Ephraim is a 65-year-old farmer from rural Malawi. For the past several months, Ephraim has been experiencing painful urination and discomfort due to an enlarged prostate. He has been unable to afford surgery to correct condition and is very excited to receive his treatment. Our medical partner, World Altering Medicine, is requesting $733 to fund prostate resection surgery - a minimally invasive procedure that removes a small part of the prostate gland. Ephraim's surgery is scheduled for July 27, and will allow him to resume his daily activities comfortably again. "Thank you for helping me," Ephraim says.

Vakisoni is a 65-year-old farmer from Malawi. He is married and loves spending time with his many children and grandchildren. Their entire family works together to grow crops and raise chickens. In January, Vakisoni began to experience pain and difficulty urinating, symptomatic of an enlarged prostate. Prostate resection, in which part of Vakisoni's enlarged prostate gland will be removed, is needed in order to relieve him of his pain. Our medical partner, World Altering Medicine, is requesting $733 to fund prostate surgery for Vakisoni. The procedure is scheduled to take place on June 28 and, once completed, will hopefully allow Vakisoni to return to his family and his work free from pain and discomfort. "Thank you!" exclaims Vakisoni.

Watison is a 69-year-old farmer from a village in Malawi's Central Region. He lives with his wife near their six children and grandchildren. To support himself and his family, Watison works as a farmer. In his free time, he likes weaving and spending time with his kids. For the past three years, Watison has been experiencing symptoms associated with an enlarged prostate, such as difficulty with urination. His pain has prevented him from working, jeopardizing his and his family's well being. They are all eager for him to finally feel better and return to his daily life. In Watison's case, this is a benign condition [also known as prostatic hyperplasia] that is easily treated through surgery. The procedure involves the removal of prostrate tissue obstructing the urethra, effectively treating his symptoms and discomfort. Watison shared: "I want to be free from pain." Let's help make it possible.

“After surgery I hope to be well so that I can return to my work,” shares Tumuramye, a 39-year-old farmer from Uganda. In 1999, Tumuramye developed a swelling in her upper abdomen after undergoing a C-section. The swelling was initially small, but over the past seventeen years, it has increased in size and become painful. Last year, Tumuramye’s discomfort became so great that she visited a hospital, despite not being able to afford treatment. There, she was diagnosed with a hernia. Tumuramye’s injury poses a threat to her livelihood as a farmer: she is unable to do any manual labor because it increases her pain, meaning that for the past two years she has been unable to work to cultivate her beans and maize. Furthermore, if she is not treated soon, Tumuramye risks developing one of the life-threatening intestinal complications that can accompany hernias, such as tissue death. For these reasons, Tumuramye urgently needs hernia repair surgery. But she cannot afford the procedure. She, her husband, and their daughter farm a very small piece of land, meaning that their income is low and seasonal. That’s where we come in: for $220, we can fund Tumuramye’s operation, as well as the medications, lab tests, and two-week hospital stay that will ensure her safe recovery from surgery. After receiving her operation, Tumuramye hopes to resume farming her maize and beans so that she can once again earn money for her family’s basic needs.

Cataracts, or the clouding of the eye's lens, can develop naturally as a person ages. However, at 39 years old, Sokhon is unusually young to have cataracts; most patients with the disorder are over 55. Sokhon, a native of Cambodia, has been living with a cataract in each eye for three months now. The two cataracts make Sokhon’s vision blurry, which has major repercussions for her daily life. Without being able to see clearly, Sokhon has trouble doing her work as a rice farmer, and she can’t travel far from her house on her own. She has also been experiencing headaches due to the cataracts. It is important that Sokhon regain her ability to work soon: she and her husband have three daughters to support. Fortunately, there is a two-step surgical procedure that can make that a reality. Doctors will first remove the cataracts from each of her eyes. Then, they will replace the clouded lenses with functioning artificial lenses. For $292, we can sponsor this surgery, as well as the hospital stay and medications that Sokhon will need to recover from it. After her procedure, Sokhon will be able to see clearly again. Let’s make sure this young mother can return to work—and to spending pain-free time with her daughters—as soon as possible.

Yem is an 83-year-old woman who is married with two sons, two daughters, and twenty grandchildren. She is a nun at the local village's pagoda. She enjoys reading books and cleaning around the pagoda during her free time. Four years ago, Yem developed a cataract in each eye. Because of her condition, she has blurred vision, tearing, and photophobia. She can't see clearly or go outside on her own. She traveled one hour with her grandchild to reach a Watsi medical partner, Children's Surgical Center, for treatment. $292 will cover surgical costs to remove Yem's cloudy natural lens and to insert an artificial lens for each eye. After a small incision cataract surgery and intraocular implant in each eye, Yem will be able to see clearly again.

Orn is a 57-year-old woman from Cambodia who enjoys planting vegetables around her home, visiting the pagoda to listen to the monks pray, and reading the Bible. Orn works as a rice farmer and is married with two sons, one daughter, and five grandchildren. “Two years ago Orn developed a pterygium in her left eye,” shares our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC). “This has caused blurred vision, a watery eye, irritation, burning, and itchiness. It is hard for Orn to see things clearly, do her work, or go outside.” A pterygium is a growth of the conjunctiva that covers the cornea. Although it is non-cancerous, it can cause extreme discomfort and the eventual loss of vision. Some other common effects of the condition include pain, light sensitivity, and foreign body sensation. For $150, Orn will undergo a low-risk, 45-minute procedure that will cure her condition. During the operation, the growth is scraped from the surface of the cornea and replaced with a graft, which covers the conjunctiva site and prevents the pterygium from returning. In just one to two weeks after the surgery, Orn will be fully recovered. "I hope I will be able to see everything better than I can now,” says Orn. “I want to be able to do my work very well and easily go outside.”

Meet Isabel, a 49-year-old woman from Guatemala. She and her husband work mostly in agriculture to provide for their six children. Our medical partner, Wuqu’ Kawoq, tells us, “her main priority is being healthy so that she can take care of her children.” Isabel was recently diagnosed with cervical cancer. WK writes, “this was picked up when she came to one of our cervical cancer screening programs. She was asymptomatic (no pain or bleeding), although our nurse was concerned when performing the screening test, as the cervix did look abnormal. The screening tests came back positive for an early stage cervical cancer. In many ways this is good news, because Isabel is totally curable at this stage.” With $1,475, Isabel will undergo chemotherapy treatment. “This early stage cervical cancer is almost certainly curable. We anticipate that Isabel will do really well through treatment and that she will go on to be strong and healthy for many years, taking care of her family and children,” continues Wuqu’ Kawoq. Let’s pitch in and keep this mother strong!