Kereto is a student from Tanzania. He is the third born in a family of seven children. He helps his father look after their cattle. His parents are small-scale farmers and livestock keepers. Kereto was diagnosed with genu varus. His legs are bowed outwards at the knee. This condition is typically caused by an excessive accumulation of fluoride in the bones, which often stems from contaminated drinking water. Kereto dropped out of school at the age of twelve because he had to walk a long distance to school and his condition was too painful. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $940 to fund corrective surgery for Kereto. The procedure is scheduled to take place on October 11. Treatment will hopefully restore Kereto's mobility, allow him to participate in a variety of activities, and greatly decrease his risk of future complications. Kereto’s father says, "My son has difficulty walking due to his condition. We tried to get him treated but the cost of the surgery was too high for us to afford. Please help us if you can.”

Zar is a 25-year-old married woman from Burma. She used to work as a nurse aid but now has stopped working. In September 2017, Zar fell sick and developed a high fever. She was admitted to Thaton Hospital, where she was diagnosed with a ureteral stone. She was only given oral medication and was discharged after a week. A few months later, she developed another fever. After some discussion with her husband, Zar decided to go to Mae Tao Clinic, from where she was referred to Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF), our medical partner. Currently, Zar experiences headache, back pain, dizziness, insomnia, and loss of appetite. She has been diagnosed with a kidney stone. Fortunately, she is scheduled to undergo a removal surgery on September 12. BCMF is requesting $1,500 to fund this procedure. She says, “When I am fully recovered, I will apply for a new job. I will help my family and will also repay my debt.”

Andrey is a young boy from Kenya. He is the only child to his single mother. The family of two lives in a rental house in central Kenya. Andrey's mother works as a sales agent in a local company and earns just enough to meet their basic needs. Andrey was diagnosed with cryptorchidism, a condition in which one or both of the testicles remains undescended. If left untreated, Andrey has an increased risk of developing hernias, testicular cancer, and fertility problems in the future. Andrey will be receiving assistance from our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). Fortunately, he is scheduled to undergo corrective surgery on August 6. AMHF is requesting $535 to cover the total cost of his procedure and care. “I hope Andrey gets treated so that it does not affect him adversely,” says Andrey’s mother.

Aye is a 66-year old woman from Burma. She is married and has three daughters and one son. Her husband, her son, her daughter-in-law, and her three grandsons are living together in one household. Aye used to make sweets and sell them at the market. But about ten years ago, she had to stop her work because she started to experience general weakness. Aye was diagnosed with diabetes two years ago. The diabetes caused an ulcer on her right foot in 2017, for which she received treatment at our medical partner's care center. However, at the end of June, Aye noticed another small ulcer on her left foot. She went to the care center again to seek treatment. She was examined, provided with medication, and sent back home. During the next seven days, her ulcer became worse. Now, she needs to have her toe amputated to prevent the ulcer from spreading. The procedure is scheduled for July 20 and will cost $1,500.

Ricardo is a three-year-old boy from Haiti. He lives in an orphanage in Port-au-Prince. He has many friends and enjoys playing with them and drawing cartoons. Ricardo was born with a cardiac condition called tricuspid atresia, in which one of the four valves of his heart is missing. As a result, blood cannot flow normally through his heart and into his body, leading to heart failure. Ricardo will fly to Akron Children's Hospital to receive treatment. On June 18, he will undergo cardiac surgery. During surgery, doctors will create a new pathway for blood to flow around the missing valve. Akron Children's Hospital is contributing $25,000 to pay for surgery. Ricardo'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 Ricardo's family overseas.

Kar is an eight-month-old boy. He lives with his family in Hpa-an, Karen State, Burma. When Kar was three months old, his parents noticed for the first time that his head size was increasing. Kar was recently diagnosed with hydrocephalus, which has caused fluid to build up in his brain. Without immediate surgery to alleviate the intracranial pressure that the excess fluid is causing, he is at risk of developing severe, potentially fatal medical complications. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund the insertion of a ventriculoperitoneal shunt for Kar, which will drain the fluid that has accumulated in his brain. The procedure is scheduled to take place on May 23, and, once completed, will greatly improve Kar's quality of life. His mother says, "I really want my son to look like other normal kids. So I believe that this surgery will make him look better."

Ephraim is a farmer from Malawi. He lives with his wife and they have twelve grown children who help their parents with the family farm. Ephraim raises goats to help supplement the family income. In his free time, he likes to chat with his wife and play with his grandchildren. Since November 2017, Ephraim has been experiencing pain and urinary difficulty. These symptoms are caused by an enlarged prostate, a condition called benign prostatic hyperplasia. He needs to undergo a prostate resection surgery, a procedure in which surgeons will remove part of the enlarged gland. Our medical partner, World Altering Medicine, is requesting $733 to fund Ephraim's surgery. On April 12, he will undergo prostate surgery at Nkhoma Hospital, our medical partner's care center. The requested money pays for supplies, medications, and two weeks of hospital stay. Ephraim was thrilled to learn his surgery would be funded. He is looking forward to returning to his farm work and family free from pain and discomfort. He says, "Thank you, Watsi."

Dah is a 46-year-old woman who lives with her husband, one son, and two daughters in Karen State, Burma. Dah has been unable to work since 2015 due to her poor health. Her oldest son works as day laborer on someone else's farm and supports their family. Both of her daughters are currently studying at school. Four years ago, Dah started experiencing back pain and had difficulty walking or standing for long periods of time. She went to see the doctor in a Burmese hospital, where she was diagnosed with a kidney stone. At that time, she was unable to afford the cost of treatment. Eventually, she went to Mae Tao Clinic, our medical partner's care center, for further treatment and the doctor sent her to Mae Sot Hospital for further investigation. At the hospital she was again diagnosed with a kidney stone and was told she would require surgery to remove the stone. She was referred to Burma Children Medical Fund, our medical partner, for assistance in receiving treatment. Now, Dah is scheduled for a procedure called shockwave lithotripsy on March 8. She needs help raising $1,500 to pay for this treatment. Dah said, “I want to recover quickly so I can return to work. I want to be able to support my daughters so that they can continue with their studies.”

Mi is a 38 year-old woman from Burma. She lives with her husband, her mother, and her uncle. She used to work as a seamstress, but due to her symptoms, she stopped working seven years ago. Her husband plants vegetables and sells them in the market. He is the only provider for the family. Mi was diagnosed with a heart condition that involves a malformation of the mitral valve, the valve between the left atrium and left ventricle. This valve controls the flow of blood, but certain conditions may cause blood to flow backward or the valve to narrow. She experiences severe fatigue and chest pain. She cannot sleep, and sometimes her vision gets blurry. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund a mitral valve replacement for Mi. The treatment is scheduled to take place on February 23 and, once completed, will hopefully allow her to live more comfortably. Mi says, “I want to stay with my family and open a bazaar shop in Myawaddy to sell everyday objects.”

Kervens is a student from Haiti. He lives with his parents, two older sisters, and two older brothers in Jacmel, a city on the southern coast of Haiti. He is in the ninth grade. Kervens has a cardiac condition called atrial septal defect. A hole exists between the two upper chambers of his heart. Blood leaks through this hole, making it more difficult for the heart to properly circulate blood through his body. Kervens will fly to Cayman Islands to receive treatment. On January 25, he will undergo cardiac surgery, during which surgeons will insert a catheter into his heart and use a device to close the hole. Another organization, Have a Heart Cayman, is contributing $12,000 to pay for surgery. Kervens'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 Kervens's family overseas. He says, "I am looking forward to being able to play soccer after my surgery!"

Pawt Sue is a bright and active four-year-old boy from Burma. He lives in a village with his mother and seven-year-old brother and two-year-old sister. His father works in a restaurant in Thailand and sends money to the family every two or three months. Since he was a week old, Pawt Sue has had an inguinal hernia. Whenever he cries, his scrotum became swollen. As the time went by, his condition seemed to worsen. The more active he became, the more pain he experienced. Fortunately, on December 18, he will undergo hernia repair surgery at Mae Sot General Hospital, our medical partner's care center. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund Pawt Sue's hernia repair surgery. The procedure is scheduled to take place on December 18 and, once completed, will hopefully allow him to live more comfortably. His mother says, "My son says he wants to be a surgeon when he grows up. He wants to help other children who are in pain."

Icram is a three-year-old little boy from Tanzania. He loves playing football and has not started school yet. Icram was diagnosed with bilateral genu varus. This has made it difficult for him to learn to walk. This condition is typically caused by an excessive accumulation of fluoride in the bones, which often stems from contaminated drinking water. As a result, Icram will not be able to play or walk to school in the future. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $940 to fund corrective surgery for Icram. The procedure is scheduled to take place on November 17. Treatment will hopefully restore Icram's mobility, allow him to participate in a variety of activities, and greatly decrease his risk of future complications. Icram’s mother says, “I am hopeful that my son will be well. Thank you all for helping him get better.”