Dok is a 54-year-old rice farmer from Cambodia. He has two daughters, both of whom work in garment factories, and five grandchildren. He lives with his wife, who is also a farmer. During his free time, Dok enjoys listening to the news on the radio and watching boxing. Two years ago, the retina of Dok's right eye detached, causing him to experience partial blindness and headaches. He now has difficulty seeing things clearly, recognizing faces, and going anywhere outside. When Dok learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, he traveled for three and a half hours seeking treatment. On August 9th, eye surgeons will perform a retinal detachment repair procedure in his right eye. After recovery, he will be able to see clearly. Now, he needs help funding this $649 procedure. Dok shares, "I hope after surgery my vision can improve so I can return to planting rice and recognize people well."

Meet Ann, a very bright, friendly, and cheerful 14-year-old girl who lives with her mother in Kenya. She is currently in class six and aspires to be a surgeon after completing her studies. One of her favorite activities is reading. Her mother is a single parent who works selling samosas, a fried or baked pastry, in their hometown. Ann was born with a bow-legged impairment. She began therapy at the age of two, but she had to stop attending her sessions due to financial constraints. As a result, her condition has worsened. She shares that this has affected her mobility, studies, and self-esteem. A year ago, Ann underwent a successful multiple osteotomy surgery, which cut and reshaped her leg bones, with the help of amazing Watsi supporters. Now, she requires a second procedure to fully treat her condition in both of her legs. Ann is scheduled to undergo an angular deformity correction procedure on August 29th at our medical partner's care center, AIC Cure International Hospital. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is seeking $1,224 to fund this surgery. This procedure will allow Ann to walk easily, engage with her friends more comfortably, and continue on with her studies. Ann's mother says, "I wish to thank the donors for their great support towards my daughter's treatment. We were desperately looking for funds for her surgery. May the almighty God bless you. After her treatment, Ann will be able to walk comfortably."

Samwel, a very social and hardworking Kenyan father of eight children, is an active maize farmer who likes spending most of his time on his farm. He works hard to meet the needs of his family. His wife takes care of their home and helps him in his daily farming activities. Samwel lives with his family in a semi-permanent house in their farm. His elder children are married, and they also work hard to meet their own families' basic needs. Samwel presented to the emergency department with cuts on his left wrist joint and on his knees after an assault with a machete by a person known to him. This was brought up by family conflicts due to land disputes. Doctors diagnosed that he had multiple tendon injuries with nerve injuries in his wrist and an open fracture of his left distal femur in his leg. He is in pain and cannot walk with ease. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner can help him heal and get active again. On September 5th, Samwel will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation. Samwel will no longer experience pain. He will go back to his family and continue with his farm activities. Now, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,145 to fund this procedure. Samwel says, “I have so much pain, but I am happy to be alive. I hope to get treated, go back home and be with my family.”

Saw Eh is a two-year-old boy who lives with his mother and older sister in a refugee camp in Thailand. Both he and his older sister go to nursery school. His mother weaves and sells traditional Karen clothing to earn extra money in addition to the small amount they receive every month on a cash card. When Saw Eh was two months old, he began crying a lot and his mother noticed swelling in a sensitive area. He received medication at the hospital in the refugee camp, which helped alleviate his discomfort and crying. However, Saw Eh began experiencing pain in the same sensitive area this past June. This pain often causes him to miss school, as well as to cry frequently again. His mother shares that when he cries, she must hold him, meaning she no longer has time to weave clothes. During the short moments when the pain lessens after taking painkillers, Saw Eh loves playing with his friends and his sister. When his family brought him to the hospital, a medic told them that they would have to wait for a doctor to visit the refugee camp. When Saw Eh was finally seen by a doctor in late July, he and his family were referred to our medical partner's care center, Mae Sariang Hospital, for treatment. He was diagnosed with hydrocele in his left scrotum and a left inguinal hernia. Due to his severe condition, the doctor admitted him and scheduled his surgery to take place that same night, August 4th. However, Saw Eh's mother shares that she cannot pay for her son's needed treatment due to financial constraints. Fortunately, she was referred to our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF), for financial assistance accessing treatment. On August 4th, surgeons will perform hernia repair surgery to treat Saw Eh's hernia and help alleviate his symptoms. BCMF is requesting $1,486 to fund his surgery and care. Saw Eh’s mother shares, “I feel so sad when I see my son in pain. I love to see him playing with his sister, but if he is in pain, he will cry a lot.”

Josiah is a curious and playful two-year-old. He lives with his parents and his sibling in a small, rented house. To support their family, his mother sells face masks at a local shopping area and his father does various jobs, depending on what work is available at the time. When Josiah was one years old, his parents noticed that one of his testes had not descended. After taking their son to a nearby hospital to be examined, they were told to wait a few months to see if the testes would descend. More than six months later, the condition had not changed, and Josiah was referred to our medical partner BethanyKids Hospital for treatment. His family managed to raise enough money to bring Josiah in for examination, and upon arrival, he was diagnosed with cryptorchidism, a condition in which one or both of the testicles remains undescended. If left untreated, he would have an increased risk of developing hernias, testicular cancer, and fertility problems in the future. Josiah's family could not raise the amount of money required for his surgery alone. Fortunately, he will be receiving assistance from our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH). Josiah is scheduled to undergo corrective surgery on July 4th. AMH is requesting $646 to cover the total cost of his procedure and care. Josiah’s mother says, “After hearing the consequences of his condition if not treated, I was very much worried for him since we cannot afford his treatment.”

Loserian is a student and the youngest of six children in his family in Tanzania. For over six years, Loserian experienced pain and discomfort when he walked, because his legs bowed inwards, forcing him to use a walking stick for support. Four years ago, he received surgery through Watsi funding, that helped to correct the inward bowing of the legs. This enabled him to walk with ease and to carry out his daily activities, like going to school and playing. However, Loserian was recently diagnosed with bilateral femoral varus, which causes his legs to bend outward at the thighs. This condition typically results from contaminated drinking water. Once again, Loserian is experiencing pain and difficulty walking. His parents, who are subsistence farmers, do not earn enough to be able to afford Loserian's treatment, and therefore, they are seeking help to cover the costs of his care. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $880 to fund corrective surgery for Loserian. The procedure is scheduled to take place on May 10th. Treatment will hopefully restore Loserian's mobility, allowing him to participate in a variety of activities, and greatly decreasing his risk of future complications. Loserian says: "After I had my surgery, walking became easy and normal and I was not having any challenges. But for the past few months, I have been feeling pain when walking and my legs are now bowing at the thighs."

Lhory, a 30-year-old woman from the Philippines, experienced severe right-side abdominal pain starting in January. She went to the closest hospital and was advised to undergo a whole abdominal ultrasound. The test showed that she has gallstones that need to be surgically removed. With her husband’s limited income as an Air Conditioner Technician, they’re unable to cover the cost of her treatment. Fortunately, she was able to reach out to our medical partner, the World Surgical Foundation Philippines. Lhory is now scheduled on May 3rd to undergo surgery to treat her condition. Our medical partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines, is requesting $1,253 to cover the total cost of Lhory’s procedure and care. After her recovery, Lhory will no longer experience severe abdominal pain or be at risk of developing severe health complications in the future. “My current condition hinders me from doing my usual day-to-day chores. My condition makes it hard for me to bend, sit or lift objects," Lhory shared. "We don’t have the capacity to finance my surgery. So, I’d like to thank the World Surgical Foundation Philippines and Watsi for helping me. I hope that after this surgery, I can fully take care of my family again,” says Lhory.

Ann is a 33-year-old single mother with two children— a 14-year-old and a one-year-old. She works at building sites whenever she can get small jobs to support her family. She and her children live in a single-room rental home. In July 2021, Ann noticed a small lump on her neck that gradually grew more painful. She sought treatment at a local health facility and was diagnosed with a non-cancerous mass. The mass affects her breathing, along with her ability to eat, sleep, and work. She requires an urgent surgery called a CBT (carotid body tumor) excision. The procedure will help relieve her symptoms and prevent further tumor growth. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is helping Ann receive treatment. On February 23rd, she will undergo mass excision surgery at AMH's care center. Now, she needs help raising $1,500 to fund her procedure and care. Ann shared, "my kids are my source of joy. They rely on me for everything and this sickness is making it so hard for me to take care of them."