Mai is a 46-year-old mother from Thailand. She resides with her husband, and son in a refugee camp along the Thai-Burma border. She works as a seamstress, her husband sells snacks and her son is a tutor. Mai has been unwell since 2015 and doctors advise her to undergo a hysterectomy. If left untreated, Mai's pain and symptoms will continue to worsen and put her at risk for further health complications. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of her procedure and care. Mai said, "I felt very happy when I found out that Watsi would support my treatment. Thank you so much for your assistance. It means a lot to me and my family.”

Aida is a 36-year-old mother and wife living in Malawi. She likes chatting with her children and enjoys eating rice served with beef as well as vegetables prepared with groundnut flour. Aida was well until seven years ago when, she noted a small swelling toward the left side of her neck that was not painful. She did not visit the hospital since she thought it was going to clear on its own; however, the mass has increased in size. Recently, she has been experiencing frequent coughs and sometimes chokes at night, which has affected her daily activities. About two weeks ago, Aida met another beneficiary of surgery who guided her to visit Partners in Hope Medical Center (PIH) for support. On November 29th, Aida's surgeon confirmed the diagnosis of a goiter and recommended a surgical intervention called thyroidectomy, which is the removal of part of the thyroid gland. A goiter is a swelling of the neck resulting from enlargement of the thyroid gland that causes pain and breathlessness that may be life-threatening if not treated. Due to her financial challenges, Aida was sent to our medical partner's office to learn about the Watsi program, where she learned she was eligible to receive assistance in funding the $1,015 surgery from donors around the world. Aida was finally very happy to hear about the surgery and talked to her husband, who promised to support the treatment with $29.79 from his business. Aida is hoping to get better after surgery so she can continue supporting her children and loving family, saying, “Kindly help me, I believe surgery will help me get back to normal to continue caring for my children.”

Justine, who is 37 years old, is a married man with three children in primary school. He is a laborer, who works with his wife on peoples’ farms to earn a living and to provide for their children. For over 20 years, Justine has been living with a large tumor located on his left cheek. While it started out small, it has continued to increase in size over the years. While he remains relatively symptom free, Justine is uncomfortable when he is out in public. Justine finally visited a facility for treatment, where a fine needle aspiration was performed, to determine whether or not the growth was malignant. The results indicated that the mass was benign, and doctors scheduled a procedure to excise it. However, as Justine didn't have sufficient funds to cover the costs of his treatment, he turned to herbal medicine for help. This has only worsened the tumor. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is seeking $1,196 to pay for Justine's mass excision, which is scheduled to take place on October 12th, at AIC Kapsowar Hospital. Once the tumor has been removed, Justine's self esteem will be restored, and he will be able to lead a more comfortable life. Justine says: “I have been uncomfortable and without confidence for over twenty years. Please help me so that I may have a normal face and be able to carry out tasks that will help me provide for my family.”

Keyler, who is nine years old, lives in Bolivia and is in need of heart surgery. His mother passed away when he was only four years old, and since then, he has been raised by his grandmother. He accompanies her every day as she goes about selling sodas and cleaning houses, in order to make a living, and as a result, grandmother and grandson have become inseparable. Keyler was born with a cardiac condition called ventricular septal defect, in which a hole exists between the two lower chambers of his heart. Blood leaks through this hole without passing through his lungs and obtaining oxygen, leaving Keyler weak and short of breath. He also has Down syndrome. Our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, is seeking $1,500 to fund the surgery that Keyler needs to correct his heart condition. The procedure, which is scheduled for May 18th, at Hospital del Niño Dr. Ovidio Aliaga Uría, will enable Keyler to live a happier and more comfortable life. Keyler's grandmother said: "I am so happy that Keyler can have this surgery, so he will be healthy and strong."

Emelyn is a 34-year-old mother of two from the Philippines. She works as a health worker, while her husband works as a traffic enforcer. In May 2022, during her pregnancy, she noticed a palpable mass in her left breast. After a few months, she experienced frequent bouts of pain in the area. She was advised to consult a surgeon. Following an assessment, it was recommended that she undergo an operation to remove the mass and have a biopsy. Due to potential threats to her pregnancy, the operation was deferred. In December 2022, one month postpartum, she was advised to undergo an ultrasound to assess the progress of her condition and have a biopsy. Unfortunately, Emelyn has now been diagnosed with breast cancer. Without treatment, the cancer may spread to other organs. A mastectomy, a surgery to remove breast tissue, has been suggested to rid her body of breast cancer and to prevent the cancer from metastasizing (spreading to other sites in the body). Fortunately, our medical partner World Surgical Foundation Philippines (WSFP) is helping Emelyn receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a mastectomy on August 12th. A portion of the cost of her treatment is being supported by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and WSFP is requesting help to raise $1,058 to cover the remaining cost. After treatment, Emelyn will hopefully return to a cancer-free life. Emelyn shared, "Thank you, Watsi and World Surgical Foundation Philippines! Thank you for having a good heart and being willing to help people. You are a testimony that God truly provides."

Moe is 42-year-old man from Thailand. He lives with his mother, sister, brother and nephew on the Thai-Burma border. They are all unemployed due to the difficulties of the local situation. In his free time, he enjoys playing badminton and designing t-shirts. On July 3rd, Moe was playing badminton with his friends when he slipped and fell. After he fell he could not move and experienced pain in his right leg. He received an x-ray at Mae Sot Hospital and was diagnosed with fractures in his right tibia and fibula (both bones in the lower leg). He experiences extreme pain in his right leg. He cannot move or lift it, nor can he comfortably sit up. Due to the pain, he cannot sleep well, and he has little appetite. He needs to rely on his brother for all personal care. With the help of our medical partner Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF), Moe will undergo surgery to reset his fractured bones and ensure proper healing. The procedure is scheduled for July 20th and BCMF is requesting $1,500 to fund his treatment. This procedure will help Moe walk again and be free of pain. He will no longer have to rely on his brother to help him with personal care. Moe shared, “I feel so upset because I never thought that I would be like this [bed-bound]. I want to have my surgery soon because I feel a lot of pain in my right leg. I am really thankful for the donors who are paying for my treatment."

Richard is a 23-year-old man from Kiambu County, Kenya. He is married and has one child who is two years old. Richard is originally from Uganda, and he moved to Kenya in 2022 in search of a job. Now, Richard works as a casual laborer on farms in Kiambu County. On June 21st, Richard was opening the gate for his boss's vehicle when the gate accidentally closed on his hand. Richard was first taken to a nearby hospital for first aid and then taken to our medical partner's care center for an x-ray. The x-ray showed an open fracture in Richard's pointer finger, and the surgeon advised Richard to undergo a surgery called open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) to fix the fracture. However, Richard cannot currently afford this surgery. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), can help. On June 23rd, Richard will undergo an ORIF procedure to fix his hand. After his procedure, Richard will be able to return to work pain-free. Now, AMH is requesting $1049 to cover the cost of Richard's procedure. Richard said, "My hands help me work and feed my family. My wife is not working, so I kindly request assistance so that once my hand is healed I can resume my job and support them"

Sein is a 40-year-old father of three from Thailand. Sein and his family are day laborers. During his free time, he likes to watch movies on his mobile phone. During the evening of May 8th, 2023, Sein and his wife were walking around their neighborhood after it had rained. Suddenly, Sein slipped on the slushy and muddy road, falling and hitting his right knee on the concrete beside the road. The fall caused him to fracture his right patella. Sein feels pain around his right knee and it is still slightly swollen and inflamed. Due to the pain, he cannot move his right leg and he feels uncomfortable with his leg in a cast. With the help of our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, Sein will undergo surgery to reset his fractured bones and ensure proper healing. The procedure is scheduled for May 12th and will cost $1,500. This procedure will help him walk and work again, and he will no longer be in pain. Sein said, "I want to thank my neighbors and you [BCMF] and everyone else for helping me. I hope I can make a full recovery. When I've recovered fully, I will work hard for my family and I will fulfill my children’s wishes of going to Bangkok and working there for the betterment of their lives."

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.