Htay is a 45-year-old woman who lives with her husband and three daughters in Thae Phyu Village in Burma. Htay and her husband run a small shop selling betel nut and general groceries beside their home, however she has been unable to work due to her heart condition for the past year. Htay’s oldest daughter used to work at a factory in Yangon, but moved back home last year when Htay became too ill to wok. She now helps out at Htay’s shop while also helping with household chores. Htay’s other two daughters are students; one is in grade 10 and the other is in grade four. After she gave birth to her last daughter, Htay began to experience frequent pain in her chest and headaches. Whenever she would lay down, she also felt like she could not breathe well. She then went to Htantabin General Hospital in Yangon where she received an electrocardiogram (ecg). Later, the doctor told her that she has arthritis and Ischemic heart disease, a condition where an organ does not receive enough blood and oxygen. She was given medication and returned home. Htay said, “This medication seemed to help my condition and I continued to buy it from the pharmacy.” In February 2020, Htay’s condition deteriorated again; she felt like she could not breathe and that she was exhausted all the time. Htay and her husband went to Thiri Sandar Hospital in Yangon where she received x-rays and an echo. After checking her results, the doctor told her that she has a large hole in her heart and that she would need to have it closed surgically. Currently, Htay has difficulty breathing, mostly at night, and she feels tired especially when she uses the upstairs. She also has a rapid heartbeat. Htay told us, “I am worried about my condition and I am very sad whenever I think about it. But now I am happy to have found someone to help support my treatment. Once I have fully recovered, I will build a new shop [made of bamboo] because my old shop is starting to fall apart. I will also go back to working with my husband and I will support my children so that they can become educated people.”

Noeun is a 62-year-old rice farmer from Cambodia. She has six children, nine grandchildren, and enjoys listening to the monks pray on the radio in her free time. One year ago, Noeun developed a cataract in her left eye, causing her tearing and blurry vision. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, recognizing faces, and going anywhere outside. When Noeun learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for two and a half hours seeking treatment. On October 09, doctors will perform a phacoemulsification cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in her left eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Now, she needs help to fund this $211 procedure. Noeun said, "I hope that after my surgery I can see clearly so I can return to planting rice and feeding the cows on the farm."

Ivan is a baby boy from Tanzania. He is a healthy and jovial little baby, the only child to his parents. His father denied Ivan's pregnancy when his mother informed him and since then, offers no support to Ivan's mom. Upon delivery, Ivan's mother was informed of a congenital condition of her son. Through a Facebook post of Plaster House, his mother decided to bring him for review and Ivan was diagnosed with bilateral clubfoot. Doctors recommend a treatment plan of clubfoot manipulation and casting.  Ivan's mother is a small business operator selling bananas near her village to make a living. Without financial assistance, Ivan's mother will not be able to pay for her son's surgery. She appeals for financial support. Ivan has clubfoot of both feet. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. This causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Fortunately, Ivan traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre. There, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on March 13th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $890 to fund Ivan's clubfoot repair. After treatment, Ivan will be able to walk easily. Ivan’s mother says, “I would love to see my son walk like other normal children and not have to go through difficulty in walking or discriminated due to disability. Please help treat my him since the cost is too high for me to afford."

Joseph is a bodaboda taxi operator from Kenya. Joseph relies on his motorcycle to make a living. To supplement their limited income, his wife sells charcoal in a small makeshift kiosk. As a father of one, he is worried of not being able to meet his family’s needs. Joseph was involved in a road accident on 31st January 2020 in his hometown, few kilometers from Watsi Medical Partner Kijabe Hospital. The accident left him with multiple fractures on his face and lacerations. He cannot eat and is in constant pain. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner can help. On February 6th, Joseph will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation. He will be able to chew his food again and no longer suffer pain. Now, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,451 to fund this procedure. Joseph says, “My hope is to recover quickly and resume my fatherly duties of provision.”

Dan is a child from Kenya. Dan’s mother is still a student in college while his father left her before he was born. They depend on Dan’s maternal grandparents who are peasant farmers and three school-going children under their care. Dan dipped his hand in hot water in April last year. He was rushed to Naivasha District Hospital where he was admitted for treatment. He was discharged a few weeks later and went home for recovery. Days on, the wound was not recovering as expected properly; he had to be readmitted in the same hospital. The wound worsened as the days went by as the skin grafting was not successful. The hospital decided to refer them to a hospital where they believed Dan would receive better care, hence being referred to Watsi medical partner Kijabe Hospital. The wound is not healing and if not treated, Dan may suffer infection. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is helping Dan receive treatment. On January 16th, surgeons will perform a debridement and skin graft procedure to heal the wound. Now, Dan needs help to fund this $1,129 procedure. “It pains me to see my son confined in the house and he cannot play with his friends because of the wound. Please help us,” says Dan’s mother.

Susan is a young girl from Tanzania. She is the second born child in a family of four children. She is a happy girl and always has a smile on her face. Susan has not had the chance to join school yet due to her feet being wrongly positioned making walking difficult. Her parents are concerned that she will struggle to walk to and from school every day. The school is a long distance from their home and her parents can’t afford to pay for motor bike rides to school. Both her parents depend on small scale farming for their daily life living. Fortunately, Susan traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre. There, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on November 19th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $890 to fund Susan's clubfoot repair. After treatment, She will be able to walk easily. Susan’s father says, “Please help treat our daughter’s legs we can’t afford the treatment cost.”

Khin is a 39-year-old woman who lives with her family in Hpa-An Township, Karen State, Burma. Both her children are in preschool. She and her husband are subsistence farmers, growing rice during the rainy season on rented land. The rest of the year, her husband collects leaves used to make roofs, works as a daily labourer or collects branches to sell. Khin was born with a scar the size of an ant bite on her upper lip. Her parents thought that it would disappear or heal on its own but the scar developed into a growth and increased in size. Her parents passed away when she was young and after that she went to live with her brother’s family. By the time she was around 20 years old, the growth had become large and soft, covering the area between her upper lips and her nose. When the pain became unbearable in 2005, her uncle dropped her off at Mae Tao Clinic (MTC) in Thailand, a free clinic close to where her uncle used to work. At this point, the growth had become so large that dragged her upper lip down and extended into her nostrils. At MTC, she was seen by doctors and medics, before she was diagnosed with a hemangioma. At this point, the growth had worsened, and she was bleeding from her lips. In April 2006, Khin went to Chiang Mai Hospital and had the hemangioma removed surgically. The growth later has returned. Overtime, the hemangioma has increased in size and become hard. It has now expanded into Khin’s nostrils, especially her left nostril, which causes her to have difficulty breathing at times. She feels uncomfortable but is not in pain. Sometimes she also feels like she has a blood clot in her nostrils during her nosebleeds. Because the nosebleed can start at any time and can last anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes, her life revolves around managing her nosebleeds. She is unable to work or sleep properly, and if she is about to have a nosebleed, she is unable to eat. The nosebleeds have also affected her ability to earn an income for her children and continues to impact her social life. “When I socialise, I do not feel comfortable and some people think I have a disease that I can infect them with,” said Khin. “So, I hope to get better after surgery, and I hope I will no longer have nosebleeds. I don’t want to bleed, and I want to socialise with my friends and family happily. [Right now] my friends won’t even touch me.”

Said is an infant from Tanzania. Said is a handsome and cheerful infant. He has been in the hospital for some time being treated off bilateral club foot. He was diagnosed with the condition upon birth and treatment commenced a few weeks later. However, the mother and grandmother could not keep up with the cost of casting and manipulation. They were referred to ALMC where manipulation and casting were recommended. If not treated, Said will be at risk of permanent disability. Said's grandmother is the only provider in the family through subsistence farming. She further has the responsibility of caring for her other children. She is afraid that treatment for her grandson might be halted due to their finances. Fortunately, Said traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre. There, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on October 11. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $890 to fund Said's clubfoot repair. After treatment, Said will be able to walk with ease and free from permanent disability. Said’s mother says, “I don’t want my son to grow up disabled but we are unable to afford the treatment cost, please help.”

Samwel is a child from Tanzania. He is the last born in a family of four children. He quite boy and shy in public. His father works a posho-mill shop (a local maize-mill) as the operator. He earns barely enough to support his family. Samwel’s mother is a stay home mother. Samwel was diagnosed with genu valgus. His legs bow inward so that his knees touch. This condition is typically caused by an excessive accumulation of fluoride in the bones, which often stems from contaminated drinking water. As a result, he is unable to walk. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $940 to fund corrective surgery for Samwel. The procedure is scheduled to take place on September 3rd. Treatment will hopefully restore Samwel's mobility, allow him to participate in a variety of activities, and greatly decrease his risk of future complications. Samwel’s mother says, “Please help my son get this treatment so that he may walk without difficulty or pain. “

Syndie is a student from Haiti. She lives with her parents and three siblings on a small farm in the mountains of southern Haiti. She likes going to school and helping her parents around the farm. Syndie has a cardiac condition called rheumatic mitral regurgitation. One of the four valves in her heart was severely damaged due to a fever she suffered earlier in childhood, and cannot adequately pump blood through her body. Syndie will fly to Dominican Republic to receive treatment. On July 29, she will undergo cardiac surgery, during which surgeons will first attempt to repair the damaged valve, and if this is not possible they will implant an artificial replacement. Another organization, Mitral Foundation, is contributing $6,000 to pay for surgery. Syndie's family also needs help to fund the costs of surgery prep. 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 Syndie's family overseas. She says, "I am looking forward to having more energy and better health after my surgery!"

Prince is a four-year-old boy from Tanzania. He has been diagnosed with genu varus. His legs bow outward. This condition is typically caused by an excessive accumulation of fluoride in the bones, which often stems from contaminated drinking water. As a result, he has difficulty walking. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $940 to fund corrective surgery for Prince. The procedure is scheduled to take place on June 21. Treatment will hopefully restore Prince's mobility, allow him to participate in a variety of activities, and greatly decrease his risk of future complications. Prince’s mother says, “We would like to see our son walking normally like his sister but we are unable to afford the treatment cost please help us.”

Bunthoeun is a 43-year-old man from Cambodia. He has two sons, and enjoys playing sports and watching television in his free time. When he was a child, Bunthoeun had an ear infection. This infection caused a cholesteatoma, or an abnormal skin growth, to develop in the middle ear behind the ear drum. For this reason, Bunthoeun experiences ear discharge, pain, irritation, headaches, itchiness, tinnitus, and hearing loss. It is difficult for him to listen and communicate with others. Bunthoeun traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On May 3, he will undergo a mastoidectomy procedure in his right ear. During this procedure, ENT surgeons will remove the cholesteatoma. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $842 to fund this procedure. This covers medications, supplies, and inpatient care. He says, "I hope that after my surgery, I will no longer have any ear infection or ear discharge and my hearing will improve."