Yi is a 52-year-old mother who lives with her husband, two sons and a daughter in a conflict area called Rakhine State. Her husband, daughter and younger son are unemployed while she is a homemaker. Her older son works as a taxi driver but does not always have work. They are financially supported by Yi's third son, who is also a taxi driver and lives separately. In her free time, she like to meditate and read Facebook posts relating to health. Yi first felt unwell in 2010 when she experienced severe joint pain. Later on, she also developed difficulty breathing and heart palpitations. She was diagnosed with a heart condition requiring surgery, but she could not afford to pay for it. Over the years, she tried to manage her symptoms through medication, but they would only help her feel better temporarily. Currently, Yi tires easily and does not have energy to do anything. She cannot walk long distances, and she cannot walk downstairs. If she does, she experiences chest pain and difficulty breathing. When she talks a lot, she feels tired. She has no appetite and cannot breathe well. She also has chest pain and cannot sleep at night. In May, she went to Pun Hlaing Hospital in Yangon, where the doctor diagnosed her with mitral valve stenosis and tricuspid valve regurgitation. She now needs to undergo surgery to have two valves in her heart replaced. Yi is scheduled to have this surgery on July 20th with our medical partner Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF). They are requesting $1,500 to fund her procedure. Her son said, “Thank you so much to the donors and the organization [BCMF] for helping with the cost of my mom’s surgery. I worry about my mom and want her to get surgery as soon as possible.”

Tha Zin is a 43-year-old woman from Thailand. She lives in a refugee camp in Tak Province with her husband and two sons. Tha Zin and her husband run a shop in the refugee camp. Their total monthly income is not enough to cover their basic expenses, and sometimes Tha Zin needs to borrow money with interest from her neighbor for her children’s school expenses. Tha Zin shared that in her free time she loves reading the Bible, praying, and knitting hats for her family. In 2022, Tha Zin started to experience pain when sitting. She also experienced bleeding in a sensitive area. In the refugee camp, they receive free basic health care from the International Rescue Committee (IRC). Tha Zin went to the hospital in the refugee camp, where they completed a physical examination, diagnosed her with severe hemorrhoids, and provided her with basic medication. While Tha Zin took the medication, she felt relieved, but after she finished her medication, the pain worsened, and she experienced increased swelling and inflammation. As time went on, the pain worsened. She felt it was harder to stand up, walk or sit. Currently, Tha Zin feels like she has less energy and has difficulty completing her everyday tasks. She also experiences difficulty sleeping due to her worries about her condition. Tha Zin sought treatment through our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund. She is now scheduled to undergo surgery on June 2nd at our partner's care center. Tha Zin needs your help to raise $1,500 to cover the cost of her procedure and care. Tha Zin said, “Because of my illness, I had to close my shop and leave my two children with my relatives. So, I worry about them. But I am thankful to those who will support my surgery because I cannot afford to pay for it by myself. When I recover, I will reopen my shop and pay back my debt that I borrowed for my children’s school expenses. If my family has the opportunity to do so, I want us to be resettled in a new country one day.”

Teodoro is a hardworking man from the Philippines. He has nine children, six of which have their own families, and the youngest three currently live with him and his wife. He works as a part-time construction worker to make ends meet. Over the years, he experienced pain but never sought a medical checkup due to financial constraints. Unfortunately, his condition seems to have worsened in January, as he could feel a lump in his right groin. Despite his worries about their finances, he went to the hospital. Teodoro was diagnosed with an indirect inguinal hernia. This hernia causes him pain and discomfort, limiting his physical movements. Fortunately, on April 28th, Teodoro will undergo hernia repair surgery at our medical partner's care center, Our Lady of Peace Hospital. A portion of the cost of Teodoro's treatment is being supported by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation. Our medical partner needs help raising the remaining $1,103 to cover the cost of his surgery and care. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully allow him to live more comfortably and confidently. Teodoro is very grateful for the medical support that he'll receive. He shared, "Thank you, Watsi and the World Surgical Foundation Philippines! This free surgery is a big help for me and my family. Through you, I'll get the treatment that I needed. Thank you for giving me a second chance to live."

Remedan is a baby from Ethiopia. He is a sweet baby boy who is the fourth child to his parents, and he loves to play with balloons and squeeze toys. He has started weaning, and he loves Plumpy Nut, a nutrition supplement donated by the Ethiopian government for underweight and malnourished children. Since he got the donation, his weight has improved and is now in an expected range which is a relief for his parents. Remedan's dad is a small-scale farmer and dropped out of school in grade seven. He had to sell his land when he went to the city for treatment for his son. Remedan's mom, who is a homemaker, heard about our medical partner BKMCM from a neighbor who lived nearby and who got her child treatment at BKMCM. She traveled all the way to the hospital from her home town with her dad and they now stay in the Missionaries of Charity for accommodation since they can’t afford hotels and transport costs. Remedan developed a bowel obstruction and had an emergency colostomy. He has had multiple issues with his colostomy and associated complications. His family shared that they have suffered throughout the entire process but are hopeful that things will improve. Remedan's condition means he cannot make a stool. His mom and dad are very sad and worried about their son. Remedan still requires additional surgery to complete his treatment; his family is appealing for financial support. Remedan's surgery is scheduled for October 31st and our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, requests $1,500 to cover the cost of Remedan's procedure and care. After his recovery, Remedan will no longer experience bowel dysfunction or be at risk of developing severe health complications in the future. His mom said, "I hope my child will get treatment, and I hope he will heal well after the treatment."

Theara is a playful 5-year-old from Cambodia. She comes from Kampong Speu province where she lives with her parents and two older siblings. Theara's parents work as rice farmers, and her siblings are students in elementary school. She loves ice cream and playing with her friends in the village. In 2020, when Theara was three years old, she arrived at Children's Surgical Centre with cataracts in both eyes, speech delay, and lower limb irregularities. After receiving surgery, she is able to see from both eyes and her speech difficulties have since been resolved. The surgeons did not want to perform an operation on her legs at that time, but now that Theara is older, her parents returned to Children's Surgical Centre for further consultation to help her walk more easily. She has difficulty walking, cannot run, and has not yet started school. On April 6th, surgeons at CSC will place eight plates in her lateral proximal tibia to gradually straighten her legs and improve her mobility. Now, Theara and her family need help to fund this $600 procedure. Her mom shared, "I hope her leg can straighten so she can walk and start school."

Samson is a widower and father of a 9-year-old child. He works as a laborer at a garage washing cars to support himself and his child. A few years ago, Samson started experiencing epigastric pain and discomfort, and could not keep down his food. He has sought treatment at other hospitals before, but to no avail. A few weeks ago, Samson's condition worsened and his brother helped him seek care with our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare. Doctors there conducted an endoscopy and found that the cause of Samson's symptoms was gastric obstruction due to pyloric stenosis, a narrowing of the opening from the stomach into the small intestine. If left untreated, Samson will continue to experience pain. His symptoms may also worsen, leading to dehydration, weight loss, and an overall decreased quality of life. Surgeons have recommended a laparotomy to treat Samson's condition. Fortunately, Samson is scheduled for surgery on March 13th with the help of African Mission Healthcare. Samson needs help raising $788 to fund the cost of his procedure. After surgery, not only will Samson's quality of life improve, but he will also be able to care for himself and his child. “I have been unable to care for myself and my child, becoming a burden to my family. The pain is also too much and I am afraid my wife went through the same and died. I plead for support so that I may be treated and get back to my normal life. I am also the only hope of my child,” said Samson.

Kenn is a 26-year-old food handler from Philippines. He lives with his partner and has an income of $200 a month which is just enough to provide for their daily needs. In addition to his needed treatment, Kenn is worried because he already holds debts from a previous hospitalization. In March 2022, Kenn began to experience troubling symptoms, including severe stomachache, back pain, and vomiting. He was brought to the nearest hospital to receive urgent care. After a series of tests, he was diagnosed to have a gallstone. Unfortunately, he cannot afford his surgery and had it delayed. Consequently, his symptoms worsened as he experienced chest pain and yellow skin discoloration. He went back to his surgeon to be checked and was diagnosed with Chronic Calculous Cholecystitis. Kenn must undergo a cholecystectomy, the surgical removal of the gallbladder to heal. If left untreated, his symptoms will continue to worsen and put him at risk for further health complications in the future. After seeking treatment through our medical partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines (WSFP), Kenn is scheduled to undergo a cholecystectomy on March 3rd. A portion of the cost of the procedure is being supported by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and WSFP is raising the requesting $1,128 to cover the cost of Kenn's surgery and care. Kenn shared, "The treatment cost is very expensive and we can't afford it. Thankfully, Watsi and World Surgical Foundation Philippines have good hearts and are willing to help me. I'm so grateful for their generosity. May the Lord continue to bless them."

Festus is a lively 6-year-old boy from Kenya. He is the third born in a family of five children. His parents own a small corn farm, which they use to earn a living by selling produce. Festus was born with hypospadias, a congenital abnormality that causes urinary dysfunction. Without treatment, he will continue to experience discomfort and will be at risk for infertility. Fortunately, Festus’ father was introduced to a social worker who brought the family to the care center, BethanyKids Kijabe Hospital (BKKH). BKKH is run by our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH). As a result, on February 16th, surgeons at AMH will perform the corrective surgery. AMH is requesting $847 to fund the total cost of his procedure and care. Festus’ father says, “I want Festus to be treated and grow up like other children.”

Humphrey is a 3-month-old baby from Kenya and the youngest in his family of three children. His grandparents provide financial support for Humphrey's family, as his mother had to leave her job to stay home and care for him. As his family does not have insurance coverage, they are requesting assistance to help with Humphrey's medical bills. During a hospital visit, a doctor noticed Humphrey might have hydrocephalus, a condition in which excess cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the brain and increases intracranial pressure. He received a CT scan that confirmed the diagnosis. Currently, Humphrey has been experiencing an increasing head circumference, and without treatment, he will experience severe physical and developmental delays. Humphrey was also born with spina bifida, which the doctors will address later in his treatment journey. On January 25th, Humphrey will undergo surgery to drain the excess fluid from his brain and reduce intracranial pressure. With this treatment, Humphrey can grow up strong and healthy. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is requesting $720 to cover the cost of this surgery. Humphrey's mother says: "I'm very shocked and stressed as it is not what I was expecting when I came. I just hope that all goes well in the treatment process."

Linn is a 29-year-old day laborer from Thailand. He works at a construction site and during his free time, he enjoys playing volleyball with his friends. Two months ago, Linn accidentally poked his left eye with a needle while he was sewing a bag. Since the accident, the vision in his left eye has been blurry. He visited our medical partner's care center where he was diagnosed with a cataract in his left eye. Eyedrops and medications have not improved his vision. Fortunately, our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF), is helping Linn receive treatment. On May 18th, doctors will perform a lens replacement, during which they will remove Linn's natural lenses and replace them with intraocular lens implants in each eye. After recovery, he will be able to see clearly. Now, he needs help raising $1,500 to fund his procedure and care. Linn shared, "I was worried about my vision becoming blurrier. I want to thank you [BCMF and donors]. After I get treated, I will work hard and try to donate some money back to BCMF."

Phouri is in eighth grade, and lives with his six year-old sister and his parents in Cambodia. Phouri's parents work at the local market, selling fish. Phouri is hoping to become a doctor after completing his studies. Phouri was diagnosed with bilateral genu valgum, also known as knock knees. This condition forces his legs to turn inwards, and makes it difficult for Phouri to walk. Fortunately, doctors at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, can help improve Phouri's mobility. On January 5th, Phouri will undergo a procedure at Kien Khleang Rehabilitation Centre to help resolve his condition. Now he and his family need your help to fund the $521 cost of the surgery. Phouri's mother said: "After surgery we hope that he can walk and play with his friends more easily."

Paw, who is 50 years old, lives with her husband, two daughters, and four sons in an internally displaced people (IDP) camp in Karen State in Burma. They have no source of income and rely on the food support they receive from donors every month. In her free time, Paw enjoys weaving traditional Karen shirts and foraging for vegetables in the forest. In 2021, Paw started to experience pain in her lower abdomen and back. At first, she thought the pain would go away on its own; instead, it only intensified. Last year, she felt a mass in her lower abdomen, but she could not afford to seek treatment at a hospital. After Paw and her family fled to the IDP camp in December 2022, she went to the clinic in the camp, where she could access free, basic health care. Paw was referred to Mae Sariang Hospital for evaluation. At the hospital, she had an ultrasound and was diagnosed with bilateral ovarian tumors. The doctor told her that she needs surgery to remove her uterus and both of her ovaries. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund Paw's surgery, which is scheduled to take place on April 23rd at Mae Sariang Hospital. After she has recovered from this procedure, Paw will no longer experience pain in her abdomen and back. "When the doctor told me I need to have the tumors removed, I felt happy that I will be free from this pain. I also feel very happy that your organization [BCMF] will help me pay for my treatment cost. I hope that I will recover soon, and that I will be able to work again. I want to say thank you so much to all the donors for their help. May they be blessed more and be prosperous,” said Paw.