Julian is 43-years-old and lives with his three children and wife in a humble house made of adobe and tin. Julian works as a farmer, waking up before sunrise to go work on the small plot of corn that they rent. Due to complications of his diabetes, he often has a hard time working, meaning his sons have had to stop their education to be able to work and support the family's basic necessities. Julian has been a diabetes patient of Wuqu’ Kawoq, a Watsi medical partner, since 2014, and was previously funded on Watsi for his diabetes care. Unfortunately, diabetes increases the risk of developing cataracts and retinopathy, which severely limit vision. Since we were able to catch his cataracts relatively quickly, surgery will likely restore his vision, preventing him from becoming blind down the road. Surgery will remove the cataracts that are blurring Julian's vision. This will restore his vision, giving him the ability to see just as well as he could before he started to suffer from acute diabetes. This will give him improved vision for many years to come. Julian said, "I would like to improve my vision, so I can help my sons continue to study, and they can improve their quality of life."

Diego is a 23-month-old baby from Guatemala who lives with his parents and siblings in a rented one-room house. Diego loves to play ball with his neighbors. His mother works at home, cooking, cleaning, and taking care of the children as well as looking for firewood to sell in the market. His father is a day laborer in the fields. Diego's mother has been worried since she has noticed that her son has not been wanting to eat, preventing him from growing like he should. This is because the diet his parents can afford for him lacks protein, calories, and nutrients, leaving him malnourished. If he does not receive treatment, malnutrition could cause permanent consequences such as a low IQ, trouble focusing in school, and a greater risk of developing chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension as an adult. Although his parents work hard, they do not have the resources to feed him even one vegetable, piece of fruit, or egg—the minimum that he needs to reach a healthy height and weight. For $512, we can treat Diego's malnutrition with a combination of food supplements, deworming medication and growth monitoring. This will allow him to gain weight, grow taller and resume normal development for a child his age. His mother will also receive nutrition education so she can help her son remain well-fed and healthy in spite of limited resources. Intervention now will prevent the future devastating effects of malnutrition, and give Diego the chance to live a healthy and productive life, finish school, get a good job, and escape the cycle of malnutrition and poverty that made him sick in the first place.

46-year-old Dao lives in Cambodia with her husband and their five sons. She is a farmer and enjoys watching TV and cooking in her spare time. In 2009, Dao was in a bad motor accident which caused fractures and trauma injuries through her left leg, ankle, and foot. She traveled seven hours for medical assistance to Watsi's medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), with her son. She has been receiving surgical care at CSC since 2009. She has recently returned for a quadricepsplasty surgery, which will release the contracted thigh muscle of her left leg as well as remove of a pin from her knee. The quadricepsplasty surgery, which costs $378, will make it easier for Dao to flex her leg and walk.

Kuminga is a 55-year-old farmer and father of five from a village in Malawi. Three years ago, in 2013, Kuminga started experiencing symptoms including trouble passing urine. He has been living with a catheter, which can lead to infection, trauma, and have a negative psychological impact on patients. Kuminga is unable to afford the prostatectomy he needs. For $742, he will be able to receive this surgery - after which, he is expected to make a full recovery. Kuminga is eager to be able to work again and get rid of his catheter. "After the surgery, my family will benefit since I will be able to be productive again," said Kuminga.

Moe Shwe is a 45-year-old woman originally from a village in Southern Shan State in Burma. She came to our medical partner with a diagnosis of myoma - a uterine mass. Moe Shwe moved to Thailand to work in a factory as a seamstress. She doesn’t know yet what her income will be because within days of arriving in Thailand she started to feel very unwell and worked for less than one week. Her husband still lives in Burma and works in his garden growing vegetables beside the family home. Currently the combined family income is not enough to cover daily expenses, therefore, they have been unable to save money and cannot afford health care costs. Moe Shwe has been experiencing symptoms related to her current health problem since early April, 2016. At that time she went to a clinic because she was having trouble passing urine. The doctor told her that she would need surgery and that the surgery cost would be 30,000 THB (approx. 1000 USD) but she could not afford this cost and returned home. One of her friends from the factory knew about Mae Tao Clinic (a Watsi partner) and encouraged her to attend the Clinic. On April 22nd, 2016 Moe Shwe came to the Mae Tao Clinic with her friend. Her abdomen was swollen and she had difficulty urinating. She also had sharp pain and numbness in her lower abdomen. At Mae Tao Clinic she received a blood test, urine test, and ultrasound. During her examination, the doctor detected a mass and she was diagnosed with a Myoma. Moe Shwe is currently unable to work because of her symptoms and she is very sad about her health problems and the effects they have on her life. She said that she does not have any siblings who can help pay for her treatment and even with the help of her daughter she is unable to afford treatment. She became so emotional that she began crying during the interview. Her daughter is waiting to hear if she has passed her Year 12 exams and will be accepted to university. "I am worried a lot and I cannot sleep well," Moe Shwe said. "I hope that I will be able to have surgery soon and when I get healthy again, I want to return to work in the factory and save money for my daughter’s university fees."

Simon is a shy, three-year-old boy from Kenya who never lets his mother out of sight. Simon was born with a cleft lip and spina bifida. At six months, Simon underwent spina bifida repair and a cleft lip repair. Weeks later, Simon’s head had increased in size and he had a shunt insertion to drain the excess fluid in his brain. However, he now requires a shunt revision surgery to ensure the continued function of the shunt. Due to his condition, Simon has had delayed milestones and he cannot do some of the tasks children his age can, such as walking. Recently, Simon has been experiencing headaches and is also irritable. Simon is experiencing the headaches due to the increased intra-cranial pressure from the extra fluid in the brain. If not treated, he is at risk of brain damage, blindness and even death. Simon, the last born in a family of five children, is now back to hospital requiring a shunt revision. Simon was lucky enough to get funding for the previous surgeries he underwent. Unfortunately, his parents are not yet financially stable to cater for this other surgery that Simon requires. They make a menial income from the sale of second hand clothes and this income is also used to support the larger family. Simon's family lives in a two roomed house in the Coastal region of Kenya. After a shunt revision, Simon will be relieved from the excessive intra-cranial pressure in his brain. This will reduce the chances of brain damage, blindness or even death. The total surgery cost is $600. “I hope Simon gets relief from the pain he is in," his mother shared. "We will appreciate any help towards his treatment."

"Magdaline is a vibrant woman who loves teaching," our medical partner, Hope for West Africa (HWA), shares with us. The 43-year-old woman lives in Nigeria with her husband, where she works as a teacher. Recently diagnosed with uterine fibroids, "Magdaline experiences heavy bleeding, painful menstrual cramps, prolonged flow, and has an enlarged abdomen," HWA reports. Uterine fibroids are noncancerous growths that form in the walls of the uterus, and can often lead to other conditions, like anemia, if left untreated. Because of the pain she experiences, Magdaline often has to miss some days of work. "She loves teaching and imparting her knowledge to the students," HWA shares. After receiving treatment, she will be able to work without missing days. In order to cure the uterine fibroids, Magdaline will undergo surgery. She will stay in the hospital for seven days for follow-up care. $1,500 will cover the cost of surgery along with the hospital stay. After surgery, "Magdaline looks forward to having the full time with her students as she won't need to be excused from her duties due to her condition," HWA shares with us.

12-month-old Sanaa was born with a life-threatening heart defect called ventricular septal defect. This condition means she has a hole between the two lower chambers of her heart. "Blood leaks through this hole without first passing through the lungs to obtain oxygen, leaving her sickly and weak," says our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance (HCA). Sanaa lives in Haiti with her parents and newborn brother. "Her father works at a small store, and her mother cares for the children. Because of her illness, Sanaa is usually very tired and uninterested in playing, and frequently gets colds and fevers," HCA explains. Hundreds of children are born with heart defects every year in Haiti and unfortunately, many don't have access to the life-saving surgery they need. Gift of Life International has raised $5,000 towards Sana's surgery at a local hospital. We can fund the rest of the procedure, including overseas transportation and surgery preparation, for $1,500. "Following surgery, normal blood flow should be restored to Sanaa's heart and she should not have any further cardiac symptoms," HCA says. Sana's mother shares, "I am very hopeful that after surgery Sanaa will be healthy and strong."

“Like most children, Sandra was born normally and this was a great joy to her mother,” says our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). Sandra and her mother live together in a rental house in Kenya. When Sandra turned five months old, she became sick. "She cried most of the time, at times would throw up after feeding and her head size was increasing at a greater rate than the body was. Sandra’s mother knew something was not right and she sought for help in the nearest clinic," AMHF says. When Sandra was diagnosed with acquired hydrocephalus, her mother remembered it to be the worst day of her life. “I was hysterical and couldn’t think rationally—everything slowed down,” says Sandra’s mother. Sandra is now 11 months old and needs treatment for her condition. Acquired hydrocephalus is a condition where an abnormal amount of cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the brain’s cavities. It could be caused by a tumor, injury, or meningitis. The clinic that made the diagnosis suggested a shunt operation to relieve the pressure in Sandra’s brain. “Operating a small kiosk and having no one to look to, Sandra’s mother, who is a single parent, is not able to raise the needed funds,” explains AMHF. With $615, Sandra will undergo surgery where a shunt will be placed to divert the excess fluid in her brain to her abdomen where it can be reabsorbed into her body. Depending on the particulars of her case, she may also receive an endoscopic third ventriculostomy, where a small hole is made in the floor of the third ventricle of the brain and the excess fluid is drained through there. “Life’s roughest storms prove the strength of our anchors,” says Sandra’s mother. “I have faced many storms in my life, and my anchors have grounded my with hope and strength.” Let’s help Sandra grow up healthy!

This little guy is Biskut, an eight-month-old boy from Ethiopia. "Biskut was born with an open anus and he suffered from bowel obstruction as a newborn," explains our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). "He survived after the colostomy he received when he was a week old, and since that time he has recovered from both the obstruction and the surgery itself." Due to his anorectal malformation, Biskut has been passing stool through his colostomy bag ever since the first procedure. Because colostomy bags only work as temporary solutions, this has caused some health complications for Biskut and has made life difficult for his parents, both of whom are young subsistence farmers. For $1,500, AMHF will surgically create a new anus for Biskut, allowing him to pass stool normally. This procedure will make life easier on Biskut and his parents. "Biskut is happy little one, apart from his colostomy problem," AMHF shares. "Right now his parents have no specific future dream except that their child gets well."

Meet José, a 13-month-old baby boy from Guatemala. “José lives with his parents and his grandparents,” our medical partner, Wuqu’ Kawoq (WK), tells us. José’s mother stays home to tend to the house and children, while his father works on a plantation to earn money to support their family. Like many children in Guatemala, José is not receiving proper nutrition and is experiencing the effects of acute malnutrition. “José is far below average for both his height and weight for his age,” reports WK. “He is frequently ill with diarrhea, a cough, and vomiting.” Guatemala has one of the highest malnutrition rates in the world. With an economic crisis and extended drought, many families face food insecurity. As families struggle to provide enough food for their children, the cycle of malnutrition continues. Treatment of malnourished children is crucial to ensure that they grow into their full physical and economic potential. Only with the proper nutrition can this generation break the cycle of economic and food insecurity to provide for themselves and their families. $535 will provide comprehensive malnutrition treatment for José. “This treatment will supply José with the growth monitoring, micronutrient and food supplementation, and medication for him to recoup some of the weight and height he has lost, strengthen his immune system and increase his overall caloric intake,” explains WK. “His mother and grandparents will receive intensive nutrition education this building their confidence and ability to care for Jose throughout his childhood.” This intervention will give José the chance to live a healthy, productive life. José’s family worries about the effects of malnutrition, and are eager to see him get well. “We are really sad because before he was playing and happy, but now he doesn’t want to play,” shares his mother. “He doesn’t want to do the things he used to because he doesn’t have the energy. We are so thankful that you want to give attention to our little one to help him.”

Mary is a 28-year-old wife and mother who lives in Kenya. She came to our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF), with leg pain and difficulty walking. “Three days ago, Mary was walking when she fell and hit her leg,” explains AMHF. “She was brought to the hospital and diagnosed with a fracture of the patella.” The patella, more commonly known as the kneecap, is a small, movable bone at the front of the knee. It acts as a shield for the knee joint and connects muscles from the thigh to the lower leg. Falling directly onto the knee, as Mary did, is a common cause of patellar fractures. “If not treated,” AMHF continues, “Mary will continue to have pain, and treatment delay may make it impossible for the bone to unite.” Treatment for Mary requires a surgical procedure known as open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) to reposition and set the broken patella so that it can heal properly. $1,125 in funding covers the cost of surgery, a two-week hospital stay, and 10 days of physiotherapy. “We expect that an ORIF for Mary will enable her to heal and walk normally,” reports AMHF. Mary’s husband works as a day laborer at construction sites to support the couple and their three children. “Now he has to stay at home because of our small baby, and soon we may not have anything to eat,” Mary shares anxiously. “I hope Watsi will help me so that I can be well soon to go and assist him.” Let’s make this surgery happen for Mary!