Sarmila is a five-year-old girl who lives with her parents and siblings. Her father is a teacher, and her mother grazes their cattle, works in the field, and looks after her young children. The yield from the field sustains their family for six months of the year. Earlier this month, Sarmila fell from the porch of her house and fractured her left elbow. Since then, she has been in pain, and her hand is swollen. She needs help with everyday tasks, such as eating and dressing. Her parents finally decided to seek medical help, bringing her to our medical partner's care center, Bayalpata Hospital. On February 20, Sarmila will be fitted with a cast to align the fracture in her elbow. The family needs help to pay for this $541 procedure. "I wish her treatment happens soon and she is relieved from pain," shares Sarmila's father.

Hak is a 26-year-old factory worker from Cambodia. He is married and has one son. In his free time, Hak enjoys watching TV, listening to music, and looking after his son. Hak's left shoulder is dislocated, making it difficult for him to use his arm and causing him pain. His doctor at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), has recommended an ORIF (open reduction internal fixation) surgery to appropriately realign his left shoulder. CSC has requested $411 for Hak's procedure and hospital stay, scheduled for February 15. After the surgery, Hak will be able to move freely again.

Chamroeurn is seven years old and in the second grade. He has one sister and one brother. In April 2016, Chamroeurn fell off of a bed and broke his left arm. His parents brought him to a hospital, where doctors applied a cast. However, two days later, Chamroeurn experienced pain in his forearm. After another two days, they went to a hospital in another province, where doctors removed the cast and discovered skin necrosis (skin and tissue death). Doctors then fixated a nail in his left humerus to secure his bones and performed a skin graft on his left forearm to treat his wound. Since then, surgeons have removed the nail. Despite these treatments, Chamroeurn's symptoms have not improved. Chamroeurn was referred to our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), by a referral hospital in another province. He traveled for six hours with his uncle to reach CSC for treatment. He came to CSC with a diagnosis of Volkmann's contracture, a malformation of his left hand, fingers, and wrist. It is difficult for Chamroeurn to use his left hand, and he is in pain. On February 3, he will undergo repair surgery to release the tendons in his forearm. However, his family cannot afford his treatment. CSC is requesting $450 to help fund his surgery. After surgery, he will be able to use his hand easily again.

Somaly is a two-year-old girl from Cambodia. She has one older brother and two older sisters. She likes to play with dolls and play games. Somaly was born with a cataract in each eye, causing her blurred vision and cloudy lenses. She has difficulty walking around independently. When Somaly's mother learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, they traveled for three hours seeking treatment. On December 22, doctors performed a lens aspiration in each eye to remove the cataract. After recovery, Somaly's vision will improve. Now, her family needs help to fund this $292 procedure. "I hope my daughter can see like other kids," says Somaly's mother, "so that I don't have to worry about her eyes having any problems. I want her to be able to play with her siblings and friends, and I want her to go to school to study like other children."

Chivlay is 74 years old and married. He likes to listen to monks pray on the radio and join ceremonies at the pagoda. Four months ago, Chivlay developed a cataract in each eye, causing him blurred vision and tearing. He has difficulty seeing things clearly, recognizing faces, and going anywhere by himself. When Chivlay learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, he traveled for three hours seeking treatment. On November 21, doctors performed small incision cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in each eye. After recovery, Chivlay will be able to see clearly again. Now, he needs help to fund this $292 procedure. "I hope that I can see more clearly," he says, "so that I can easily go to the pagoda and other places by myself. I don't want to bother others to take care of me."

10-year-old Bharat lives with his parents and siblings in Nepal, where is in grade five at school. His family is entirely dependent on agriculture for their living, and the yield from the field keeps them going for about six months of the year. Seven days ago, Bharat developed an abscess on his right inguinal region. A skin abscess is a localized collection of pus that generally develops in response to infection or to the presence of other foreign materials under the skin. It is typically painful, and it appears as a swollen area that is warm to the touch. Not only has it been extremely painful for Bharat, but it has caused abdominal pain as well. Before he visited Watsi's medical partner, Possible, he was taken to the health post in his village where he was advised to clean the wound with hot water and provided some painkiller medicines. Unfortunately, the wound did not heal. Instead, it became complicated and he finally decided to visit Possible. Unable to tolerate his son's pain any longer, his father took a day long walk to come to see his son in the hospital. To cure his abscess, Bharat will undergo incision and drainage procedure and will need to keep a hygienic dressing regularly. $157 will cover the cost of Bharat's medical surgery and hospital stay. "I wish Bharat gets well soon," shares his father.

Sophat is a 22-year-old fourth year accounting student with one older sister. He likes to play football and help his parents on their farm. When he was young, Sophat developed a bilateral ear infection, which has gone untreated. Over time, this perforated the eardrum (tympanic membrane) on each side, causing discharge, pain, and hearing loss. This makes it difficult for him to communicate with others. In 2014, Sophat traveled to Watsi's medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC). There he had a successful mastoidectomy surgery on the left side, which treated his symptoms. Sophat is returning to CSC to undergo another mastoidectomy procedure in order to remove the abnormal skin growth (cholesteatoma) that has developed in his right ear, as well as treat his remaining symptoms while improving his overall health and well-being. For $842, Sophat will have the surgery and care he needs.

"I hope my son will be without pain after his surgery," shares Theara’s mother. Theara is a two-year-old boy who lives in Cambodia with his parents and sister. He likes drawing pictures and watching TV. Recently, though, it has been hard for him to enjoy even these favorite activities. Theara has a hydrocele, or build-up of fluid, in his right testicle, which causes him frequent pain. Theara's mother says he cries often, and it distresses her that there is nothing she can do to console him. Theara’s mother traveled with him for three hours to the Children’s Surgical Centre, Watsi's medical partner in Cambodia, to seek treatment. Theara’s family cannot afford to pay for the surgery he needs. $99 covers Theara’s operation, medications, and three post-operative check-ups with doctors to ensure that he is healing properly. Let’s help Theara get healthy!

Path, a 38-year-old farmer from Cambodia, has an open fracture of his right distal tibia and fibula. The fractures were caused by a gunshot wound he sustained from the Thai army when he was crossing the Thai-Cambodian border. Path is married with one son, and he enjoys watching television and working around his home. After his injury, Path received some treatment in Thailand before returning to Cambodia and using Khmer traditional medicine, which proved unsuccessful. His wound is painful and produces pus discharge, preventing him from working. Path then traveled four hours with his brother to reach Watsi's medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), for treatment. Surgeons at the facility will perform a debridement-- a surgical removal of infected and dead tissue-- to clean the wound. They will then perform an open reduction internal fixation surgery, during which they will remove the existing hardware from his leg, reset the fractured bones, and add a frame to fix them in place. Path cannot afford the $405 surgical procedure that he needs to properly repair his broken bones. Let's help Path raise the required funds so that he can heal and return to his work and family.

Tah is a ten-year old boy who lives with his parents and three siblings in Burma. Tah’s family has lived in Burma for their whole lives, living on a small farm where they grow food for their own consumption. His father, U Kyaw Poe, is the only member of the family who earns an income and works as works as an agricultural day labourer. Of his three siblings, Tah is the only one who attends school. He is currently enrolled in third grade, and enjoys his studies very much. His siblings do not attend school, but rather help their mother with farm work and occasionally accompany their father to his job as an agricultural day labourer. On May 18th, Tah was riding in the back of a vehicle transporting a large water jug through his village when the vehicle hit a bump and Tah tumbled out onto the road. The heavy jug of water that had been in the back of the truck also fell out, landing on top of him. He sustained a serious shoulder injury as a result of the incident, and when the pain did not subside in a matter of days his father decided to travel to Mae Tao Clinic (MTC) to seek medical treatment. Tah and his father had to walk a few hours out of their village in order to catch a car that would take them to Mae Sot. The journey by car then took between 3 and 4 hours, When they arrived at MTC, clinic staff performed an x-ray of Tah’s shoulder, which revealed that it had been broken in two places. The trauma unit at MTC then referred Tah to Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF) in order to receive support for the reparative surgery he will need. Currently, Tah is unable to move his injured arm whatsoever. He is in severe pain at all times, and has had to miss school in order to travel to MTC for treatment. Before his accident, Tah loved to play soccer with his friends and brothers, but he can no longer enjoy this pastime due to his injury. His father wants him to be able to return to school and get a good education so that he can have a career more fulfilling than working as physical labourer. "I want to feel better and return to school without pain," Tah said.

Andrea is a five-month-old girl from Guatemala, who was born 13 weeks early because her mother had preeclampsia. She had to be on a ventilator the first two and a half months of her life. She has struggled to grow since then, and doctors have been puzzled with her case. First it was believed that she had sepsis, then lactose intolerance, but now her diagnosis is clearer. She has a rare genetic condition called Isovaleric Acidemia. This means that she cannot metabolize certain amino acids, meaning they accumulate in her body, reaching toxic levels. The public health care system in Guatemala in unequipped to handle her case, since her condition is so rare. If she does not receive treatment, she will likely pass away. Andrea is the youngest of two children. Her older brother, Diego, loves her a lot and often plays with her, showing her toys. Andrea's mother says that Andrea is a fighter--in her few months of life, she has spent half of it in intensive care, and has received 7 blood transfusions. Although her parents work hard to give her the best they can, her mother is unable to work because of Andrea, and her father cannot make enough money to purchase the extremely expensive formula that Andrea needs to consume to survive. This treatment, which costs $1016, will save Andrea's life. Right now, she is far too small for her age, and is struggling to gain weight. Not only will her physical strength improve with special formula, but her immune system will grow stronger, giving her body what it needs to fight off potentially-deadly sicknesses in her weakened state. Andrea's improvement will give her family hope that she can one day go to school, and be able to live with and manage her condition. "I hope that God allows the miracle of her recovery from this condition that she has," Andrea's mother shares. "I want her to be like a normal child her age, to be able to eat, go to parties with her friends, and not have restrictions."

Joshua is a previous Watsi patient who successfully underwent sofield osteotomy surgery on January 22, 2016. The surgery was very successful, and now Joshua needs a second surgery of his left femur to allow him to bear weight on the right position. Since his first surgery, Joshua is showing great improvements. He was unable to walk before his first corrective surgery, but now Joshua is able to walk with support. He will be able to walk even better and without support after this second surgery to correct his left femur, which has severely bowed outwards, forcing Joshua to bear weight at the wrong position and causing him to feel pain. The surgery, which will cost $940, will improve Joshua’s gait and reduce the risk of developing osteoarthritis at an early age. Joshua’s parents still need financial support to complete their son’s treatment. After a sofield osteotomy of the left femur, Joshua will be out of pain and have the ability to walk. “The fact that I can now hold my son’s hand and he can walk with me fills me with great joy. I hope after the second surgery, he will be able to walk on his own,” said Joshua’s mother.