Veasna is a 15 year-old high school student. He lives in Phnom Penh with his parents and three siblings. His mom has a job in a clothing factory just outside of the city, and his father works as a security guard. Prior to his accident, Veasna enjoyed playing volleyball and soccer with his friends. In March 2023, he got in a motorbike accident and broke his left arm. He sought treatment from a traditional healer near his house, but is unable to use his arm and hand due to paralysis. He has been diagnosed with a brachial plexus injury on his left side. The brachial plexus is a nerve network that transmits signals from the spine to the shoulder, arm, and hand. Injuries to this nerve network can result in loss of function and sensation. He is unable to use his hand and has stopped attending school. Veasna traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. This is the only center in the whole country where this treatment is available. On September 14th, he will undergo a brachial plexus repair surgery. After recovery, he will be able to use his arm and hand. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $709 to fund this procedure. He shared, "I hope I can fix my arm so I can go to school and get a job to help my family."

Savoeun is a 60-year-old grandfather from Kampong Cham province, Cambodia. He is married and has one son, two daughters, and three grandchildren. He retired from the military and is now a rice farmer with his wife and son. He enjoys listening to the news on the radio or visiting the local pagoda in their small rural village. About two years ago, Savoeun developed a cataract in his right eye, causing him photophobia, itchiness, tearing, and blurry vision. He feels that he has lost much of his independence due to his limited vision. He has difficulty seeing things clearly, including colors and faces, and is worried about falling when walking, so he is not able to go places on his own. When Savoeun learned about our medical partner Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), he traveled for 4.5 hours seeking treatment. On August 8th, doctors will perform phacoemulsification cataract surgery (cataract surgery that employs ultrasound energy), and an intraocular lens implant in his right eye. After recovery, he will be able to see clearly. Savoeun is able to contribute $60 to the cost of the surgery and is asking for help to raise the remaining $253 to fully fund the procedure. He said, "I hope after surgery my eye can see clearly again. I can go to the rice field with my wife and be useful to my family."

Gabriel is a 21-year-old college student and the only child of a single mother, who works as a teacher in their town. Gabriel is currently in college at Meru, roughly 100 kilometers away from his mother's home, where he is studying electrical engineering. His mother cares for Gabriel and has paid for him to go to school. She also cares for Gabriel's grandparents. Gabriel is looking forward to the day when he can support his mother and care for this family. Gabriel used to ride his bike to school. Unfortunately, on June 23rd, as he was biking to school he lost control of his bike when he was going downhill and had a severe accident. He was taken to Meru General Hospital, where an x-ray revealed a compound fracture of the tibia on his right leg. On June 24th Gabriel was transferred to Nazareth Hospital, the hospital of our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), which was closer to Gabriel's home in Kimbo. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner quickly diagnosed the issue Gabriel was having and created a treatment plan. On July 3rd, Gabriel will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation. Post-surgery, Gabriel will be able to heal properly and walk and bike again without support. AMH is now requesting $1,049 to help fund this procedure. Gabriel said, “I was going on well with my education but this accident makes me feel disappointed. I seek help so that I can be operated on and hope that as soon as my leg is healed, I can go back to college and create my own future.”

Moe is a nine-year-old girl from Burma who lives with her mother, grandparents, and siblings in a camp for internally displaced people in Burma. She is a student in grade two at the school in the camp. During her free time, Moe enjoys babysitting her younger siblings. On December 6th, while playing in her classroom, Moe fell off a bench and fractured her left forearm. She has been experiencing pain, swelling, and limited mobility in her left forearm ever since. With the help of our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, Moe will undergo surgery to reset her fractured bones and ensure proper healing. The procedure is scheduled for December 8th and will cost $1,500. Moe and her family need your help raising the money to fund her procedure and care. This surgery will not only alleviate her pain but also restore the functionality of her arm. Moe’s grandmother said, "Thank you for helping my granddaughter. Our family is facing financial limitations, and affording her treatment has been challenging. Without your help, I wouldn’t know how to manage to get her treated."

Sana is a six-year-old girl living with her parents and younger sister in Prey Veng province in Cambodia. Sana's father is a police officer while her mother stays at home to look after Sana and her sister. In December 2022, Sana fell and cut her left pinky finger on a piece of broken tile. She received stitches at a local clinic to close the wound, which has now healed completely. Unfortunately, a contracture has developed and Sana can't move her finger, making it difficult to grasp objects or use her hand as she did prior to injuring her finger. Our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre, is seeking assistance to fund the $487 contracture release surgery Sana needs. She is currently scheduled for surgery on May 11th at Kien Khleang National Rehabilitation Centre. After the surgery is complete, Sana should regain the full use of her hand. Sana's mother hopes that after surgery, Sana can use her hand again and go back to school quickly.

Alisa is two weeks old and the firstborn in her family. She lives with her parents- who are overjoyed to welcome her into the world- in Tanzania, where her father works at Asante Rabi Express, while her mother sells harvested crops at a local shop. Alisa's mother noticed that her left leg appeared different from her right leg. Concerned about this, she sought advice from the doctor at the hospital. The doctor diagnosed Alisa with clubfoot, a very treatable condition. Alisa’s treatment involves a series of casts that will be changed every few weeks. The casts are designed to gradually shift her foot into the correct position. After the casting, she is going to have tenotomy surgery on her left foot, a minor procedure that will release the Achilles tendon. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is seeking $935 to fund Alisa's clubfoot repair surgery, which is scheduled for April 21st at Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre. As a result of her treatment, Alisa will be able to wear shoes and walk without feeling any discomfort. Alisa’s mother said: “The warm welcome made us feel safe and gave us hope that our daughter will be okay.”

Anthony lives with his parents and two younger siblings in a mining city in central Bolivia. He is in the fourth grade and loves computer science. His parents co-own a small tailoring shop together. Anthony was born with a cardiac condition called Tetralogy of Fallot, which involves several related heart defects, including a hole between two chambers of the heart and a muscular blockage of one of the valves. These defects deprive his body of oxygen, leaving him weak and short of breath. During surgery, doctors will close the hole with a patch and remove the blockage from his valve. Heart surgery will allow Anthony to live a full, active life, and our medical partner International Cardiac Alliance is requesting $1500 to fund his life-saving procedure. Anthony can't wait to feel better soon and shared: "I am excited to be able to start running and keep up with my friends!"

Titus is a young man from Kenya. He and his sibling live with his grandmother in a semi-arid area and they depend on jobs whenever they can get work to earn a living. Titus shared that he knows nothing about his parents because they left him under his grandmother's care when he was little. He studied up to class 7 in primary school and then dropped out because of the state of his family. Titus recently fell from a mango tree while harvesting mangoes, and he injured his left thigh, leaving him in pain and unable to use or move his leg. Doctors determined that he needs a nail to fix his fracture and enable him to walk again as soon as possible. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner African Mission Healthcare (AMH) can help. On September 7th, Titus is scheduled to undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation. AMH is requesting $1,247 to fund the procedure, which will enable Titus to walk again and return to work. Titus says, “Life has become hard for me and my grandmother at home. I have been the provider through casual jobs, and now I am bedridden. I have nobody to look up to, and I also don’t have any assets that can be sold to help me pay for my surgery. My wages are very low, but I thank you for giving me the strength to work and be able to put food on the table. Please help me fix my broken bone so that I can continue working as I did before.”

Elibaraka is a 12-year-old student from Tanzania. He is the third child in his family of four kids. He attends a boarding school for most of the year, and when is home with his family, he helps care for his mother. Elibaraka experienced a serious fire accident in 2015 that caused him to receive burns across his body. He received treatment at that time to care for his wounds, but he is now experiencing burn scars that are making it challenging for him to use his hand. He visited our medical partner’s care center for treatment. On February 27th, Elibaraka will undergo burn contracture release surgery that will allow him to be able to use his hand pain-free. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is requesting $639 to fund Elibaraka’s procedure. Elibaraka shared: “I know it will be hard for my mother to afford the treatment, but I hope it will be possible for me to get treatment.”

Ni Win is a 27-year-old woman from Thailand who lives with her husband, mother, and brother in Tak Province. She works at a garment factory and during her free time, Ni Win enjoys playing with her cats and feeding her little rabbits. In May, Ni Win began experiencing severe pain and bloating in her right lower abdomen. Her left ovary was removed due to an ovarian cyst three years ago. She has been diagnosed with an endometrioma, a type of ovarian cyst in which cystic lesions are filled with cells derived from endometriosis. She has now been advised to undergo an oophorectomy, a procedure in which surgeons will remove her other ovary. Ni Win is scheduled to undergo her procedure on July 12th. Our medical partner Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF) is requesting $913 to cover the total cost of her procedure and care. Ni Win shared, "I am married, and of course, I want children. I feel sad when I learn that I cannot have children due to my disease. However, we as human beings have our own problems that we cannot always understand. We can’t just sit and feel sad, we have to think positively and be able to adapt to any situation.”

Kaung is a 2-year-old baby boy who lives in Burma with his grandmother, uncle, aunt, and five-month-old cousin. His grandmother is retired, his uncle is a motorbike taxi driver and his aunt is a homemaker. Kaung was born with a condition called Congenital Hydrocephalus. Congenital Hydrocephalus is caused by a brain malformation or birth condition that causes excessive cerebrospinal fluid to accumulate in brain cavities. Cerebrospinal fluid is a clear, colorless liquid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord, protecting them from injury. It carries nutrients to the brain and spinal cord and takes away waste. In a healthy person, the amount of this fluid produced by the brain is absorbed by the body. In hydrocephalus, the fluid fails to drain and accumulates, leading to pressure on the brain. Kaung's symptoms include intensifying nasal congestion and coughing with mucus. Additionally, his head is gradually increasing in size as the fluid continues to put pressure on his brain. The condition is most often treated by inserting a shunt. The shunt diverts excess cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from the brain to another part of the body where the fluid can be reabsorbed. Kaung's family visited a doctor when he was born to address the issue. At the time, the doctor advised the family to seek further treatment. However, Kaung was never brought to a hospital or clinic due to the financial difficulties of the family. Fortunately, Kaung was able to meet with our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF). With the help of BCMF and Watsi, Kaung received a CT scan at Mae Sot General Hospital. The doctor was able to diagnose his condition and scheduled Kaung to undergo surgery immediately. Kaung is scheduled for surgery on May 26th. Kaung's aunt said, "My nephew becomes cuter by the day, and he is always smiling. I tried to save money to treat him, but I could not. But now, we are so happy to have met you all at BCMF. We are happy to know that Kaung will have the opportunity to get treated because of your support.”

Meet Night, a jovial and playful five year old girl. Night lives with her parents and two younger siblings in a traditional home in Kenya. Her father works selling second hand clothing, while her mother stays home to take care of the children. Shortly after she was born, Night's parents realized that something seemed wrong. They brought Night to a health facility in Turkana County where they lived, and were referred on to BethanyKids Hospital. There she was diagnosed with hydrocephalus, which meant that fluid was collecting in her head. Surgery was performed, and a shunt was placed to continuously drain the fluid from Night's head. A year later, however, Night's head began to increase in size, and she developed weakness on the right side of her body. The doctors at the local health facility urged Night's parents to take her back to BethanyKids Hospital for additional treatment, but Night's parents didn't have enough money to do this. With the help of our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, Night is now scheduled to undergo a craniotomy on January 5th at BethanyKids Kijabe Hospital, when surgeons will drain excess fluids from Night's brain. Night's father is providing as much of a co-pay as possible for this procedure, but the family needs your help to raise the remaining $1,500 required to cover all of the costs of Night's surgery and care. Night’s father said: “Night is not able to communicate well because of her condition. This surgery will help her to be able to speak.”