Dah is a 63-year-old farmer from Burma. She owns a small farm with her husband and has eight children. Her oldest son and her husband work with her on the farm, while her youngest son is working in Bangkok. The rest of her other six children are married. Three years ago, Dah began experiencing discomfort when she sat or walked. Her appetite diminished, and she became very dizzy when standing or moving around quickly. She has been diagnosed with a uterine prolapse. She has been advised to undergo a total abdominal hysterectomy, the surgical removal of her uterus and cervix. If left untreated, Dah's symptoms will continue to worsen and put her at risk for further health complications in the future. Fortunately, Dah is scheduled to undergo her hysterectomy on November 23. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of her procedure and care. After surgery, Dah will return to her farm and will no longer experience discomfort. Dah says, “Now that the time is close to start harvesting the rice, I worry that I won’t be able to help my son and my husband. After I receive surgery and recover, I hope to return to my farm to help raise the animals."

Paw is a 56-year-old woman from Burma who now lives in Thailand as a missionary. She lives with her husband and daughter doing religious work in their village. About three months ago, Paw's husband sustained an electrical shock that left him paralyzed. He has been in and out of the hospital since then, and Paw has been in charge of his care. During this time, Paw has noticed an issue with her uterus. When she gave birth to her daughter nineteen years ago, she suffered a tear that was never sutured. As she has been straining herself to carry her husband these last three months, the issue has exacerbated. She is now suffering great back pain and has difficulty urinating. Doctors have recommended a vaginal hysterectomy to correct the issue. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund Paw's surgery. She is scheduled for treatment on September 18 at our medical partner's care center, Mae Sot General Hospital. “I feel bad because I can’t take care of my family well," Paw says. "I want to get well soon so that I can look after my husband. I also hope he will get better. I want to continue to serve God by working as a missionary.”

Kyaw is a 58-year-old Burmese man who is experiencing swelling in his right foot due to an ulcer. Kyaw lives in Mawlamyine, Mon State, Burma (his childhood home) with two other family members and works as a day laborer. In 2016, Kyaw sustained a severe injury to his right foot. He sought treatment in Burma, and was treated at Mawlamyine Christian Leprosy Hospital (MCLH), where his leg was amputated at the ankle. Presently, Kyaw experiences pain and a fever. He was advised by a doctor at MCLH that his injury required further amputation. MCLH referred Kyaw to our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, to undergo his procedure. Kyaw is now scheduled to undergo a below-knee amputation on May 23. He needs help raising $1,500 for the procedure. He says, "I am looking forward to go back to my work after I am fully recovered. In the near future, I want to be a trader."

Rosette is a farmer from Uganda and is pregnant with her fifth child. Rosette recently lost her husband and has had to work hard to earn an income. In her free time, she enjoys going to church and weaving mats. Because Rosette has had a previous C-section, her doctors consider her pregnancy to be high-risk. They recommend that she receive medical attention before, during, and after labor to ensure a safe delivery. On May 1, she will begin to receive supplements and attend antenatal checkups and health education classes. She will deliver her baby in the hospital, and she will undergo a C-section if necessary. After birth, Rosette and her baby will be monitored by the hospital staff. Rosette has contributed $3 to her treatment costs. Our medical partner, The Kellermann Foundation, is requesting an additional $241 to fund her care. The requested $241 pays for antenatal visits, lab tests, medication, and three nights of hospital stay. Rosette says, “I thank the donors for the support for a safe delivery. After this child, I will be concentrating on giving my children a good life. I will pray for the donor’s good health and blessings.”

Beatrice is a 63-year-old retired teacher and mother of four from Kenya. Beatrice first noticed a small swell in her abdomen in June of last year. The swelling was painful, especially when she strained, and it was soon diagnosed as a hernia. Recently, Beatrice fractured her arm, and the cost of her fracture repair depleted her resources. She relies on a small pension to meet her daily needs and is not able to raise the amount needed to pay for her hernia repair surgery. Through our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, Beatrice is scheduled to have hernia repair surgery on May 23. Although her family was able to contribute $104 to the surgery's cost, she is still in need of $425 cover the rest of the expenses. Beatrice says, “I want to be well and care for my grandchildren. I plan on starting a small business of my own, but am unable to at the moment because of my current situation."

12-year-old Dachka lives in a small town in the Dominican Republic with her mother, father, and two younger sisters. She is in the sixth grade and hopes to become a doctor one day. Dachka was born with a cardiac condition called coarctation of the aorta, in which the aorta is abnormally narrow. As a result, the heart must pump harder to push blood, resulting in high blood pressure and risking heart failure. Although Dachka is not Haitian, our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, is collaborating with their partners in the Dominican Republic to offer treatment to Dominican children. She will undergo cardiac surgery at our medical partner's care center. First, Dachka will undergo a full cardiac assessment on February 17. This assessment will include physical exams, labs, and an overnight stay at the hospital. Haiti Cardiac Alliance is requesting $1,500 to fund these procedures. Funding for Dachka also covers the cost of medications and social support for her and her family. Gift of Life International is contributing $7,000 to cover additional costs associated with Dachka's surgical care. "I am excited to have my surgery," Dachka says, "so that I will no longer feel tired all the time and will have the energy to play with my friends."

Elija is a 62-year-old man from the Central Region of Malawi. Elija lives with his wife, and together they have ten children and 23 grandchildren. Elija's family owns a small farm. He likes to spend time with his many grandchildren. For the past six months, Elija has experienced painful and difficult urinary symptoms. He was diagnosed with benign prostatic hyperplasia, or an enlarged prostate gland. On February 15, Elija will undergo prostate surgery. When introduced to Watsi, Elija and his family were overjoyed. Our medical partner, World Altering Medicine, is requesting $733 to fund this life-changing operation. Elija says, "I give thanks to Watsi, and I have hope that now my problem will come to an end."

Dorica is a 59-year-old woman from Malawi. Dorica lives with her husband, their five children, and six grandchildren who all help to work the family farm. Dorica spends most of her day doing chores, such as cooking and washing. In her spare time, she likes to chat with her friends and go to church. Since the beginning of this year, Dorica has been experiencing pain and heavy bleeding. She went to our medical partner’s care center, Nkhoma Hospital, where she was diagnosed with cervical cancer. Dorica needs a hysterectomy, a surgery that will remove all or part of the uterus. Once her surgery is complete, she is expected to be cancer-free and make a full recovery. The surgery is scheduled for February 28, and our medical partner, World Altering Medicine, is requesting $650 to fund the treatment. "I need this surgery and I give thanks to Watsi for making it possible," says Dorica.

Henry is a 54-year-old father of six from Uganda. He grows trees for a living, and he enjoys listening to news radio and teaching his community about afforestation in his free time. One day, on his way home from the nursery site, Henry was riding his bicycle when he was hit by a speeding vehicle. From the accident, he was knocked unconscious, lost a finger, and sustained carpal fractures in his hand. On February 8, Henry will undergo surgery to reset his fractured hand at our medical partner's care center, Bwindi Community Hospital. Our medical partner, The Kellermann Foundation, is asking for $358 to fund his surgery, medical supplies, and medications. After recovering from his fracture, Henry hopes to continue growing trees and selling the seedlings in his community. “I thank the people that are donating toward my care. May God bless you so much,” says Henry.

Sulianah is a 21-year-old mother from Uganda who is expecting her second child. She loves her children dearly, and in her spare time, she enjoys nothing more than playing with them. Two years ago, she delivered her first baby girl through a C-section. Because of her previous scar, the doctors at our medical partner's care center, Bwindi Community Hospital, consider her pregnancy to be high-risk. They recommend that she receive medical attention before, during, and after labor to ensure a safe delivery. On January 29, she will begin to receive supplements and attend antenatal checkups and health education classes. She will deliver her baby in the hospital, and she will undergo a C-section if necessary. After birth, Sulianah and her baby will be monitored by the hospital staff. Our medical partner, The Kellermann Foundation, is requesting $241 to fund this care. Sulianah supports herself and her daughter by farming. She grows beans, maize, and groundnuts. She sells the surplus for money to buy basic supplies, such as soap, salt, and sugar. She dreams for her children to go to school and get a good education. “Please give all my thanks and blessings to the donors. I want to have a safe and healthy delivery. Their help means so much,” says Sulianah.

You Sing is a two-month-old baby from Cambodia. She has two sisters. You Sing was born with syndactyly, a condition in which the ring and pinky fingers of her right hand are united. She has difficulty holding objects. On November 3, surgeons at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, performed a syndactyly release procedure on her right hand. Her family needs help to fund this $384 procedure. After recovery, You Sing should be able to use her hand easily.

Dhel is an energetic boy from the Philippines. His family lives in a bamboo house. His father, Joe Ann, is a fisherman. Dhel loves to play with other children in his neighborhood. Dhel has been diagnosed with moderately acute malnutrition. He began $184 malnutrition treatment on October 21. He is being treated by International Care Ministries (ICM), a Watsi medical partner. One out of five children under five in ICM communities is either severely or moderately acutely malnourished. Worldwide, poor nutrition is associated with nearly half of all deaths in young children. In remote communities and urban slums of the Philippines, the lack of clean water and unclean environments add risk to potentially fatal childhood diseases. ICM’s Home-Based Feeding program provides nutrient-enriched food packs to ensure malnourished children get additional food to regain normal weight and achieve optimum physical and mental development. After identifying a child as malnourished, staff and community volunteers make weekly visits to monitor this child’s progress. To help sustain the health of the child, ICM's professional staff educate the mother, guardian, or other family members about proper nutrition, sanitation, hygiene, and organic vegetable gardening. Dhel's mother hopes that he finishes his studies and finds a stable job.