D is a 38-year-old man who lives by himself and used to wash cars in a mechanic's shop until his accident. Unfortunately, he had to quit his job because of his condition and he has had no income since. On April 2nd, his friends asked him to pick mangos. After climbing up the tree, the branch he was holding onto suddenly broke and he fell onto a rock. He broke his right lower leg in the fall. Unable to stand up by himself, his two friends supported him and arranged for his transportation to a local hospital. At the hospital, he received an x-ray and the doctor wrapped his lower leg in a bandage. He scheduled a follow-up appointment for the following week and went home. However, D did not go back to the hospital because he had no money. Two weeks later, he visited a local clinic because he was still in pain. He was referred to our medical partner's care center where an x-ray showed that he had broken both of the bones in his right lower leg and he was told that he would need surgery. Currently, he cannot walk and experiences pain in his lower right leg when he moves. With the help of our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, D will undergo surgery to reset his fractured bones and ensure proper healing. The procedure is scheduled for May 23rd and will cost $1,500. This surgery will help D walk again and he will be able to find work after he has made a full recovery. D shared, "I lost my job after my leg was injured. I no longer have an income or a place to live. I do not have anyone I can depend on and I feel like I have no more hope living with this condition."

Sabato is a 3-year-old boy and the only child of his father who is unwell and raising him alone. As a result, Sabato was left in the care of his grandparents. His grandparents are elderly and depend entirely on small-scale farming. They shared that at their age, raising Sabato was not easy, but through the help of their other children, they are able to make ends meet. Sabato was diagnosed with bilateral genu varus, or knock knees. When Sabato reached two years of age, his grandparents noticed his legs were curving outwards, but they thought it was normal rickets that he would outgrow with time. The condition Sabato has is typically caused by an excessive accumulation of fluoride in the bones, which often stems from contaminated drinking water. Due to his condition, Sabato struggles to walk, to play with his fellow children, and use the bathroom comfortably. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $880 to fund corrective surgery for Sabato. The procedure is scheduled to take place on April 20th. Treatment will hopefully restore Sabato's mobility, allow him to participate in a variety of activities, and greatly decrease his risk of future complications. Sabato’s aunt shared, "I really wanted to help my nephew after seeing how much he was suffering, but didn’t expect that the treatment cost would be this expensive. I have no source of income, and his father is dependent on our parents who are also old. Please help to correct my nephew's legs."

Arineitwe is a small-scale farmer from Uganda. She lives at home with her mother. She loves singing and is a member of her local church choir. She also enjoys helping her mother on their farm. For the last three months ago, Arineitwe has been experiencing abdominal distention and severe pain, affecting her ability to work on their farm. She has been diagnosed with uterine fibroids. Arineitwe needs to undergo a hysterectomy, a procedure in which surgeons will remove her uterus. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $228 to fund Arineitwe's surgery. On January 8th, she will undergo gynecological surgery at our medical partner's care center. Once recovered, Arineitwe will be able to resume her daily activities free of pain and her quality of life will improve. Arineitwe shared, “I pray that I may be considered for surgery because I am in severe pain. I appreciate your support."

Sarat is a 32-year-old rice farmer from Cambodia. He has five older brothers who are all married. Sarat lives with his mother, who is a Khmer noodle seller. He told us how much he enjoys watching agricultural programming on his phone when he has the time. Five years ago, Sarat developed a pterygium in his right eye, causing him redness, irritation, tearing, and discomfort with his appearance. Pterygiums are non-cancerous growths of the conjunctiva, a mucous layer that lubricates the eye. The growths occur when the conjunctiva is exposed to excessive sun damage and the cells grow abnormally over the pupil. He has difficulty seeing things clearly, recognizing faces, working, and going anywhere outside. When Sarat learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, he traveled for four hours with his brother seeking treatment. On November 27th, Sarat will undergo a surgical procedure to remove the abnormal conjunctiva from the cornea surface and replace it with a conjunctival graft to prevent recurrence. The total cost of his procedure is $216. This covers medications, supplies, and inpatient care for two days. Sarat shared, "I hope after surgery that my eye is comfortable again and I won't have to worry anymore about it disturbing my work and productivity."

Ye lives with his wife and daughter on the Thai-Burma border. He used to work as a carpenter but had to stop working two years ago when his health deteriorated. His wife is a homemaker and his daughter works as a vendor selling mobile phones. Her monthly income of 10,000 baht (approx. 335 USD) is just enough to cover their family's daily needs. In the beginning of 2018, Ye started to experience swelling in his hands and feet, pain in his lower back, and difficulty passing urine. At first he thought that it was caused by overworking and would disappear over time. Six months later, when he still felt unwell, Ye finally decided to go see a doctor. He went to Mae Sot Hospital (MSH) where the doctor conducted tests and concluded that he had high blood pressure. The doctor also sent him to another hospital for an ultrasound because at that time the ultrasound machine was broken at MSH. When Ye returned to MSH with his ultrasound results, the doctor diagnosed him with stones in both of his kidneys. He was told to drink lots of water and was provided with oral medication. When Ye returned for his follow-up appointment, he received another ultrasound and more oral medication. As his condition went on, he received a catheter in both of his kidneys while admitted at the hospital. Ye kept returning regularly for his follow-up appointments. Up until 2020, he had the catheter replaced a number of times and also asked the doctor twice if he could receive surgery. However, both times the doctor told him that he would have to wait because there were too many patients on the waiting list. Eventually in the beginning of 2020, Ye was scheduled to receive surgery. When he was admitted in the middle of March 2020, he first received treatment for a urinary tract infection before he received surgery to remove the stone from his right kidney. After surgery, Ye had difficulty breathing and was placed in the intensive care unit for four days. By the time he was discharged, he was left with a 127,000 baht (approx. 4,233 USD) hospital bill. Ye paid what he could by selling all their jewelry and using up their saving. However, most of his bill was paid by borrowing money from his relatives in Burma. Before he was discharged, the doctor told him that he will need to receive laser treatment to breakup the stone in his left kidney. However, if the procedure was not successful he would need surgery to remove the stone. His daughter was no longer able to pay for his laser treatment so a nurse at MSH told him to ask for help at Mae Tao Clinic (MTC). When Ye went to the clinic and told the medic that they cannot afford to pay for his laser treatment, the medic referred him to Watsi's Medical Partner Burma Children Medical Fund for assistance accessing further treatment and we now are raising $1500 to support his care. “I am very depressed, and I feel stressed about my health condition. I have used up all my savings for my treatment. Now I have to rely on my daughter’s income and I feel really feel bad as she works hard," said Ye.

Brian is a nine-year-old boy from Kenya. He is the only child in his family. Brian was born with bilateral clubfoot, which due to lack of resources, ended up being neglected. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. This causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. In May 2020, with support from Watsi donors, Brian had a successful postmedial release on his right foot. He now requires surgery to correct his left foot as well so that he can walk easily and with better balance. His family is not able to raise funds needed for the cost of his care. Brian's father is a carpenter and his mother is a farmer. Their combined income is not enough to meet the required cost of surgery. Brian's father is grateful for the support they received for his first surgery. Now, the family once again appeals for help.  Fortunately, Brian traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, AIC Cure International Hospital. Surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on January 11th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,286 to fund Brian's clubfoot repair. After treatment, he will be able to walk easily again. Brian's father shared, “I lack words to express my sincere gratitude to God, CURE and Watsi for the great support they have rendered to us, indeed you have been of great help to us. We were in despair because of our son, but you have restored hope to our family. We are witnessing to people of what you have done to us. Be blessed."

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.”

Sokchea is a 30-year-old construction worker from Cambodia. He has two sisters and one brother. In his free time, he enjoys playing soccer and listening to music. Seven years ago, Sokchea had an ear infection. This infection caused a cholesteatoma, or an abnormal skin growth, to develop in the middle ear behind the ear drum. For this reason, Sokchea experiences discharge, infection, itchiness, and tinnitus. Sokchea finds it difficult to listen to others and cannot communicate easily. Sokchea traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On February 25th, he will undergo a mastoidectomy procedure in his right ear. During this procedure, ENT surgeons will remove the cholesteatoma. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $925 to fund this procedure. This covers medications, supplies, and inpatient care. "I hope that after the operation, the infection and discharge will stop, and I will be able to hear more clearly again," he shared.

Eng is a 63-year-old rice farmer from Cambodia. He has two sons, five daughters, seven grandchildren, and enjoys listening to the monks pray on the radio when he has free time. One year ago, Eng developed a cataract in his right eye, causing him blurry and cloudy vision. He has difficulty seeing things clearly, recognizing faces, and going anywhere outside. When Eng learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, he traveled for four hours seeking treatment. On December 10th, doctors will perform a phacoemulsification cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in his right eye. After recovery, he will be able to see clearly. Now, he needs help to fund this $211 procedure. "I hope that my surgery will allow me to see and drive a motorcycle again, and I will be able to go outside and return to my work on the rice farm," he shared.

Max is a young boy from a rural village in Kenya and the only son in his family. He recently lost his dear mother who passed on after a long battle with diabetes and heart complications. Their family is currently servicing debts accrued from his mother’s several visits to different facilities as they were forced to deposit their grandfather's title deed to be able to bury Max's mother. His father is a driver who used to work for a private lorry owner. However, he lost his job because of his continued absence from work to take care of Max’s mother during her numerous hospital admissions. On August 20th, Max broke his arm while scaling an 8ft. ladder on their farm in the Kiambu region. Unfortunately, he tripped and came down tumbling, causing him to break his arm. He is in pain and cannot use his left hand at all now. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner can help. On September 23rd, Max will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation. This procedure will help him heal well and he will be able to use his hand with no pain. Now, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,500 to fund this procedure. Max’s father shared, “If my son doesn’t get this surgery, he might not be able to use his arm again. He is young with a full life ahead of him.”

Anne is a small-scale farmer from Kenya. She plants Maize for consumption. She has been blessed with five children and she is very good at taking care of her large family. Anne separated with her husband many years ago and she and her five children went to stay with her uncle. Anne has worked hard to provide for her children and ensure that they received an education. Eight years ago, Anne began to experience troubling symptoms, including neck disfigurement and difficulty swallowing. She was diagnosed with a goiter, an abnormal enlargement of the thyroid gland. She needs surgery to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is helping Anne receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on August 19 at our medical partner's care center. Surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. This procedure will cost $673, and she and her family need help raising money. Anne says “This condition is making me weak and I can’t work like before. I want to be strong for my children so that they can receive education and get their daily needs.”

Leah is a street vendor from Kenya. She is a mother of six grown-up children, but one has passed away and left Leah with 3 grandchildren to care for. Leah separated from her husband when her children were young and she worked hard to raise them well despite limited income. Leah earns a living by selling clothes around her neighborhood. On Wednesday May 13th, 2020 Leah was on a motorbike going to take clothes to a customer when she had an accident and sustained a closed fracture tibia on her right leg. It is difficult for her to walk, and she is now in pain. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner can help. On May 19th, Leah will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation. This procedure will help her walk easily again Now, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,099 to fund this procedure. “Only God can know what I am going through and the pain I am in. I have no one to turn to for help yet there are children depending on me. I plead for help so that this leg can get well and I can resume my job to support my family especially my grandchildren,” said Leah.