Matias is the second child of two farmers from a small village not far from La Paz. When he was first born, he was taken to the doctor due to low appetite and difficulty breastfeeding, and was diagnosed with ventricular septal defect, a cardiac condition in which a hole exists between the two lower chambers of the heart. Matias needs to undergo surgery and our medical partner, International Cardiac Alliance (ICA), is helping him to access treatment. Doctors will sew a patch over the hole in his heart so blood can no longer leak through it. His surgery is scheduled for February 22nd and ICA is helping to raise $1,500 to support his care. Matias' mother said: "Our family would like to say thank you to everyone who is helping our son to have this surgery to save his life!"

Rose is a 55-year-old woman from Kiambu County, Kenya. She is married with three grown-up children. Rose and her husband make a living by doing whatever odd jobs they can find in their neighborhood. However, there are times when work is scarce, leaving them without enough to eat. For the past month, Rose has been experiencing severe heartburn, regurgitation, and epigastric pains that sometimes become unbearable. She sought help at several health centers, but unfortunately, the relief was elusive. Rose walked 8 kilometers to seek treatment at Nazareth's Comprehensive Care Clinic. At the Care Clinic, Rose and her husband reported her health issue to the nurses, who promptly referred her to a doctor. Following an abdominal scan, she was diagnosed with Cholelithiasis. Cholelithiasis, or gallstones, are hardened deposits of digestive fluid that can form in your gallbladder. If left untreated, Rose's condition will continue to cause her suffering, and she may face complications like bile duct obstruction and pancreatitis. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), can help Rose. AMH's doctors recommended Rose undergo a laparotomy treatment surgery to alleviate her pain. On August 3rd, AMH's doctors will perform a laparotomy on Rose. However, given their financial struggles, Rose and her family are in dire need of assistance to afford the necessary treatment. AMH is now asking for $788 to help fund this procedure. Rose says “I have no one to turn to. My husband is the only one struggling at least to get casual work so that we can put food on the table. I need your help to run my everyday life well and at least assist my husband in running our family."

Mark is a cheerful and social 4-year-old boy from Kenya who is in preschool. He is the second to last born in his family. Mark's mother is a businesswoman, selling rice and cereals within the village, and his father is a teacher. Mark's mother shared that he is an independent kid who likes playing with his friends and helping with household duties at home. Mark was diagnosed with a condition known as Left Hemiplegic Cerebral Palsy, a type of cerebral palsy that causes paralysis only on one side of the body. After going through a series of consultations in different hospitals without any improvements, Mark's mother heard about our medical partner's care center. Mark has clubfoot of his left foot. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. This causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Mark's mother brought him to the care center, and upon review, the doctors recommended surgery. On November 28th, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is requesting $1,286 to fund Mark's procedure. After treatment, he will be able to stand upright, walk confidently, and continue with his education without any difficulty. "I will be happy to see my son walking well like other children." Mark's mother told us.

Rebecca is a young woman from Haiti. She lives with her parents and younger sister in a neighborhood of Port-au-Prince; she graduated from a local college with a business degree but has been unable to work for the past ten years because of her heart condition. She enjoys cooking and listening to Haitian music. Rebecca has a cardiac condition called rheumatic mitral regurgitation. One of the four valves of Rebecca's heart was severely damaged due to an infection she suffered as a teenager; her heart could not adequately pump blood through her body, leaving her weak and short of breath. The surgery that she needs is not available anywhere in Haiti. Rebecca need to fly to the United States to receive treatment. She will undergo cardiac surgery, and doctors will remove Rebecca's damaged valve and implant an artificial replacement. Another organization, Baylor Scott and White Heart Hospital, will contribute $26,000 to pay for surgery. Rebecca's family also needs help to fund the costs of surgery prep and follow-up care. The $1,500 bill covers labs, medicines, checkups, and follow-up appointments. Rebecca shared with us: "Once I am fully healthy, I would like to return to Haiti and adopt a child to start my own family."

Moses is a three-year-old boy from Tanzania. He is very active and enjoys playing. His parents are peasants, relying on agriculture for food production, and they also work in a quarry, selling stones for construction activities to generate extra income. Moses was born with his legs twisted inward and downward. Due to financial limitations, his parents could not seek treatment for his condition when he was young. He learned to walk as he grew, but he now complains of pain. Determined to help their child, the parents embarked on an eight-hour journey to seek medical care. Moses was diagnosed with 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, our medical partner African Mission Healthcare (AMH) can help. Moses is scheduled to undergo clubfoot repair surgery on August 4th. AMH is requesting $935 to fund Moses's clubfoot repair. After treatment, he will be able to walk easily and enjoy a higher quality of life. Moses’s mother shared, “I am grateful for the hope you have given us. I can't wait for my son to start his treatment, and I hope everything will go well.”

Thein resides with his wife and children. He had worked at a gardening job in a park in Bangkok but due to his health condition, he is now unemployed. Thein's wife collects bottles and other recyclable items from the trash and sells them to support the family. During his free time, Thein enjoys singing alone. In the middle of 2021, Thein noticed a black spot on the sole of his right foot. He felt no pain at the time, and the size of the spot remained constant. But in 2022, the black spot began to grow and became painful. Unfortunately, Thein was diagnosed with a malignant melanoma on the sole of the right foot. Currently, Thein feels pain throughout his foot, experiences ulcer discharge when walking, and struggles to sleep well due to the pain. An amputation may be necessary. Because of his financial constraints, Thein sought treatment through Burma Children Medical Fund, Watsi's medical partner, for financial aid to access the required surgery. The doctor scheduled a CT scan of Thein's foot and subsequent surgery on 21 August 2023. Thein expressed his gratitude for help, saying: "When I first learned about the diagnosis, my foremost concern was the treatment cost. I am very thankful to all the generous donors for the opportunity to receive treatment."

Khin is 28-year-old man from Burma. He lives with his wife, two children, parents in-law, a brother-in-law, and a sister-in-law in a village in Karen State. Khin, his parents, and his sister-in-law are subsistence farmers, while his daughter and brother-in-law are students. His son is too young to enroll in school. They also raise chickens and pigs for their own consumption, forage for vegetables and go fishing. To pay school fees, Khin sometimes is able to get work as a day labourer. On July 10th, Khin was picking dog fruit when suddenly the branch he was standing on broke. He fell out of the tree on to a wooden dwelling and broke his spine. With the help of Watsi donors, he received a CT scan of his back which showed that he had indeed fractured his spine, and he was told that he would need to undergo surgery to heal. He is in pain, and he cannot walk. With the help of our medical partner Burma Children Medical Fund (BMC), Khin will undergo surgery to reset his fractured bones and ensure proper healing. The procedure is scheduled for July 19th and Khin needs help raising $1,500 to fund the surgery. This procedure will help him walk again. Khin shared, "I am not scared to receive surgery because I know I need to undergo it to recover."

Thaw is a 5-year-old boy who lives with a large family in Burma. His whole family works as agricultural day labourers. He has not yet started his schooling because he is young and because of his health condition. Thaw enjoys playing with other children in their neighborhood. He also enjoys practicing writing the Burmese alphabet, which his brother has taught him. Thaw was born with a congenital condition affecting his lower digestive tract. He underwent surgery a few days after he was born and again when he was two years old. Now the doctor wants to perform a reverse colostomy, an operation to improve the function of his lower digestive tract. Our medical partner Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF) is requesting $1,500 to cover the cost of Thaw's surgery scheduled for June 12th. Thaw's father said, "Both us [my wife and I], have to watch him constantly because we are worried that he will get an infection... Currently, half of our income goes towards his medical expenses, which makes it difficult for our family to survive."

Ann is a 45-year-old woman from Kenya and a mother of four children aged between 23-27 years old. Her husband passed away in 1999. Her children have been unable to secure steady jobs, and Ann works as a casual laborer washing clothes to provide a living. However, she shared that her income is inconsistent, as it depends on the availability of work. She lives alone in a single room. Ann does not have medical coverage and is requesting assistance with her treatment costs. In April 2023, Ann slipped and fell on the road causing a fracture in her right wrist. She went to a local pharmacy for first aid and has since been using hot water and salt to treat the fracture due to a lack of medical coverage. However, her hand has continued to swell, and she is in chronic pain, making it challenging to use her right hand. A church member recommended Ann visit Kijabe Mission Hospital for review. Through church members’ contributions, Ann received an X-ray, and the doctor recommended she undergo surgery to treat the fracture. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner can help. On May 15th, Ann will undergo a fracture repair procedure called an open reduction and internal fixation. This procedure will heal the broken bones and enable her to use her hand again. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is requesting $1,500 to fund this procedure. Ann says: “I can’t use my hand because it is broken. I am unable to work and sometimes sleep hungry because I depend on my hand to work and earn a living. I need the surgery to earn a livelihood.”

A (Aye) is a 37-year-old homemaker who lives with her husband, father, and son in a village in Thailand. Her father cannot work as a result of having suffered a stroke and her son was born with a disability. A's husband works as an agricultural day laborer. Since April 2022, A has been experiencing back pain and difficulty sleeping. These symptoms are caused by a large mass on her ovary. She has been advised to undergo a total abdominal hysterectomy, which is the surgical removal of her uterus and cervix. If left untreated, A's symptoms will continue to intensify, and she will be at risk for further health complications in the future. Fortunately, A is now scheduled to undergo her hysterectomy on April 23rd at Mae Sot General Hospital. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of her procedure and care. Once she has recovered, A should be free from pain and able to comfortably sleep through the night. “I really want to be healthy again so that I can take care of my father and son. My husband had to stop working for the past week to look after our son, so now we have no income. But I am happy that I have a donor [to pay for my surgery], and I hope that I will get better soon. After I recover, my husband can go back to work and save money to pay back our debt,” said A.