cell carcinoma. "There is redness and pain" around the growth, reports our medical partner Children's Medical Centre (CSC). "This makes it hard for her to eat food." When Rin first sought help from her local hospital, her condition did not improve. Now she has traveled three hours with her daughter to reach CSC in order to receive proper treatment. For $99 doctors will surgically remove the entire abnormal cell growth from her face. "After a removal surgery, it will be easier for Rin to eat and her pain will decrease," explains CSC. Her appearance will also improve, and a full excision will help prevent the carcinoma from continuing to grow again. Rin is looking forward to her treatment so that she can return to her family. Her children are excited as well. "I hope after her operation my mom can eat food normally again," her daughter shares with us.

"Nyakairu is a widower and father of two,” shares our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). “He is a retired mechanic, and now takes care of his banana plantation to earn money to support himself. He lives alone in his house in a small village.” Nyakairu has an inguinal hernia, which is a bulge of soft tissue that protrudes through a weak part of the abdominal wall into the groin region. AMHF explains: “Four months ago when Nyakairu was having a shower, he noticed swelling in his groin. He went to a health unit in his home village for medical treatment. Nyakairu was given drugs and advised to go to a hospital if the drugs did not help. He finished the drugs and was still wondering where to get money for a hospital when he heard from a friend about the Watsi program.” For $220, Nyakairu will undergo inguinal hernia repair surgery, during which an incision is made into the abdominal cavity and the hernia is either pushed back into place or removed. “With this surgery, Nyakairu will be able to continue working on his plantation and he will no longer be at risk of intestinal obstruction, incarceration, or strangulation,” says AMHF. “Thank you very much for bringing us such a great service and help,” says Nyakairu. “God bless you.”

“Currently, my biggest concern is my health. I wish to get treatment so that I get good health and look after my family. Thank you in advance for your help,” says Kobusinge, a 24-year-old woman from Uganda. “Kobusinge is married and a mother of two girls...She likes eating ripe bananas,” our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF), shares. “She farms to produce food for her family, but she has not been able to farm because of her pain. Kobusinge also sells second-hand clothes at the market every Saturday. Sometimes she leaves the market without selling anything. Her husband is not employed but looks after his two cows. He earns income through selling milk.” After noticing a swelling on her abdomen above the belly button, Kabusinge began to experience severe pain. Kabusinge was diagnosed with an umbilical hernia – a condition in which the intestine protrudes through the abdominal muscles at the belly button. Once diagnosed, surgery was advised. For $220 Kabusinge will receive a hernia repair. AMHF reports that after her surgery, “Kobusinge will be able to farm again with no pain. She will also no longer be at risk of intestinal obstruction, incarceration or strangulation.”

Meet Kelvin, an 11-month-old boy from Kenya. “He is the youngest of five children. When Kelvin’s mother first gave birth to her sone, he was healthy for the first four months. Then, his head began increasing in size,” shares our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). “His eyes have sunk into his head and he cries out in pain more and more each day,” AMHF explains. Kelvin has been diagnosed with hydrocephalus, a condition where excess cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the head. AMHF continues, “As a result, it is causing an increased intra-cranial pressure inside the skull and may lead to progressive enlargement of the head, if not treated. The elevated intracranial pressure may result to life-threatening brains them compression and potentially cause convulsion, tunnel vision, and possibly mental disability.” Kelvin’s mother, who raises her son on her own, sells vegetables from the plot of land that she shares with her parents. She earns approximately $3 each day, which she uses to send her older children to school. “It has become difficult for his mother to continue on with her business of selling vegetables as most of her time is spent on trying to seek medical help for her son in the hospital,” AMHF says. “Kelvin’s treatment will help his mother get back to her business and be able to earn money to sustain her five children who entirely depend on her.” “Kelvin’s surgery will help reduce the excessive pressure in the brain, prevent visual impairment, and death,” says AMHF. The treatment, called a hydrocephalus shunt, involves the implementation of two catheters and flow control valve system to drain the excess fluid, and costs $980. “I hope my son can support his head soon and his head can stop increasing in size,” shares Kelvin’s devoted mother. “Finances are the only restrictions.”

Ashraf is a cute 15-week-old boy living in Tanzania with his parents, who are small scale farmers, and two siblings. "Ashraf is an active baby. He feeds well and likes to move his arms and legs around," shares our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). Ashraf has congenital hydrocephalus—a buildup of excess cerebrospinal fluid in the brain at birth. AMHF tells us, "If not treated, Ashraf is at risk of losing his vision and a big and heavy head will not allow Ashraf to sit, crawl, stand or walk. Although it is at a small rate, Ashraf’s head is increasing in size." Ashraf’s mother first noticed that he had a serious medical condition when he was six weeks old. "Ashraf’s mother noticed her son’s head was unusually soft and the blood vessels were too visible on his forehead," continues AMHF. "His parents rely on growing and selling maize and beans. With two children going to school, coming up with enough money to pay for the surgery which Ashraf needs has been a challenge." The surgical procedure to drain excess fluid from Ashraf's brain costs $775. After treatment, AMHF expects, "Ashraf will be out of the risk of losing his eyesight and he will continue with normal development." "We love our son dearly and we hope that he will get better, grow up like his siblings and later on have the ability to go to school,” shares Ashraf’s mother.