Saw resides in a refugee camp along the Thai-Burma Border with his wife, two daughters, and son-in-law. His wife is a homemaker, and Saw stopped working as a day laborer due to his worsening health. He is proud of his family: One of his daughters is a student, the other is a pharmacist, and his son-in-law is a medic at the camp's hospital. He likes to forage for vegetables in his free time. Saw has been diagnosed with a right irreducible inguinal hernia and is scheduled to undergo hernia repair surgery in October. This surgery is essential to relieve his pain and discomfort and improve his overall quality of life. Saw said, “I want this discomfort and pain to disappear. I cannot do anything because of the pain. I hope that after surgery, I will be able to have a normal life again and will no longer be in any discomfort.”

Mon is a 40-year-old mother from Thailand. She lives with her husband and son in a small village. She is a seamstress while her husband is unemployed. Her son goes to nursery school. In her free time, she enjoys playing with her son and riding bikes with him. Since 2015, Mon has been experiencing pain in the right side of her abdomen. She has been diagnosed with uterine myoma. She has been advised to undergo a total abdominal hysterectomy, the surgical removal of her uterus and cervix. If left untreated, Mon's symptoms will continue to worsen and put her at risk for further health complications in the future. Fortunately, Mon is scheduled to undergo her hysterectomy on July 19th. Our medical partner Burma Children Medical Fund (BCM) is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of her procedure and care. Once recovered, she will no longer experience pain. She said, “I was depressed when I learned I have to undergo surgery, but my husband comforted me and encouraged me to continue seeking medical treatment so I will feel better.”

Susan is a soft-spoken woman from Kenya. She is a widow and a mother of six children who are now all adults. She currently resides in her ancestral home in Limuru, Kenya. For four months, Susan has been experiencing pain and abnormal bleeding. She has been diagnosed with endometrial hyperplasia, a precancerous condition that impacts her quality of life. She needs to undergo a hysterectomy, a procedure in which surgeons will remove her uterus. Susan's national health insurance coverage has not been active, and despite reactivation, she will have to wait for more than 60 days before using it. However, she is unable to continue living with her condition as is and urgently needs to undergo her procedure to rid her body of the risk of cancer. Her family cannot afford her treatment and is appealing for financial assistance. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1260 to fund Susan's surgery. On June 1st, she will undergo gynecological surgery at our medical partner's care center. Once recovered, Susan will be able to resume her daily activities free of pain. Susan says, “I am old and need to get treatment for this bleeding condition. It is very uncomfortable.”

Teodoro is a hardworking man from the Philippines. He has nine children, six of which have their own families, and the youngest three currently live with him and his wife. He works as a part-time construction worker to make ends meet. Over the years, he experienced pain but never sought a medical checkup due to financial constraints. Unfortunately, his condition seems to have worsened in January, as he could feel a lump in his right groin. Despite his worries about their finances, he went to the hospital. Teodoro was diagnosed with an indirect inguinal hernia. This hernia causes him pain and discomfort, limiting his physical movements. Fortunately, on April 28th, Teodoro will undergo hernia repair surgery at our medical partner's care center, Our Lady of Peace Hospital. A portion of the cost of Teodoro's treatment is being supported by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation. Our medical partner needs help raising the remaining $1,103 to cover the cost of his surgery and care. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully allow him to live more comfortably and confidently. Teodoro is very grateful for the medical support that he'll receive. He shared, "Thank you, Watsi and the World Surgical Foundation Philippines! This free surgery is a big help for me and my family. Through you, I'll get the treatment that I needed. Thank you for giving me a second chance to live."

Antonela, who is just two months old, lives in La Paz, Bolivia, with her parents and two older siblings. Antonela's parents both work as market vendors. Antonela was born with two heart defects: a hole between the two lower chambers of her heart, and a leak between two of the major vessels next to her heart. Fortunately, our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, can help Antonela access the care that she needs. As she is too small and fragile to repair both conditions at the same time, surgeons at Hospital del Niño Dr. Ovidio Aliaga Uría will first close the leak next to her heart on April 5th, allowing her to become stronger and more stable. Approximately one month later, Antonela will undergo a second heart surgery to close the hole inside her heart. She and her family need your support to raise the $1,500 for this critical procedure. Antonela's mother said: "Our family is all praying that after this surgery our daughter will be healthier and will start growing and gaining weight."

Samson is a widower and father of a 9-year-old child. He works as a laborer at a garage washing cars to support himself and his child. A few years ago, Samson started experiencing epigastric pain and discomfort, and could not keep down his food. He has sought treatment at other hospitals before, but to no avail. A few weeks ago, Samson's condition worsened and his brother helped him seek care with our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare. Doctors there conducted an endoscopy and found that the cause of Samson's symptoms was gastric obstruction due to pyloric stenosis, a narrowing of the opening from the stomach into the small intestine. If left untreated, Samson will continue to experience pain. His symptoms may also worsen, leading to dehydration, weight loss, and an overall decreased quality of life. Surgeons have recommended a laparotomy to treat Samson's condition. Fortunately, Samson is scheduled for surgery on March 13th with the help of African Mission Healthcare. Samson needs help raising $788 to fund the cost of his procedure. After surgery, not only will Samson's quality of life improve, but he will also be able to care for himself and his child. “I have been unable to care for myself and my child, becoming a burden to my family. The pain is also too much and I am afraid my wife went through the same and died. I plead for support so that I may be treated and get back to my normal life. I am also the only hope of my child,” said Samson.

Kenn is a 26-year-old food handler from Philippines. He lives with his partner and has an income of $200 a month which is just enough to provide for their daily needs. In addition to his needed treatment, Kenn is worried because he already holds debts from a previous hospitalization. In March 2022, Kenn began to experience troubling symptoms, including severe stomachache, back pain, and vomiting. He was brought to the nearest hospital to receive urgent care. After a series of tests, he was diagnosed to have a gallstone. Unfortunately, he cannot afford his surgery and had it delayed. Consequently, his symptoms worsened as he experienced chest pain and yellow skin discoloration. He went back to his surgeon to be checked and was diagnosed with Chronic Calculous Cholecystitis. Kenn must undergo a cholecystectomy, the surgical removal of the gallbladder to heal. If left untreated, his symptoms will continue to worsen and put him at risk for further health complications in the future. After seeking treatment through our medical partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines (WSFP), Kenn is scheduled to undergo a cholecystectomy on March 3rd. A portion of the cost of the procedure is being supported by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and WSFP is raising the requesting $1,128 to cover the cost of Kenn's surgery and care. Kenn shared, "The treatment cost is very expensive and we can't afford it. Thankfully, Watsi and World Surgical Foundation Philippines have good hearts and are willing to help me. I'm so grateful for their generosity. May the Lord continue to bless them."

Srey Sor is a 33-year-old wife and mother of two from Cambodia. She has a 16-year-old son in high school and a 5-year-old daughter in kindergarten. Her husband supports the family by working a local job in construction. In her free time, Srey Sor likes to garden, grow her own vegetables, and cook for her family. Three years ago, Srey Sor fell at home, injuring her tibia and de-stabilizing her knee. The injury has resulted in recurring dislocations in her knee. Due to the severity of the injury, Srey Sor has been unable to walk and needs to take pain medication regularly to ease her symptoms. When Srey Sor learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), she traveled for over two hours to seek treatment. On February 16th, surgeons at CSC will perform a knee fusion procedure to secure the joint and restore a pain-free range of motion in her leg. CSC is requesting $600 to fund this procedure. Srey Sor said, "I hope after this surgery I can walk and take care of my children and that the pain will stop."

Marion is a 6-year-old student from the highlands of Elgeyo Marakwet county in Kenya. She is the second born in a family of three girls and currently attending preschool near her family home. Her parents are small-scale potato farmers. One day Marion's mother went to the river to fetch water. While she was gone, her children were sitting near an open fireplace at home making breakfast. Unfortunately, Marion's dress caught fire on the open flame, and as a result, she sustained severe burns on her back, abdomen and thighs. It has been difficult for her to walk, and the wounds are causing extreme discomfort. She especially needs a third surgery to treat the severity of her burns contractures. Despite Marion's parents having medical insurance, due to previous surgeries that she has had to treat the injuries, the insurance (a monthly subscription) has run its course and is no longer an option. Her parents do not have the funds to pay for Marion's surgery and need support. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is helping Marion receive treatment. On January 25th, surgeons at their care center will perform a burn contracture release surgery that will allow her to walk with greater ease and resume her normal life at home and school. Now, she and her family are requesting $1,478 to help fund this procedure. Marion's mother says, “I am really looking forward to seeing my daughter live and walk in a normal way. I worked hard to pay for insurance coverage, but unfortunately, it cannot fund the upcoming procedure. I am disappointed, but I will not lose hope. Kindly help her.”

Meet Samnang, a 16-year-old from Cambodia. His name means "lucky" in Khmer. Samnang lives at home with his family and has three younger sisters. He recently started a job in construction with his dad. In November, Samnang fell while working and fractured his femur. His parents brought him to a local hospital, where the doctors stabilized the fracture. However, the hardware that was put in place to stabilize his femur has become infected. For the last three days, Samnang has had a fever and experiences pain. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), can help. On January 5th, Samnang will undergo a hardware removal procedure to reduce his pain and help him walk again. CSC is requesting $304 to fund this surgery. Samnang's family gathered $100 to contribute to his care. Samnang shared: "I hope I can feel better after this surgery."