Dah Si is a 23-year-old student from Burma. She lives with her parents in a village. She had to stop her education in 2021 due to COVID-19 lockdowns and later the military coup in her country. Now she assists her parents with household chores while her parents are farmers. During her free time, Dah Si enjoys playing with her niece and nephew, listening to music, and watching movies on her phone. Dah Si has a heart condition that requires replacement of two heart valves (aortic and mitral) and repair of the tricuspid valve. These valves control the blood flow between the chambers of the heart and are necessary to prevent long term damage to the heart and lungs. She experiences difficulty breathing, chest pains, fatigue, a decreased appetite and a rapid heartbeat. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 for this complex surgery. The treatment is scheduled to take place at Kasemrad Prachachuen Hospital on November 21st and, once completed, will hopefully allow her to live more comfortably and have a more active and healthy life ahead. Dah Si mentioned, "when I see my friends having fun, playing, and exploring new places, I wish I could join them. But because of my condition, I just stay at home. Even at home, I sometimes feel tired and struggle to breathe. Knowing that BCMF and donors will support my treatment, I feel very happy. Thank you so much for your kindness and support."

Meshach is a 5-year-old boy child from Kenya. He recently was in a severe accident and needs our help. Meshach lives with his family in the Kiambaa area, about 20 km from Nairobi. He is the firstborn in a family of two children. His mother is single, born of a single mother who neglected her. Meshach's mother was raised by her grandmother. Meshach’s mother recently found employment and as a new employee is currently under probation. She is fearful she may lose her job as she is at the hospital with her son. Next to their home is a busy main road. About two weeks ago, Meshach came home from school and started playing with his friends. He decided to cross the road to visit other friends on the opposite side of the road. Unfortunately, as Meshach tried to cross, he was hit by a speeding motorcycle. He was badly injured. Fortunately, the motorcyclist picked him up, summoned good Samaritans and quickly brought him to Nazareth Hospital. Meshach's abdomen was torn open and he sustained a fracture of the right leg and face bruises. An emergency laparotomy--an open surgery of the abdomen--was done and he was placed in HDU (high dependency unit) to receive extensive care. His leg was stabilized as his internal injuries were treated. The surgery for his abdominal injuries was successful. The surgeon is prepared to now repair his fractured tibia with further surgery--ORIF, or open reduction internal fixation. The bones will be realigned and hardware will be inserted to hold the bones in place. This surgery is scheduled for October 10. Until the surgery, Meshach is experiencing pain, and the inability to use his leg or walk. Meshach's family is not able to meet the cost of this surgery. Already, the bill for the other surgery is more than Meshach's mother can afford. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner can help. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,049 to fund this procedure. Once treated, Meshach will be able to use his leg and walk again. He will resume school and his normal life. “I have seen the hand of God over the healing and life of my boy. I already have a heavy bill that am unable to pay for the treatment already given. As I thank the Hospital for the care they have taken on my child, I kindly request the sponsors to consider supporting him for this surgery, so that he can be fully well to go back to his normal life and growth,” said Meshach’s mother.

Mitchelle is the only child in her family and always loves being in the company of her mother. Mitchelle met Cure International at their Satellite clinic in Makindu, Kenya, accompanied by her mother, Evelyn, who is a housewife while her father works as a labourer in a company based in Nairobi. Mitchelle was born healthy, however at the age of 2 years, her mother noticed her knees bending towards each other, a condition they refer to as knock knees. She took Mitchelle to a nearby hospital where plaster casts were applied for 2 weeks to check whether the condition would correct, but the condition did not improve and instead deteriorated. Mitchelle is now scheduled to undergo orthopedic surgery to correct her leg deformity. The treatment will impact her because she will be able to walk well and continue her education like other children. Our medical partner African Mission Healthcare is requesting $1,224 to fund orthopedic surgery and care for Mitchelle so that she can grow up active and healthy. Mitchelle's mother said, "My hope and joy would be to see Mitchelle walking well, just like other children, and without any discomfort.”

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."

Mameulove is a 10th-grade student from Haiti. She lives with her parents and three siblings in a neighborhood of Port-au-Prince. In addition to studying, Mameulove helps her parents with their ironwork business. Mameulove has a cardiac condition called pulmonary valve stenosis. When she was six, she underwent surgery for a condition called Tetralogy of Fallot. While the surgery was successful, one of the valves of her heart could not be completely repaired at that time. Now, Mameulove needs to undergo cardiac surgery to repair or replace her pulmonary valve so that it functions normally. She will fly to the United States to receive treatment on July 10th. Another organization, the Baylor Scott and White Heart Hospital, is contributing $20,000 to pay for surgery. Mameulove's family also needs help to fund the costs of her surgery prep, which is $1,500 and covers all labs, medicines, check-ups, and follow-up appointments. Additionally, it covers the cost of the passports they need to travel and the social workers from our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, who will accompany Mameulove's family overseas. Mameulove said, "I am so grateful to everyone who is helping me to have a strong and healthy heart!"

Meet Naw Del: a 53 year old woman who has been suffering from multiple kidney stones for the past ten years. In 2012, she started experiencing severe back pain. She finally went to a hospital in Burma, but her treatment was delayed due to the Covid-19 epidemic, and the political turmoil in Burma. With the help of our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, and Watsi donors Naw Del was able to travel to Mae Sot Hospital (MSH) in Thailand, where she underwent abdominal scans. In addition to the multiple, small renal stones that were found, a large stone was discovered in her left kidney, which is currently blocking the left urethra. The doctor was able to drain her bladder, but he determined that Naw Del needs a nephrectomy, to remove her left kidney. Burma Children Medical Fund is now requesting $1,500 to fund Naw Del's surgery, which is scheduled for May 23rd, at Mae Sot General Hospital. Until she has this procedure, Naw Del will continue to live with severe back pain. Naw Del said: “Thank you BCMF and the donors for supporting me. I want to help my family again. After I have recovered fully, I want to be able to do my household chores and look after my grandchildren."

Evans is a 22-year-old from Kenya who just completed his training as a plant operator with the National Youth Service. He will be looking for jobs as a plant operator but is currently unable to work and depends on his parents for support. His mother is a hairdresser, and his father is a casual laborer. Evans was in a bad accident in April and had to use his mother’s medical insurance, but their coverage is now exhausted. Evans shared that he has a large medical bill that they are struggling to raise money for, and he still needs to undergo two more procedures and is requesting financial support. On April 30th, Evans was involved in a road accident while traveling for a site-seeing visit that caused him to sustain hip and wrist fractures. The bus he and the other youth members from his church were in was involved in a head-on collision with an oncoming truck that was speeding. Evans has undergone multiple surgeries, including ex-fixator placement for a pelvic fracture, laparotomy surgery, and minor bowel repair surgery. His treatment journey is ongoing, with two more fracture repair surgeries scheduled. Currently, it is difficult for him to walk or use his left hand; he is bedridden and in chronic pain. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner can help. On May 16th, Evans will undergo a fracture repair procedure called an open reduction and internal fixation. This procedure will help him walk, sit, and restore grip on his hand. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is requesting $1,500 to fund this procedure. Evans says, “I am lucky to be alive. It is a miracle considering the magnitude of the accident. I hope to walk again and be a productive citizen now that I have recently finished my training.”

Dessonlove is a nine month old infant boy from Haiti. He is the youngest child in a large family. Dessonlove 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, Dessonlove has been experiencing a persistent growth in the circumference of his head. Without treatment, Dessonlove will experience severe physical and developmental delays. Our medical partner, Project Medishare, is requesting $897 to cover the cost of surgery for Dessonlove, at Hospital Bernard Mevs. This is the only site in the country where hydrocephalus care and treatment are currently available. This critical procedure is scheduled to take place on March 30th, when surgeons will drain the excess fluid from Dessonlove's brain to reduce intracranial pressure, and greatly improve his quality of life. With proper treatment, Dessonlove should develop into a strong, healthy young boy. Dessonlove's family is hopeful and looking forward to their child being able to grow and thrive with this care.

Sai Laung, who is 18 years old, lives with her parents and her younger sister in Shan State in Burma. Sai Laung used to be an agriculture day laborer, but she stopped working in July 2022 due to her illness. In her free time, Sai Laung likes to read Buddhist books and study English online. During the first week of July 2022, Sai Laung began to feel very tired and she developed a fever. At first, she thought it was because she was working a lot, but when she had difficulty breathing a few days later, her mother brought her to the hospital. She was told she might have a congenital heart condition, and the doctor recommended that she have an echocardiogram to confirm the diagnosis. Sai Laung had an echocardiogram at another hospital, confirming that she has a ventricular septal defect, or a hole in her heart. The doctor advised her to go to the Pun Hlaing Hospital in Yangon to see a cardiologist, which Sai Laung did towards the end of November 2022. During that visit, the doctor also diagnosed her with aortic valve regurgitation, and told her that she needs surgery. Currently, Sai Laung has difficulty breathing and is only able to walk short distances before experiencing fatigue. Performing ordinary household chores like cooking or cleaning is exhausting for her. Her lips turn blue, and she has sharp chest pain, fever, and difficulty sleeping. Fortunately, our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, has stepped in to assist Sai Laung access the care that she needs. On March 7th, she will undergo surgery to repair her heart at Pun Hlaing Hospital. Now Sai Laung and her family need your help to raise the $1,500 to fund this life-saving procedure. “I have felt so sad since I was diagnosed with this [heart disease]. I need surgery and we have no money. I look at my parents and I pity them because they work so hard to help me get treatment. I want to recover quickly and go back to work so I can help my parents with the extra income. When I learned that there are donors who will help pay for my treatment cost, I felt so happy," said Sai Luang.

Valentina is a beautiful 2-year-old girl from Bolivia. She lives in La Paz with her parents, who are a teacher and a homemaker respectively, and two older siblings. Valentina was born with a cardiac condition called atrial septal defect, in which a hole exists between the two upper chambers of her heart. As a result blood leaks through this hole, leaving her weak and short of breath. Our medical partner HCA is helping Valentina access life-saving cardiac treatment so she can grow up healthy. During surgery, doctors will use a patch to close the hole so that blood can no longer leak through it. Her family is raising $1,500 to support her surgery and care. Valentina's mother shared: "Our family is very thankful that Valentina can have this opportunity for her heart to be healed."

Danilo is a 40-year-old man from Philippines. He is married and his wife owns a small food business. He previously worked as a construction worker, and now he works as a tricycle driver. In February 2022, Danilo began to notice a small lump on his navel. Over time, the lump grew in size and he visited a doctor for further examination. He underwent an abdominal ultrasound and was diagnosed with an umbilical hernia and gallstones. He needs to undergo surgery to treat his condition. If left untreated, his symptoms will continue to worsen and may put him at risk for health complications in the future. Fortunately, our medical partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines (WSFP), is helping Danilo receive treatment. On January 20th, he will undergo a hernia repair and a cholecystectomy to remove his gallbladder. A portion of the cost of his procedure is covered by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and he needs help raising the remaining $1,146 to cover the full cost of his procedure and care. Danilo shared, "I had to decline my colleague's offer to have a part-time construction job. It was an opportunity for me to bring more money to my family, but my condition is hindering me. This free surgery didn't just ease our worries about where to find the money to pay for the hospitalization but also gives me a chance to strive more for my family. Thank you so much, Watsi and World Surgical Foundation Philippines!"