Win is 45-year-old woman from Burma. She lives with her 85-year-old mother and 55-year-old husband. She makes and sells Burmese noodles at home while her husband works as a day laborer. Win loves to sew her own clothes in her free time, and she enjoys spending time with her mother and looking after her. For the past two months, Win has been experiencing severe lower back pain as well as a sharp pain and tightness in her stomach. She has been diagnosed with an ovarian tumor. She has been advised to undergo a total abdominal hysterectomy, the surgical removal of her uterus and cervix. If left untreated, Win's symptoms will continue to worsen and put her at risk for further health complications in the future. Fortunately, Win is scheduled to undergo her hysterectomy on August 14. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of her procedure and care. Once recovered, she will no longer experience pain. "I hope to recover so that I can return home and look after my mother," says Win.

Tingo is a grandmother from Kenya. She is a farmer who plants sorghum and millet for a living. Tingo a mother of eight with thirty two grandchildren. On July 5, Tingo was heading to the market when she was hit by a speeding motorcycle and sustained a broken femur. She is not able to stand or walk using her right leg. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner can help. On July 11, Tingo will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation. This procedure will help her walk and farm easily again. Now, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $968 to fund this procedure. Tingo’s daughter says, "My mum has a lot of pain and discomfort, she cannot stand or even sit, I hope she gets treated and get well soon."

Beatrice is a baby from Kenya. Her mother is a full-time mom, while her father works on construction sites. Beatrice is the youngest of three children. Beatrice was born with spina bifida, a type of neural tube defect in which the spine does not properly close around the spinal cord. Without treatment, Beatrice is at risk of lower-limb paralysis, infection of the exposed nervous tissue, development of tethered cord syndrome, and possible developmental delays. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,097 to cover the cost of Beatrice's spina bifida closure surgery. The procedure is scheduled to take place on June 21. This procedure will hopefully spare Beatrice from the risks associated with her condition, instead allowing her to grow and develop along a healthy trajectory. “If I had financial ability I would have come in earlier,” shares Beatrice’s mother.

Ephraim is a farmer from Malawi. He lives with his wife and they have twelve grown children who help their parents with the family farm. Ephraim raises goats to help supplement the family income. In his free time, he likes to chat with his wife and play with his grandchildren. Since November 2017, Ephraim has been experiencing pain and urinary difficulty. These symptoms are caused by an enlarged prostate, a condition called benign prostatic hyperplasia. He needs to undergo a prostate resection surgery, a procedure in which surgeons will remove part of the enlarged gland. Our medical partner, World Altering Medicine, is requesting $733 to fund Ephraim's surgery. On April 12, he will undergo prostate surgery at Nkhoma Hospital, our medical partner's care center. The requested money pays for supplies, medications, and two weeks of hospital stay. Ephraim was thrilled to learn his surgery would be funded. He is looking forward to returning to his farm work and family free from pain and discomfort. He says, "Thank you, Watsi."

Bikensley is a preschooler from Haiti. He lives with his parents, who are rice farmers, in a river valley in central Haiti. He enjoys going to preschool and church. Bikensley has a cardiac condition called Tetralogy of Fallot. This involves several related defects including a hole between two chambers of the heart, and a muscular blockage of one of the valves. These prevent blood from circulating adequately to the lungs, leaving him weak and short of breath. On April 9, he will undergo cardiac surgery at St. Damien Hospital, our medical partner's care center. During surgery, surgeons will close the hole with a patch, and remove the blockage near his valve. Another organization, Gift of Life International, is contributing $5,000 to pay for surgery. Bikensley's family also needs help to fund the costs of surgery prep. The $1,500 requested by our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, covers cardiac exams and medications. His father says, "We are happy that our son can have this surgery so that he will be able to walk to and from school next year."

Taingkea is a 26-year-old man from Cambodia. He is single and has seven siblings. He is the eldest child. He enjoys watching football and drinking coffee when he is not working. For the past three years, he has had chronic back pain. He has difficulty getting comfortable and bending his back. He needs to undergo a spinal surgery to help him regain function in his back and not be in pain. Fortunately, Taingkea is scheduled to undergo surgery on March 14. He needs help to fund this $930 procedure. He says, "I hope my back does not cause me pain anymore after the surgery and I can walk more easily."

Thein is a 41-year-old Burmese man. He lives with his wife, and together they have two children. He has been unable to work for the past two years. His family is now entirely reliant on his sister and brother-in-law’s income. His sister works as a grocer, while her husband works as a motorcycle taxi driver. Thein was diagnosed with a heart condition that involves a malformation of the mitral valve, the valve between the left atrium and left ventricle. This valve controls the flow of blood, but certain conditions may cause blood to flow backward or the valve to narrow. Currently, Thein experiences severe fatigue and heart palpitations. He cannot walk long distances. He usually has difficulty sleeping at night, constantly worrying about how he cannot afford to pay for surgery. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund a mitral valve replacement for Thein. The treatment is scheduled to take place on February 21 and, once completed, will hopefully allow him to live more comfortably. “I have two children and a wife who I can’t support but I really want to,” explains Thein solemnly. “My sister only has a small shop but is trying to support everyone, so I feel very bad that I can’t help out.”

Vorn is a rice farmer from Cambodia. He has nine children and four grandchildren and likes to visit the pagoda in his spare time. In September 2017, he fell in the rice field and developed pain on his left side. He is not working anymore and is experiencing chronic pain. He can only walk about three meters. Fortunately, Vorn learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre. At CSC, surgeons can perform a total hip replacement to relieve Vorn of his pain and allow him to walk easily. Treatment is scheduled for January 11, and Vorn needs help raising $1,025 to pay for this procedure. He says, "I hope I can walk again."

Nyunt is a 67-years-old woman from Burma. She lives with her children and used to work as a subsistence farmer. She also raises some chickens and pigs. In her free time, she enjoys going to the temple and listening to the monks’ sermons. Nyunt started to feel unwell in 2015, when she experienced pain in her lower abdomen. She stopped working because of her symptoms. She has been diagnosed with a uterine prolapse. She has been advised to undergo a total abdominal hysterectomy, the surgical removal of her uterus and cervix. If left untreated, Nyunt's symptoms will continue to worsen and put her at risk for further health complications in the future. Fortunately, Nyunt is scheduled to undergo her hysterectomy on December 14. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of her procedure and care. After surgery, Nyunt will no longer experience abdominal pain. She says, "“After I recover, I would like to look after my chickens and pig, and go to the temple to meditate.”

Josphat is a farmer from Kenya. He is a married father of four children. Josphat farms a small piece of land, and his wife sells vegetables at their local market. His family lives in a rental house after being displaced from their home in 2008 during Kenya’s post-election violence. In 2008, Josphat broke his right femur and spent a whole year in the hospital. Fortunately, he was treated and continued farming. However, two days ago, he slid and fractured his right femur again. Josphat is experiencing difficulty walking and working. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner can help. On November 16, Josphat will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation. He will able to walk again and provide for his family. Now, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,451 to fund this procedure. Josphat says, "I wish to be treated and continue providing for my family. They still need my presence and contribution."

Nan is a 42-year-old farmer from Burma. Nan supports herself and her husband by planting and harvesting corn. In May of last year, Nan felt a mass in her lower abdomen. Since then, the mass has been growing in size. Due to the back and abdominal pain Nan experiences, she recently had to stop working. Doctors at a hospital affiliated with our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, have now diagnosed Nan with an uterine myoma. Nan requires a total abdominal hysterectomy, which is scheduled for September 20. As the sole breadwinner of her family, Nan needs our help to pay for her $1,500 medical bill. "I just want to get better," says Nan.

Alfred is a 30-year-old father of one from Kenya who loves discussing politics and watching the news when he is well. While his wife is a farm laborer, Alfred has been unable to work for the past year due to his condition. Since June 2015, Alfred has been suffering symptoms of a brain tumor. While he was first diagnosed with epilepsy, MRI test results received towards the end of 2016 indicated that Alfred has a brain tumor. In April 2017, Alfred became paralyzed on his left side. The wait for surgery at his provincial hospital was too long, so Alfred was referred to our medical partner's care center, AIC Kijabe Hospital, for a craniotomy. Alfred complains of loss of balance and vision, painful head migraines, and altered speech. If not treated, the brain tumor might increase in size and result in brain damage or death. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,495 to fund Alfred’s brain surgery, which is scheduled to take place on June 23. Alfred says, "I wish to be treated and work hard for my family. I want my child to read and excel in future."