Sorn is a 75-year-old rice farmer from Cambodia. She has three sons, two daughters, and six grandchildren. She enjoys taking care of her grandchildren and visiting the pagoda. Sorn has a growing mass in her lower eyelid which has been diagnosed as basal cell carcinoma. Her neighbor encouraged her to come to Watsi's Medical Partner Children's Surgical Centre (CSC) to see if she could be treated. Fortunately, on September 23rd, surgeons at CSC will perform excision and skin flap procedure to remove the growth. Now, she needs help to fund this $657 procedure. Sorn said, "I really hope after this surgery I feel better and am comfortable again."

Grayson is a baby from Tanzania. Grayson is a six month old baby boy and the firstborn child to his young parents. Both parents finished their college studies last year. Grayson's mother studied business management while the father was a nursing students and he is currently volunteering at a local hospital in their village. Both parents do not current have jobs and are struggling to make ends meet to be able to support their baby. Grayson has been diagnosed with hydrocephalus, a condition in which excess cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the brain and increases intracranial pressure. As a result of his condition, Grayson has been experiencing an increasing head circumference. Without treatment, Grayson will experience severe physical and developmental delays. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,300 to cover the cost of surgery for Grayson that will treat his hydrocephalus. The procedure is scheduled to take place on August 24 and will drain the excess fluid from Grayson's brain. This will reduce intracranial pressure and greatly improve his quality of life. With proper treatment, Grayson will hopefully develop into a strong, healthy young boy. Grayson’s mother says, “With no jobs, we are unable to afford our son’s treatment cost. His condition is worsening, please help us.”

Miseyek is a young boy from Tanzania. He is the last born child in a family of five children. Miseyek is a hard-working boy who helps his parents with daily home chores. He mostly helps his father look after their cattle which he takes out for grazing every day. Miseyek never had a chance to join school due to his parents financial constraints. His parents depend entirely on their livestock and small-scale farming to make a living. Miseyek was diagnosed with genu valgus. His legs bow inward so that his knees touch when he walks. This condition is typically caused by an excessive accumulation of fluoride in the bones, which often stems from contaminated drinking water. As a result, he is experiencing discomfort and has difficulty walking. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $880 to fund corrective surgery for Miseyek. The procedure is scheduled to take place on July 23rd. Treatment will hopefully restore Miseyek's mobility and allow him to participate in a variety of activities, while also greatly decreasing his risk of future complications. Miseyek says, “Please help me get treated. I would like to be able to walk with ease and without pain so that I can help my parents.”

Francis is a ten-year-old from Kenya. He is a very playful boy who lives with his grandmother and sister. Francis' grandparents are small-scale farmers. In November of 2019, Francis developed an inguinal hernia. If not treated, the hernia may result in intestinal tissue damage that could prove fatal Fortunately, on June 16, he will undergo repair surgery at our medical partner's care center. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $465 to fund Francis's surgery. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully allow him to live more comfortably. Francis’ grandmother says, “I will be happy when Francis is treated.”

Annah is a farmer from Kenya and a single mother with two children. She is a maize farmer and shared that life is difficult for her and her family. Annah is a strong woman who has taken care of her two children and has never lost hope despite the challenges she faces as a single mother, being the breadwinner for her children and providing an education for them. She lives in a mud house with grass roofing with her two children. On May 10th, Annah was hit with a blunt object after a quarrel with a neighbor over farmland. She visited a nearby facility near where her arm was splinted and she was asked to visit a better facility to do an x-ray and assessed by an ortho specialist. Annah was referred to our hospital but she was unable to come due to lack of finances at home. Two weeks later, Annah has come to the hospital as her condition was getting worse. Her hand is swollen, has pain, and she can’t do any duties at home. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner can help. On May 26th, Annah will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation. She will heal and no longer be in pain. Annah will also be able to work again. Now, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $848 to fund this procedure. Annah shared, “I love my children; I am worried that they might stay without food. I hope I will heal soon so that I can continue providing and supporting them.”

Gift is one-year-old baby girl and the last born child in a family of two children. When Gift was two months old her parents noticed she was struggling to pass stool and urine, and her stomach would be very hard. They thought it was because she was still a small baby and that she would be ok as time goes by, but as time went on her condition kept worsening. Her parents are small-scale farmers of maize and vegetables for a living, and they are struggling financially. They were able to take Gift to Watsi's Medical Partner Care Center ALMC Hospital, where she was diagnosed with A.R.M. and doctors advised that she would need surgery to correct the problem. She was able to get funding support for the first stage of treatment so Gift had a colostomy placed. She now needs the follow-up stage of surgery of pull through and later a colostomy closure and are seeking $1,500 to support the treatment. Gift’s mother says, “Our baby has been suffering from this condition for a while now but due to financial challenges we can’t afford the cost, please help us.”

Moe is a 31-year-old woman from Thailand. She lives with her husband and four-year-old son in Mae La Refugee Camp (MLRC) in Tha Song Yang District of Tak Province. She has lived there for 20 years after her parents moved from Bilin Township, Bago Division in Burma because of the civil war. Moe is a homemaker who does all the household chores while her husband is a farmer who works on rented land outside of the camp, where he plants corn and beans. To make some extra income, Moe also sells snacks from home. Their combined income is enough to cover basic family expenses. As for healthcare, they receive free basic care in the camp provided by International Rescue Committee (IRC). A few months ago, Moe started to feel a mass in her lower abdomen while she was lying down after eating dinner. She thought it was strange and told her neighbor about it the next day. Her neighbor told her that this was normal for someone gaining weight, which she suggested Moe was. Upon hearing this, she did not seek treatment, agreeing with her neighbor’s conclusion. However, she soon felt that the mass was increasing in size, which did not seem normal. On February 13th, 2020, she decided it was time to go to the clinic in the camp for further investigation. The medic at the camp examined to her and told her that she likely had a cyst in her lower abdomen, but they could not diagnose her further. The medic informed the doctor at the camp and the doctor discussed the situation with IRC staff, who then referred Moe to Mae Sot Hospital (MSH) for further investigation. She was referred to MSH on February 17th for an ultrasound. Upon going to MSH, doctors performed an ultrasound and told her that she has a mass in her uterus. Since the mass was already large, however, the ultrasound did not show a clear result whether the mass was outside or inside her uterus. For this reason, the doctor recommended a computed tomography (CT) scan on February 25th. Moe returned home and came back to MSH for the CT scan according to the appointment date. On the day of the scan, she also received a blood test and urine test before being informed that she would have to come back on February 27th to get the results. When she returned, the doctor explained to her that there is a large tumor in her right ovary and that she needs surgery to remove it, followed by a tissue biopsy to confirm whether the growth is cancerous. Currently, Moe has a burning pain in her lower right abdomen. Sometimes the pain gets worse, which makes it difficult for her sleep or eat well. For this reason, she said that she lost her appetite and weight. When she eats, she feels discomfort as her stomach becomes tight and full, even she eats very little. She feels like the mass is gradually getting bigger and she feels more comfortable lying down instead of sitting or walking. Moe sought treatment through our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund. She is now scheduled to undergo mass removal surgery on March 24th and is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of her procedure and care. Moe said, “Both my husband and I became worried when we heard that there was mass in my uterus. We worry that my whole uterus might need to be removed and we will no longer be able to have more children. Now, the doctor told me that only the tumor will be removed and that I most likely will be able to have children in the future. Me and my husband want to have one or two more children, so we were very happy when we heard that my uterus would not to be removed.”

Magdalena is a 4-month-old baby girl from Tanzania. She is the last born child in a family of three children. Her parents are small-scale farmers selling vegetables for a living. Magdalena has clubfoot of both feet. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. This causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Fortunately, Magdalena traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre. There, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on February 21st. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $890 to fund Magdalena's clubfoot repair. After treatment, she will be able to walk easily and wear shoes when she grows up. Michael’s mother says, “We are unable to afford her treatment cost due to financial challenges please help our daughter.”

Brian is 16 years old and the second born in a family of four children in Kenya. His mother used to look after the cerebral palsy children at the cerebral palsy society of Kenya but is currently at home while his father is a hawker in Nairobi. Brian was born without any complications but at the age of one he suffered from malaria and while on treatment the doctors confirmed he had cerebral palsy. He can neither walk nor sit upright. His mother often takes him to a therapy session 3 times a week to avoid stiffness of his hand and leg. “Last week Brian started crying uncontrollably. I noticed a swelling on his hip and we immediately took him to Mama Lucy Kibaki hospitals. An x-ray was taken and showed a fracture on his femur, so we were referred to CURE hospital for specialized care,” Brian’s mother told us. Currently Brian is in pain and discomfort as he cannot stretch his foot further. Fortunately, he is scheduled to undergo hip repair surgery. This treatment will be good as it will stabilize and heal the broken bone as well as re-align the bone. It will enhance his mobility once he heals and reduce his pain. Brian's father shared, “I am kindly requesting for support; my joy would be to see my son without pain and walking like other children. God bless you."

Ko is a 19-year-old from Burma. He has seven siblings who are all studying in different schools in Burma. As for Ko, he was able to attend school only up to third grade because he needed to help his father in their farm. In March 2019, Ko started to have pain in his left lower abdomen as well as in his back. The pain sometimes is bearable but it becomes severe, especially when he lifted heavy things. He also passed cloudy urine and he frequently needed to urinate. He went to a clinic in his village and he received oral medication, which only helped him for a short period of time. When his symptoms returned, the medic at the clinic advised him to go into town for further investigation. Ko then visited a private clinic where he had an x-ray. The result revealed a stone in his ureter. Although the doctor advised him to go to Yangon for further treatment, Ko did not go to Yangon because he did not have money. Currently, Ko has pain in left side his lower abdomen and back. It is difficult for him to urinate and he experiences burning urination. Fortunately, he was connected with Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF) to receive further treatment at Mae Sot Hospital. Ko said, “When I am fully recovered, I can help my father again to bring in income for our family."

Faith, the only child in her family, was doing well all along until she turned three years. She started to have difficulty hearing and her mother had to shout for her to hear. Her mother at first thought Faith was just being naughty. As years progressed, Faith's hearing became limited. She was unable to go to school as she struggles to hear what the teacher says. Her mother tried to have her ears cleaned from a nearby dispensary. With the condition's persistence, she had tests run in a different hospital and was diagnosed with hearing loss. The cost of the hearing aids was high for Faith's mother. They were advised to seek care in Kijabe by a friend with hopes of subsidized charges. Faith’s mother cannot raise the funds needed and so appeals for help. Faith's mother does casual tasks such as laundry in the neighborhood and she was abandoned by her father before she was born. They are only able to aise 15,000 Kenyan Shillings which cannot fully cover the cost of the hearing aids. “If I get the hearing aids I will go to school again,” says Faith with a bright smile.

Mee is a 53-years-old woman who lives with her husband and two daughters who are studying in grade nine and six at a local high school. Mee’s husband is a carpenter and she is a homemaker. Their income is not enough to cover their expenses. About ten years ago, Mee had joint pain and swollen knees. She went to Mae Tao Clinic (MTC) where she received blood test and vital signs. The results showed Mee has hypertension as well as arthritis. She also found out that she has a goiter related problem. She received one month worth of medication for all three conditions. Since then, Mee went back to MTC every month for follow-up appointment and to received medication. After three years of taking medication, Mee was told that she does not need to take medication for goiter anymore. Up until now, Mee has been going back to the same clinic for regular medication for her goiter. Meanwhile, Mee feels like her goiter has grown bigger. One day, she happened to meet a health worker in her village who told her to go and seek treatment at MTC. So Mee, along with her friend, went to MTC. From there, she was told to go to Mae Sot Hospital (MSH) for further investigation. Mee then went to MSH the following day and she received blood tests and an ultrasound. With the results, the doctor confirmed Mee has a goiter. He said Mee needs to undergo surgery because oral medication or injection would not decrease the size of her goiter. Currently, Mee cannot sleep well but she can eat well. Sometimes, when she carries heavy things, she feels pain in her neck.