Keang is a 37-year-old factory worker from Cambodia. She is married with a daughter and her husband works as a construction worker. She enjoys doing her housework, cooking, and taking care of her daughter. Ten years ago, she went to the river to look for snails for food. When she was dunking in deep water her right ear filled with water. Since that day she has had ear discharge and pain. Keang also had a serious ear infection. This infection caused the tympanic membrane, or the ear drum, in her right ear to perforate. For this reason, Keang experiences ear discharge, tinnitus, and hearing loss. She cannot communicate clearly with others or fully perform her job at the factory. Keang traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On April 23rd, she will undergo a myringoplasty procedure in her right ear. During this procedure, surgeons will close the perforation. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $464 to fund this procedure. This covers medications, supplies, and inpatient care. "I hope that my sister will able to hear clearly with no infection so she can feel better and do her job well," Keang's sister said.

Sokleng is a 30-year-old seller of Khmer food from Cambodia. She lives with her parents and four brothers. Sokleng likes listening to music and spending time with her friends. When Sokleng was six years old, she noticed that she had water in her ears when taking a bath. That water has remained in her ears and developed into a bilateral ear infection. This infection caused the tympanic membrane, or the ear drum, in both ears to perforate. For this reason, Sokleng experiences pain, hearing loss, ear drainage, and ringing in her ears. She cannot communicate clearly with others because of her hearing loss and can not sell food for her daily income. Sokleng traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On April 29th, she will undergo a myringoplasty procedure for both ears. During this procedure, surgeons will close the perforations. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $913 to fund this procedure. This covers medications, supplies, and inpatient care. "I hope that the surgery will be done well, the ear discharge will go way, and no longer annoy me any more. Also, I hope that I can hear better so I can continue my work selling Khmer food to help my parents," Sokleng said.

Meet Pauline, 12-year-old, calm girl. She is the 4th born in a family of five children. Pauline is a student in class 7 at Kathunguri School. Our medical partner met Pauline at a clinic in Embu and she was accompanied by her mother. Pauline's family hails from Kathunguri village in Embu county. Her mother is a housewife while her father is a farmer. Pauline was born normal and she could walk well like other children however during the month of December 2019, her mother noticed a sudden and unusual walking. She took her to a hospital where she was referred to our mobile clinic in Embu. The condition on her left foot has deteriorated and is suddenly lowering her self-esteem. “Sometimes my classmates imitate and laugh at me when I walk and I feel bad,” Pauline told us. She is scheduled to undergo a surgery which will be of great impact on her life and her growth as she will be able to walk confidently. She will also proceed with her education and her self-esteem will improve. Her family is unable to raise the estimated cost of surgery and thus requested for support from well-wishers. “I request for support for my daughter to undergo surgery. My joy would be to see her walking without any hardship and progressing on well with life.” --Judith, Pauline’s mother noted.

Kabubirigi is an older widow from Uganda, with her husband passing away twenty years ago. She has four children and all are now married. They all are small-scale farmers as they never studied because there was no money to aid their education. Kabubirigi also does some farming although she said she is too old to do well in her gardens. Kabubirigi reported to our Medical Partner's Care Center with multiple painful and progressive swellings in her right axilla for over two years. She is unable to raise her arm up and doesn't move it because of pain and disfigurement that is around the affected area. Kabubirigi traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On May 19th, surgeons will remove the mass. Now, Kabubirigi needs help to raise $206 to fund this procedure. Kabubirigi said: “I am so glad as I have heard that Watsi donors may support my surgery because I never had any money and I really hope to get better after surgery."

Seng Hour is a 21-year-old rice farmer from Cambodia. She enjoys watching television, cooking for her family, and taking care of her daughter. In 2017, Seng Hour stepped near an open flame and burned her right foot and ankle. The burn has caused the skin around her ankle to tighten. She is unable to walk without support, and has difficulty fitting her shoe on her foot and bending her ankle. When Seng Hour learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for six hours seeking treatment. Surgeons at CSC will perform a burn contracture release surgery to walk and move her foot and ankle easily again. Now, she needs help to fund this $448 procedure. Seng Hour said, "I hope that I will no longer have any pain in my foot and I can walk without any difficulty again."

Bravel Paul is an 8-year-old student from Kenya. He likes playing football and watching cartoons. His family hails from Kajiado County. He is a class 1 pupil and likes reading books and other hobbies. His father is a caretaker for some houses, while his mother is a housewife. The family lives in a one-roomed rental house in Kitengela. Bravel has clubfoot of his right foot. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. This causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Fortunately, Bravel traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, AIC Cure International Hospital. There, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on February 24th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,224 to fund Bravel's clubfoot repair. After treatment, he will be able to walk easily and wear shoes. "I would like to see my son walking comfortably and therefore any assistance accorded to us will be highly appreciated," Bravel’s father told us.

Bakihawekyi is a farmer from Uganda. She is married and a mother to nine children, including five boys. Her daughters are married and are all small scale farmers. She practices small scale farming alongside her husband. Thirty years ago, Bakihawekyi began to experience troubling symptoms, including difficulty breathing, persistent headaches and blurry vision. She was diagnosed with a goiter, an abnormal enlargement of the thyroid gland. She needs surgery to prevent her symptoms from getting worse and can’t afford the costs of her surgery. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is helping Bakihawekyi receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on January 27th at our medical partner's care center. Surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. This procedure will cost $240, and she and her family need help raising money. Bakihawekyi says, “I hope my surgery will be successful."

Margaret is a trained tailor from Kenya. She is a shy single 30-year-old from Gakoe Kiambu. Margaret completed her tailoring course recently and is yet to get into employment. She lives with her mother who is a peasant farmer.  For about 10 years Margaret has struggled with headache, palpitations, sometimes sweating and later swelling of the neck. These problems have made it difficult for Margaret to socialize with family and friends. She had been visiting different health centres with no change until she came to Nazareth and a diagnosis of multinodular goitre was made through ultrasound. She has been under hormones control and now is ready for a thyroidectomy. Due to her low socioeconomic status, the family is not in a position to meet the cost and requests support. If not treated Margaret will continue experiencing social misfit and the thyroid gland will continue to grow. She is also likely to suffer from complications like thyrotoxicosis. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is helping Margaret receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on January 23rd at our medical partner's care center. Surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. This procedure will cost $625, and she and her family need help raising money. “I have stayed for many years with this problem yet I have no means for treatment. I plead for help so that I can be well again to live my normal life,” said Margaret.

Kylian is a baby from Haiti. He lives with his mother and father in a neighborhood of Port-au-Prince; his mother is a nurse and his father manages a small store. Kylian has a cardiac condition called Tetralogy of Fallot. This condition involves several related defects including a hole between the two lower chambers of the heart, and a muscular blockage of one of the valves. Kylian will fly to the United States to receive treatment. On March 11th, he will undergo cardiac surgery, during which surgeons will use a patch to close the hole in his heart, and will remove the blockage from his valve. Another organization, Akron Children's Hospital, is contributing $20,000 to help pay for surgery. Kylian's family also needs help to fund the costs of surgery prep and transport. The $1,500 bill covers labs, medicines, and checkup and followup appointments. It also supports passport obtainment and the social workers from our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, who will accompany Kylian's family overseas. Kylian's mother shared: "I am so happy that my son has the chance to be healthy and safe."

Myint is a nursery school teacher from Burma. She lives with her husband, son, and daughter in Burma. Her husband is a homemaker while her children go to school. Myint also cooks Burmese Moh Hin Kar, a type of fish soup, during the weekend, to earn extra money. Since June 2018, Myint has been experiencing abnormal bleeding on a weekly basis and she can feel a mass in her lower abdomen. She used to experience very bad cramps, but since she received oral medication from Mae Sot Hospital she no longer has cramps. She has been diagnosed with a uterine mass. She has been advised to undergo a total abdominal hysterectomy, the surgical removal of her uterus and cervix. If left untreated, Myint's symptoms will continue to worsen and put her at risk for further health complications in the future. Fortunately, Myint is scheduled to undergo her hysterectomy on January 31st. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of her procedure and care. Once recovered, she will no longer experience abnormal bleeding and discomfort. "Once I recover fully, I would like to continue to work as a nursery school teacher and earn money from making and selling Moh Hin Kar," said Myint.

Chantha is a 42-year-old market seller from Cambodia. He has two children, and enjoys watching television and reading about the news. Four years ago, Chantha developed a pterygium in his right eye, causing him irritation, blurry vision, and tearing. Pterygiums are non-cancerous growths of the conjunctiva, a mucous layer that lubricates the eye. The growths occur when the conjunctiva is exposed to excessive sun damage and the cells grow abnormally over the pupil. He has difficulty seeing things clearly, recognizing faces, working, and going anywhere outside. When Chantha learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, he traveled for one hour seeking treatment. Chantha needs a surgical procedure to remove the abnormal conjunctiva from the cornea surface and replace it with a conjunctival graft to prevent recurrence. The total cost of his procedure is $201. This covers medications, supplies, and inpatient care for two days. The procedure is scheduled for October 08. Chantha said, "I hope my eyes will be able to see clearly after surgery and I can return to my work at the market."

Myat is a two-month-old boy who lives with his family in Hpa-An Town, Karen State, Burma. His father passed away when his mother was two months pregnant with him. Myat’s mother is a homemaker and she takes care of him at home. All of his sister and brothers are students. Myat’s grandfather drives a tricycle taxi. On 6 June 2019, Myat was born without any complications at HGH. Since he was born, his mother noticed that he has been passing white coloured stools, but she did not do anything about it because she thought it was normal. When he was just over a month old, his mother noticed that Myat’s navel was bigger than normal. His mother then took him to HGH. The doctor examined his navel and told his mother not to worry too much and he also told her come back if it becomes bigger. A few days later, Myat’s mother noticed that his navel has become bigger and his mother took him to the hospital again. The doctor again took a look at Myat’s navel and advised his mother to take him to a hospital in Yangon for treatment. However, Myat’s mother did not have money to go to Yangon. On 6 September 2019 Myat received an X-ray at Mae Sot Hospital (MSH) and was given a diagnosis of a bulging navel and biliary atresia, a childhood disease of the liver in which one or more bile ducts are abnormally narrow, blocked, or absent. Currently, Myat still passes white coloured stools. He also has a bulging navel which never goes away. His mother is very much worried for him, especially that she just learned about his liver disease. Myat’s mother said, “I would like him to be like other children. I feel bad for him but at the same time happy that an organization Burma Children Medical Fund will help him for his treatment.”