Aung is a 19-year-old man from Burma. He lives with his aunt and uncle who are both shopkeepers. Last year, while Aung was working on a car’s engine, a piece of the car hit him in his left eye, causing a serious eye injury. Aung began to experience immense pain in his left eye and was unable to see. Aung was diagnosed with retinal detachment, a condition in which the retina pulls away from the supportive tissue in the eye, resulting in vision loss. If left untreated, he could lose his vision completely. Aung is scheduled to undergo surgery to reattach his retina on April 1st. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of his procedure and care. After surgery, Aung's vision will hopefully be restored and he will be able to resume his daily activities comfortably. Aung said, "Once I recover, I am determined to work as a truck driver. When I have enough money, I will start running an automobile accessories shop. This organization and donors have given me the chance to fulfill my dreams."

Matias is the second child of two farmers from a small village not far from La Paz. When he was first born, he was taken to the doctor due to low appetite and difficulty breastfeeding, and was diagnosed with ventricular septal defect, a cardiac condition in which a hole exists between the two lower chambers of the heart. Matias needs to undergo surgery and our medical partner, International Cardiac Alliance (ICA), is helping him to access treatment. Doctors will sew a patch over the hole in his heart so blood can no longer leak through it. His surgery is scheduled for February 22nd and ICA is helping to raise $1,500 to support his care. Matias' mother said: "Our family would like to say thank you to everyone who is helping our son to have this surgery to save his life!"

Harrison is 54-year-old mechanic from Kamuguga Kiambu County, Kenya. He is married and a father of 8 children. Of these, 5 are still in school, and the other 3 have completed school, but only one works as a teacher. Harrison does works as a mechanic, while his wife sells green vegetables in a nearby market. About four days ago, Harrison was working on a vehicle when it accidentally moved and rolled over his right leg. An x-ray revealed an open fracture to the tibia (shinbone). The fracture causes him to experience a lot of pain. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner African Mission Healthcare (AMH) can help. On August 14th, Harrison will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation. Successful treatment will result in the fracture healing without deformity. AMH is requesting $1,049 to fund this procedure. “We support each other to care for our family. I hope this leg will be operated on and heal quickly so that I can go back to my job, and the pain is also too much for me. Kindly seek help on my behalf,” said Harrison.

Gregon is struggling to hear. He has severe bilateral hearing loss that requires attention. He needs hearing aids for both ears. He attends school, but his mother plans to send him to a special school to learn sign language. With the hearing aids, he will be able to hear well and join the special school where he will learn to speak and study hard. Gregon is an only child raised by a single mother who lives in an urban area in the country's capital, Nairobi. Gregon's Mother says, "He enjoys schooling but cannot recognize voices. My child needs to hear to go to school."

Mar is a 56-year-old woman who lives with her family in a refugee camp located on the Thai-Burma border. They sell vegetables to earn income. During her free time, Mar enjoys reading religious books. Since late August, Mar has had an incisional hernia at the side of her previous caesarean section scar. The scar bulged from her abdomen, and was accompanied by significant pain and vomiting. This hernia causes pain and discomfort in her abdomen which worsens with physical activity. It hinders her ability to work to support her family. Fortunately, she will be able to undergo hernia repair surgery at Mae Sot General Hospital, our medical partner's care center. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund Mar's hernia repair surgery. The procedure is scheduled to take place on September 21 and, once completed, will hopefully allow her to live more comfortably. Mar said, “I just want to return to a normal life, free from worries brought on by this condition. After surgery, I will be able to work more and contribute more money to my family's income. Thank you.”

Anne is a toddler from Haiti. She lives with her parents in Port-au-Prince; her father is a civil servant and her mother is a homemaker. She is their first child. Anne was born with a congenital heart defect called ventricular septal defect. A hole exists between the two lower chambers of her heart; blood leaks through this hole without passing through her lungs to obtain oxygen, leaving her weak and short of breath. Because the surgery that she needs is not available in Haiti, Anne will fly to Dominican Republic to receive treatment. On September 13th, she will undergo cardiac surgery, during which surgeons will sew a patch over the hole so that blood can no longer leak through it. Haiti Cardiac Alliance is contributing $8,000 to help pay for the surgery. Anne's family needs help to fund related expenses for her care. The $1,500 will help cover the expenses of labs, medicines, and checkup and follow-up appointments. It will also go toward the expenses of obtaining passports and the cost of social workers from our medical partner who will accompany Anne's family overseas. Anne's mother said: "My husband and I have been very afraid for Anne's life since we got this diagnosis. We are very hopeful that we can stop worrying after her surgery!"

Abril is smiling, beautiful 8-year-old from Colombia. She lives in Santa Rosa de Osos, a little town near Medellín. She loves going to school and watching videos about animals. Her favorite movie is The Little Mermaid, and she dreams of becoming a firefighter or a vet in the future. Abril has clubfoot of her right foot, which means that the foot is twisted out of shape. This causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Fortunately, Abril's family traveled to visit our medical partner Clínica Noel where they can offer life-changing treatment. There, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on July 20th. Clinica Noel is requesting $1,422 to fund Abril's clubfoot repair. After treatment, she will be able to walk and run without pain. Her mother said, "I really appreciate your support for my little princess. She means everything to me and I would do anything to see her following her dreams."

Say is a day labourer. He lives with his family parents and sister in Burma. During his free time, Say likes to spend time on his phone, watching the news, and listening to gospel songs and sermons. Since January 2023, Say has been experiencing pain in his groin area, back, and lower abdomen. He cannot sit for long periods of time and feels uncomfortable when he walks due to tenderness in the area. He has been diagnosed with a mass in his groin area. Our medical partner Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF) is requesting $1,500 to cover the cost of a mass/cyst removal operation, scheduled for June 12th. Say shared, "I feel so fortunate that God has presented me with donors who can support my treatment. I would love to express my gratitude to thank all of you, BCMF and my donors, for your support. If I complete my treatment and recover completely, I will work around the house raising animals and growing vegetables."

Paola is a brilliant little star from Colombia. She was born in Putumayo a region in the south of Colombia, and lives with her mother, brother and grandparents. Her brother is 10 years old and they love painting and drawing together. She is really good at school, and loves math. Paola has clubfoot of both feet. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. This causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Fortunately, Paola's family traveled to visit our Medical Partner Clínica Noel. There, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on May 22nd. Our medical partner, Clínica Noel, is requesting $1,500 to fund Paola's bilateral clubfoot repair. After treatment, she will be able to walk without pain and continue studying without further complications. Her mother said: "I hope you can help my little girl, I struggle a lot seeing her suffering and not being able to help her or stop her pain."

55-year-old Leonida lives with her partner and her son in the Philippines. She is a vegetable vendor, while her partner works as a part-time tricycle driver. In 2022, Leonida began to experience troubling symptoms, including easy fatigability and abdominal pain. Despite the discomfort of living with these symptoms, she was reluctant to seek medical attention due to financial constraints. However, as her symptoms worsened, she was compelled to consult a doctor. After undergoing some tests, she was diagnosed with chronic calculous cholecystitis- an inflamed gallbladder, complicated by gallstones. Leonida has been advised to undergo a cholecystectomy, the surgical removal of the gallbladder. If her condition is left untreated, her symptoms will continue to worsen and put her at risk for further health complications in the future. After seeking treatment through our medical partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines (WSFP), Leonida is scheduled to undergo a cholecystectomy on April 18th, at Our Lady of Peace Hospital. A portion of the cost of the procedure is being supported by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, but Leonida and her family need help to raise the remaining $1,128 to cover the cost of Leonida's surgery and care. Leonida said: "Whenever the pain attacks, it would last for a week, and I had nothing else to do but to put up with it since we're poor and can't afford the treatment. This free surgery is truly helpful to me. To WATSI and World Surgical Foundation Philippines, I can't thank you enough for your generosity. May you continue helping people like me."