Savoeun is a 64-year-old loving grandmother. She is recently widowed and lives in Kandal province. She has one son and two grandchildren that she sees often, as they live in the same village. In her free time, she likes listening to Buddhist prayers on the radio and cooking for her family. About one year ago, Savoeun developed a cataract in her left eye. When Savoeun learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for two and a half hours seeking treatment. On October 18, doctors will perform a small incision 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 $253 procedure. She told us, "I hope I can have surgery so I can see around my house, and my family won’t worry about me anymore. I want to be able to help look after my grandchildren."

Kelvin is a student from Kenya and the eldest of 4 children. He is a student at Kitui School for the mentally challenged. His mother told us that he likes listening to music, playing football and operating a phone. Our partners in AIC Cure International met him at their Matuu clinic accompanied by his mother Petronilla who works as a peasant farmer. Kelvin has clubfoot of his right foot, a condition that was noted by the mother when he was 1 year old. His foot is twisted out of shape, which causes difficulty walking and wearing shoes. This condition formed because he used to convulse. He started medication and experienced delayed milestones. At the age of 3, Kelvin began to exhibit an unusual walking style and was diagnosed with hemiplegia, a type of unilateral cerebral palsy that causes paralysis on only one side of the body. Fortunately, our medical partner African Mission Healthcare (AMH) can help. AMH is requesting $1,286 to fund Kelvin's clubfoot repair. The treatment will be impactful to him because he will be able to walk without falling and play football with his friends. Kelvin’s mother shared, “I would love to see my son’s condition corrected so he can be independent. I will appreciate any support from AMH, and God bless you.”

Nelson is a 79-year-old loving father from the Philippines. He lives with his partner and relies on their only son's financial support to meet their basic needs. He has a passion for gardening and loves to plant vegetables at home. Three years ago, Nelson's health took a downturn when he experienced bleeding during urination. After a consultation, he was diagnosed with a urinary tract infection and was prescribed medication. However, the pain reoccurred, prompting further investigation. An ultrasound revealed the presence of a bladder stone, necessitating surgical intervention. Over time, Nelson's condition has deteriorated, leading to increased urinary frequency and pain, which severely hinders his daily activities. Fortunately, Nelson found his way to our medical partner World Surgical Foundation Philippines (WSFP) who will be helping him receive the treatment he needs. He is scheduled to undergo a urinary cystolithectomy, the removal of the bladder stone, on July 21st. A portion of the cost of his treatment is being supported by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and WSFP is raising $1,128 to cover the remaining cost. After treatment, Nelson will hopefully have a pain-free and healthier life. Deeply appreciative of the support he received, Nelson shared, "I'm eternally grateful to Watsi and World Surgical Foundation Philippines. Your generosity has given me hope to have a more comfortable life, and be free from all that I've been enduring for years."

Salato is a 5-year-old boy from Tanzania. He is a part of the Maasai tribe and comes from a large Maasai family with seven children. His father is a livestock keeper. Due to their remote location, the family relies on livestock and selling cattle as their main source of income to cover their expenses. Salato was diagnosed with genu valgus. His legs bow inward so that his knees knock. This condition is typically caused by an excessive accumulation of fluoride in the bones, which often stems from contaminated drinking water. As a result, Salato faces difficulty walking long distances and experiences considerable discomfort due to the abnormal gait he has developed. This condition has also limited his ability to help his father with the livestock and hampers his ability to socialize with others. During an outreach visit from our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), Salato and his parents had the opportunity to attend a clinic where he received education about his condition. The church kindly assisted in facilitating his transportation to the hospital. Upon arrival, the team warmly welcomed him and conducted a thorough assessment. As a result, a plan was formulated to correct the abnormality in his right leg surgically. However, Salato and his parents are unable to afford the costs associated with his treatment. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), can help. Salato will undergo a corrective procedure on August 2nd. Treatment will hopefully restore Salato's mobility, allow him to participate in a variety of activities, and greatly decrease his risk of future complications. AMH is requesting $880 to cover the cost of Salato's treatment. Salato’s guardian says, “He often feels left out when he can’t socialize with his peers. We hope the treatment will help him fit in his society.”

Phak is a loving grandmother and retired farmer from Cambodia. She has one son, three daughters, and seven grandchildren. Her husband has unfortunately passed away, so she now lives with her daughter, who is a garment worker. In her free time, Phak enjoys listening to monks pray on the radio. One year ago, Phak developed a cataract in her right eye, causing her to experience blindness. She cannot see things clearly, including colors and faces, and is worried about falling when walking. Because of this, she is not able to go places on her own. When Phak learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for four and a half hours seeking treatment. On July 19th, doctors will perform a small incision cataract surgery and place an intraocular lens implant in her right eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Now, she needs help funding this $253 procedure. Phak shares, "I hope I can see well enough to take care of my myself and go places on my own."

Lauben is a Ugandan father of 4 children (2 daughters and 2 sons) who are all in school. He has a diploma in public administration, but has never been able to find employment in this. He is a subsistence farmer growing cabbages, tomatoes and eggplants with his wife, to eke out a living for his family. Six months ago, Lauben noted a small swelling on his back. The swelling is becoming painful and makes it difficult for him to work on the farm. He requires surgery but is not able to raise the funds needed for the surgery. Lauben traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On November 2nd, surgeons will remove the mass. Now, Lauben needs help to raise $137 to fund this procedure. Lauben says “I hope to get well and resume my work on the farm and supporting my family."

Jovia is a small-scale farmer. She hails from a village in Southwestern Uganda. She is a mother to six children with four sons, all small scale farmers. All her daughters are married and are farmers as well. She never attended any school being that her father died when she was still young and her mother couldn’t afford paying her school fees. Now she does farming together with her husband. They normally grow food crops for their family to eat but are able to sell off the surplus to generate an income for their family's upkeep. However, this income is not sufficient to raise money needed for her surgery and therefore they appeal for support. Since April, Jovia has been experiencing severe symptoms. She needs to undergo a hysterectomy, a procedure in which surgeons will remove her uterus. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $219 to fund Jovia's surgery. On September 8th, she will undergo gynecological surgery at our medical partner's care center. Once recovered, Jovia will be able to resume her daily activities free of pain. Jovia says “I feel bad every day. My health is getting worse now, had I had money, I could have received my treatment already but I can’t due to limited finances. I kindly request for your support to save my life.”

Phal is a 64-year-old loving grandmother. She is married with two sons, three daughters, and 14 grandchildren. She lives with her husband who is a rice farmer and with her elderly mother. When not caring for her mother and husband, she likes to listen to monks pray on the radio and to join ceremonies at the village pagoda. One year ago, Phal developed a cataract in her right eye, causing her light sensitivity, tearing, and blurry vision. She is sad because she cannot help her family like she used to and feels useless. When Phal learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for two and a half hours seeking treatment. On October 17th, doctors will perform a phacoemulsification cataract surgery which will break up the cataract with ultrasound, irrigate the eye, and remove the cataract through suction. Then they will implant a new lens in her right eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Now, she needs help to fund this $253 procedure. Phal said: "I hope after surgery I can see better. Then I'll be able to go outside more and can help to plant again."

Dong is 66-year-old factory worker--he and his wife work at a plastic bag factory. Together they have three sons, three daughters, and many grandchildren. While he has always been a hard worker, lately, Dong's vision has become so poor that he cannot work. Instead, he stays home and looks after his grandchildren. He enjoys listening to the news on the radio. Three years ago, Dong developed a cataract in his right eye, causing him to experience photophobia, blurry vision, and tearing. As a result, he has difficulty seeing things clearly, recognizing faces, and going anywhere outside. When Dong learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), he traveled for one hour with his wife seeking treatment. On March 9th, doctors will perform a small incision cataract surgery and implant an intraocular lens in his right eye. After recovering, Dong will be able to see clearly. Now, he needs help to fund this $229 procedure. Dong shared with us, "I hope after my surgery I can see well and help my wife earn money to support our family."

Tibenderana is a 23-year-old labourer from Uganda. He is the seventh born of eight children. Tibendarana shared that he and his siblings did not attend school when they were growing up, and both his parents are illiterate and earn a living from small scale farming. Tibenderana also farms and sometimes does casual jobs in sand mining around their village. Tibenderana shared with us that in February he was attacked on his way home. Tibendarana was first brought to Rushoroza Hospital after the incident, where he presented with a traumatic infected left-hand cut injury. There, they stopped the bleeding and referred him to Mbarara Hospital for hand surgery review. However, due to lack of finances, his family decided to take him home instead. Later on, he returned to Rushoroza Hospital with an infected hand, and is currently in severe pain and discomfort. Doctors recommend he undergo an amputation of the left hand to prevent the hand infection from progressing to the rest of his arm, which could result in amputation of the entire limb. He could also develop other complications and will continue to be in severe pain. Tibenderana appeals for financial assistance for the cost of his care. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $255 to fund Tibenderana's hand surgery. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully allow him to live more comfortably. After recovering, Tibenderana is most looking forward to regaining his independence. Tibenderana shared, “I pray that I may get well through surgery. I am in severe pain and helpless; I have lost hope. I believe I will be better without the hand and will proceed with any duties I may be able to do with one hand.”

Anny Sanic is a very enthusiastic and fun four-year-old girl from Guatemala. She lives with her mom and dad and loves to play with her dolls. She also loves to eat lots of bread and sing songs. Anny Sanic needs pterygium correction surgery. Pterygiums are non-cancerous growths of the conjunctiva, a mucous layer that lubricates the eye. The growths occur when the conjunctiva is exposed to excessive sun damage and the cells grow abnormally over the pupil. Common symptoms of a pterygium include redness, blurred vision, and eye irritation. Depending on how large the growth is, it can cause vision loss. Anny Sanic needs a surgical procedure to remove the abnormal conjunctiva from the cornea surface and replace it with a conjunctival graft to prevent recurrence. She will receive further evaluation from an eye specialist, surgery to remove the pterygium, post-op follow-up treatment, as well as accompaniment and transportation throughout the treatment process. Pterygium surgery is safe, effective, and will positively impact Anny Sanic's life for years to come. The total cost of her procedure, scheduled for October 18, is $1,487.

Panha is a rice and vegetable farmer from Cambodia. He has two sisters and one brother. He likes listening to romantic Khmer songs, watching sports on TV, and going out with friends. He has had a tumor on his right upper lip for the past four years. He has difficulty eating and is self conscious about how the tumor looks. Panha traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On August 6, surgeons at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), will remove the mass. Now, Panha needs help to raise $220 to fund this procedure. He says, "After the operation, I will be good looking and will not have difficulty eating anymore."