Zaw is a 14-year-old student from Burma. He lives with his parents, grandmother, two aunts, brother, and cousin. Both his parents are middle school teachers. Zaw was diagnosed with a heart condition that involves a malformation of the mitral valve, the valve between the left atrium and left ventricle. This valve controls the flow of blood, but certain conditions may cause blood to flow backward or the valve to narrow. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund a mitral valve replacement for Zaw. The treatment is scheduled to take place on May 22 and, once completed, will hopefully allow him to live more comfortably. “Before he was able to study and memorize his homework well. But now he has difficulty studying and memorizing,” says his father.

Olive is a businesswoman from Kenya. She is married and a mother of four kids. Three months ago, Olive began to experience troubling symptoms, including swelling on her neck. She has been diagnosed with a multinodular goiter. She needs surgery to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is helping Olive receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on April 15 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 hope Watsi will support me so that I can get well and continue tending for my family,” said Olive.

Bedens is a baby from Haiti. He lives with his parents on an island off the west coast of Haiti. His father is a local radio presenter, and his mother cares for him at home. Bedens has a cardiac condition called coarctation of the aorta. A portion of his aorta has a muscular blockage, causing blood to back up into his heart and leading to heart failure. Bedens will fly to United States to receive treatment. On March 20, he will undergo cardiac surgery, during which surgeons will cut out the blockage in his aorta so that blood can flow more freely. Another organization, Akron Children's Hospital, is contributing $35,000 to pay for surgery. Bedens's family also needs help to fund the costs of surgery prep. 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 Bedens's family overseas. His father says, "My entire family is very grateful for this opportunity to save my son's life!"

Agga is a 47-year-old monk from Burma. He lives with other monks at a monastery in Kamma, Thayet Township in Magway Division. Agga was diagnosed with a heart condition that involves a malformation of the mitral valve, the valve between the left atrium and left ventricle. This valve controls the flow of blood, but certain conditions may cause blood to flow backward or the valve to narrow. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund a mitral valve replacement for Agga. The treatment is scheduled to take place on February 22 and, once completed, will hopefully allow him to live more comfortably. Agga said, “I am happy to receive assistance from your organization."

Rida is a girl from Cambodia. She has one brother and one sister. She likes to play with friends, watch TV, and go for walks with her family. She wants to be a banker when she grows up. Rida was born with scoliosis, which is progressing with age, making it difficult to sit in school for long periods, and causing a lot of discomfort. Surgery can help correct the position of her spine, and prevent further worsening of the condition. Spinal surgery is scheduled for January 21 and will cost $1,500. Her mother says, "I hope my daughter feels better after the operation and does not have any more difficulty sleeping."

Zayar is a 16-year-old student from Burma. He lives with his parents and two younger siblings in the town of Chanayethazan in Mandalay Division. His father works at the municipal government, while Zayar's mother works at Shining Star, an organization that helps children with disabilities around Mandalay. In his free time, Zayar enjoys reading, playing video games, and helping his mom cook. Zayar was diagnosed with a heart condition that involves a malformation of the mitral valve, the valve between the left atrium and left ventricle. This valve controls the flow of blood, but certain conditions may cause blood to flow backward or the valve to narrow. He feels tired when he walks and is unable to sleep at night. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund a mitral valve replacement for Zayar. The treatment is scheduled to take place on December 22 and, once completed, will hopefully allow him to live more comfortably.

Su is a 12-year-old student from Burma. She lives with her parents and six-year-old sister in San Ywar Gyi Village, Myanaung Township, Ayeyarwady Division. In her free time, Su likes to listen to music and dance. One year ago, Su began to experience itchiness, pain, and blurry vision. These symptoms have made it increasingly difficult for her to see clearly. Su 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, she could lose vision completely. Su is scheduled to undergo surgery to reattach her retina on November 22. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of her procedure and care. After his surgery, Su's vision will hopefully be restored, and she will resume her daily activities comfortably. Su says, "I want to become a teacher in the future."

Anny Sanic is a very enthusiastic and fun four-year-old girl from Guatemala. She lives with her mom and dad and loves to play with her dolls. She also loves to eat lots of bread and sing songs. Anny Sanic needs pterygium correction surgery. 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. Common symptoms of a pterygium include redness, blurred vision, and eye irritation. Depending on how large the growth is, it can cause vision loss. Anny Sanic needs a surgical procedure to remove the abnormal conjunctiva from the cornea surface and replace it with a conjunctival graft to prevent recurrence. She will receive further evaluation from an eye specialist, surgery to remove the pterygium, post-op follow-up treatment, as well as accompaniment and transportation throughout the treatment process. Pterygium surgery is safe, effective, and will positively impact Anny Sanic's life for years to come. The total cost of her procedure, scheduled for October 18, is $1,487.

Saw Wah is a three-year old boy from Burma. He lives in Htee Moo Hta Village in Myawaddy Township, Karen State, Burma with his parents, aunt, and great-grandmother. In January 2018, Saw Wah’s mother noticed a small bump in a sensitive area. It was small and did not cause him any pain at first. However, the bump grew over time. He was eventually diagnosed with a left inguinal hernia with hydrocele. Fortunately, on September 12, he will 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 Saw Wah's hernia repair surgery. The procedure is scheduled to take place on September 12 and, once completed, will hopefully allow him to live more comfortably. "When he grows up I want him to be a doctor or medic, but he wants to be a pilot,” said Saw Wah's mother.

Kevin is a young man from Kenya. He is the oldest in his family, and his parents are farmers. When Kevin joined high school, he had high hopes of completing his studies and maybe joining university or college. Unfortunately, to help his family, he was forced to drop out and look for a job. Now, he works as a motorcycle taxi driver. In June 2017, Kevin was hit by another motorcycle, fracturing his femur. He has had three surgeries to correct the fracture and requires the forth surgery: a bone transport. Right now, he is walking on crutches. Kevin says, “I wish that soon I will be able to walk without the crutches and be able to fend for myself." This fourth surgery is scheduled for August 6. While the first three surgeries were paid for by the National Health Insurance Fund, he needs help raising $1,500 to fund this one.

Barok is a toddler from Ethiopia. He loves to play and laugh with others. Barok has an older sister who just joined kindergarten. Barok was diagnosed with cryptorchidism, a condition in which one or both of the testicles remains undescended. If left untreated, Barok has an increased risk of developing hernias, testicular cancer, and fertility problems in the future. Barok will be receiving assistance from our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). Fortunately, he is scheduled to undergo corrective surgery on July 19. AMHF is requesting $1,021 to cover the total cost of his procedure and care. Barok’s father says, “We can’t afford the necessary treatment cost.”

San is a 55-year-old woman who was born and raised in Thae Phyu village in Yangon Division, Burma. She lives with her husband, son, two daughters, son-in-law, and two-year-old grandson. She and her family are all subsistence farmers on their own land, which has pigs, chickens, and produce. In her free time, San likes to watch TV. When she was 14 or 15 years old, San first noticed a small growth on her neck—the start of the goiter. It was the size of the tip of her pinky finger. Her parents suggested she go to the clinic to investigate it and get surgery, but because it did not cause her pain or any other problems, she did not do anything about it. Gradually, as she aged, and with each of her four pregnancies, the goiter grew in size. Over the years, many people told her she could get treatment. In the last year, the goiter has started to make eating and drinking uncomfortable. Fortunately, she visited our medical partner and is scheduled to undergo thyroid surgery on June 18. She needs help funding this $1,500 procedure. She hopes that the surgery will make her neck better and allow her to continue to do her farm work long into the future.