Meet Deonisi, a smiling four-year-old boy from Tanzania! “Deonisi is the first born in the family and he is very protective of his little brother,” shares our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation. “Deonisi likes to play with his little brother. Lately he has been enjoying playing with the Lego blocks as well as coloring some pictures.” Deonisi has been diagnosed with bilateral genu valgus, a disorder that affects his gait. His doctors tell us that he "walks with difficulty and will have an increased risk of developing early osteoarthirtis if not treated." Deonisi’s parents are small scale farmers that earn mainly seasonal income; while they work hard to try to cover their daily needs, they need help to cover the cost of Deonisi’s medical care. Deonisi's father says, "We hope that Deonisi's deformity can be corrected so that he can walk normally and Lord willing when he grows up he will be responsible and helpful to us and other people as well."

Aung Myo is a 37-year-old factory worker and family man from Thailand. Together, he and his wife support two children and their parents living in Burma. According to our medical partner, Burma Border Projects, “Aung Myo’s children are bright and study very hard, knowing their parents have sacrificed a lot for them to attend school.” Aung Myo has recently fallen ill due to an arterial septal defect in his heart, preventing proper blood flow to his body. “Aung Myo's current symptoms include jaundice, breathlessness, swollen legs, exhaustion, fatigue, weight loss, difficulty urinating and passing stool,” his doctors explain. Aung Myo says, “my condition has made me very stressed and worried.” Additionally, his wife has had to stop working in order to take care of him. For $1,500 we can fund a corrective surgery to repair Aung Myo’s heart. Aung Myo exclaims, “I want to be healthy so I can continue to support my children, send them to school, and look after my parents." Let’s get Aung Myo back to his happy, healthy self!

Say hello to Ruth, a 54-year-old woman from Kenya. Ruth has a volvulus, which is a twist in her intestine that can cause bowel obstruction. Because of her condition, she’s in chronic pain and has a swollen abdomen. Ruth is a widow who relies on her two daughters and two sons for support. Her children love her, but none of them have formal employment or own land or cattle at the moment. Most of their financial resources were used to cover the cost of a hysterectomy Ruth needed earlier this year, so money is tight. Ruth worked as a street food vendor before she got sick, but is now completely dependent on her daughter for care. "I want to be able to take care of myself again. I love working in church and serving God and want to be able to do that again without pain and discomfort," she says. Ruth needs surgery costing $1,250 to fix her volvulus, which will let her return to normal life without experiencing pain. Let's support her by paying for her care!

Daniel, born only 11 days ago in Kenya, lives with his parents and older sibling. Daniel's father works as a carpenter to support his family, and his mother tends to the crops they grow on a small plot of land. Daniel was born with spina bifida, an incomplete closing of the spinal column, leaving him with an open mass on his back. Left untreated, he is likely to develop various infections, malformations of the spine, and continued discomfort. Daniel's mother hopes to see her son receive the help he needs, as she says that all she wants "is to see my son well. I want to see Daniel live a healthy life like my other child.” For $980, we can provide Daniel with a surgery that would close the spina bifida and greatly reduce his chances of developing scoliosis and infection. Let us provide Daniel the opportunity at the healthy childhood that his family dreams of!

Say hello to Maria, a 23-year-old woman from Guatemala! Maria's doctor at Wuqu' Kawoq, Watsi's medical partner, says, "Maria came to see us last week desperate for help. For several months she's had a rapidly growing tumor in her neck. She and her family scraped together what money they had, and were able to obtain a biopsy and diagnosis of the tumor, which is Ewing's sarcoma, a rare malignant cancer. Treatment for this tumor can be effective, with combined radiation and chemotherapy. However, the family is completely out of money and have no where to turn to." Her doctor describes her by saying, "Maria is a really lovely young woman, who has been brave and composed in the face of this frightening diagnosis. During the consultation she was laughing and smiling. She is prepared to start chemotherapy and to undergo surgery, and she has a supportive and strong family to back her up." For $1500, Maria will receive the chemotherapy needed to shrink her tumor to a size where it can be surgically removed. Let's help Maria get the care she deserves!

When she was younger, in order to help her family, Me Maw dropped out of school and stayed home to look after her siblings while her mother was at work. Without a high level of education, Me Maw now relies on work to support herself. However, she recently had to stop working when she started experiencing chest pain, shortness of breath, and heart palpitations. Doctors diagnosed her with rheumatic heart disease, a serious condition that is can be fatal if left untreated. Without an income, Me Maw cannot afford healthcare on her own. But for $1,500, we can pay for her to receive a procedure called a cardiac-mitral valve repair. This procedure will repair the part of Me Maw’s heart which makes sure that blood keeps circulating. Doctors say that she will be able to move around much more easily, without shortness of breath, and hopefully return to work. Let's give her a chance to live a normal, healthy life!

Meet Flora, a lovely young woman and mother from Guatemala. Flora cares deeply about being an amazing mom. But she has a hard time keeping up with her young daughter because she is living with a severe case of rheumatoid arthritis. Her condition keeps Flora in constant pain. Without aggressive treatment, her joints will be permanently damaged, leading to lifelong disability. Flora has sought out medical help in the past, but nothing has worked. For $500, she will finally receive appropriate treatment - a consultation with a specialist and medication to get her inflammation, pain, and joint destruction under control. Flora's biggest hope is to get better so she can care for her daughter. Let's help her access this care so she can continue being an awesome mom.

Meet Nancy from Kenya! Nancy is a 38-year-old single mother of three who is devoted to her family. Nancy was recently diagnosed with hyperthyroidism. This is causing the thyroid around her neck to grow abnormally large, making it difficult for her to breathe. "My mother and my children have no one else to take care of them," Nancy says to explain why she works through the pain. But she adds that with each day the pain becomes more unbearable. "I want to get well and work hard so I can improve their lives," Nancy says. For $900, we can fund a surgery to treat the enlarged thyroid. Let's help Nancy get back to supporting her family!

Meet Humphrey! He's a 65-year-old man from Kenya who is described as "very cheerful" by our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation. Humphrey has children who are all grown up and working in rural areas as farmers to care for their children. Recently, Humphrey has had to rely on his children for financial support. He was forced to stop his job as a driver because of excruciating pain from hemorrhoids (swollen veins that prevent him from sitting down or going to the bathroom normally). Humphrey says the hemorrhoids have also become a source of embarrassment for him, preventing him from interacting with other people like he does when he's healthy. Just $375 will fund a hemorrhoidectomy for Humphrey and enable him to go back to living a normal, productive life. Let's work together to keep this man full of cheer and smiles!

Last October, Ma Sam slipped on a road near her tent and injured her knee. She was unable to see a doctor at the time because she had no one to accompany her. She has since had surgery but is unable to afford the follow-up treatment she needs. Her knee is still swollen and causes her significant pain. Ma Sam is a single mother who currently lives with her daughters and mother-in-law, who help her with cooking and other household tasks. She works as a day laborer to provide for her children. "I hope to get treatment and be a healthy woman in the future," says Ma Sam. For $1,500, Ma Sam can receive the follow-up treatment she needs to support her family.

Simeon is a friendly and bright 24-year-old from Nigeria. He is currently in school, studying to be an accountant. Simeon has many talents; he loves to read, sing, and play basketball. The only thing getting in the way of these things is an abnormal growth on his right arm. The growth causes Simeon a lot of pain and immobility, but he can't afford surgery to remove it. Simeon is looking forward to completing his education and getting a good job so he can help support his five siblings. Already struggling to put himself through school, the $1500 required for treatment is well beyond his means. Let's work together to help Simeon get treatment and move forward with his education!

Seven-year-old Oliver is the son of a farmer and a merchant in Tanzania. Oliver was born with bowed legs that make walking difficult. Oliver's sister, Neema, and his brother, Gerald, have similar conditions and are also being funded on Watsi. Oliver’s parents spent years searching for medical treatment for their children but were always unable to afford it. They know that without treatment, Oliver won't be able to participate in school or work like his peers as he grows older. "I want to be a doctor when I grow up," says Oliver. For $1,000, we can fund Oliver’s surgery so he can move confidently toward his dream of becoming a doctor!