Kaung is a two-year-old boy who lives with his grandparents in Thailand, and enjoys playing with his toy cars. His grandfather brought him to our medical partner, Burma Border Projects (BBP), seeking treatment for a bilateral talipes equinovarus, more commonly known as bilateral clubfoot. In children with clubfoot, the foot is twisted out of position due to short tendons in the foot and ankle. Approximately half of children with clubfoot have the condition in both feet, as is the case with Kaung. “Kaung cannot walk because of his clubfeet,” BBP tells us. “When he tries to walk, he cries and screams, ‘Pain! Pain!’” Kaung’s parents, who work as gardeners at a rose plantation, live in the same village as Kaung, but they are unable to provide financial support for their son because of debts they must repay. For $1,500 in funding from Watsi and an additional $750 from Burma Children Medical Fund, Kaung will undergo surgery to release the tendons in his feet and ankles. Doctors will then move his feet into the proper position and place them in casts for up to two months. After the casts are removed, Kaung will wear braces for a year or more to maintain the proper position of his feet. “Kaung will be able to walk and run after successful surgery,” says BBP. Funding also pays for pre-surgical consultations and imaging, an eight-day hospital stay, lab work, and pain medicine for Kaung. "I hope that Kaung will get surgery, so he will be able to walk and play as he so much desires,” shares Kaung’s grandfather. “It is very important that he can walk. I want him to go to school, and if he can't walk, it would make his life so much harder for him.”

“I want to be treated and provide for my children until they finish college,” says 40-year-old Marivic, a mother of five from the Philippines who works as a domestic helper to support her family. “Marivic found out that there was an enlargement on her right anterior neck in 2001,” our medical partner, International Care Ministries (ICM), tells us. In 2010, screening tests confirmed that she had an enlarged thyroid, and, ICM reports, “she was advised to continue for another diagnostic procedure and seek medical treatment, but she could not afford another medical procedure.” The thyroid is a gland in the lower neck that produces hormones to regulate the body's metabolism. An enlarged thyroid (goiter) begins as a lump or swelling at the front of the neck and can become large enough to obstruct nearby structures and cause difficulty swallowing or breathing. More than 90 percent of goiters in the Philippines are due to a deficiency of iodine, an important element in the body's production of thyroid hormones. Treatment for Marivic is a thyroidectomy, a surgical procedure in which doctors remove the thyroid gland. $1500 covers the cost of the surgery, as well as transportation to and from the hospital, 10 days of hospital care, and medication. ICM says, “After the operation, Marivic can uphold her family of five children more efficiently.” Marivic shares, “I am hopeful that there will be people who could help me with my treatment.”

Six-year-old Dipak, who recently started school in Nepal, was playing with his friends when he broke one of the bones in his right elbow. Our medical partner, Possible, explains, “Dipak was playing with his buddies, climbing onto a friend's back. But suddenly, the friend lost his balance, and Dipak came tumbling down and fell onto the ground. His elbow bone was broken.” Dipak’s family immediately took him to a nearby hospital for treatment, but the hospital was not equipped to provide the care he needed. “The only option was to take him to a hospital several hours away,” shares Dipak’s father. “Besides the transportation, lodging, and food costs, it would have cost us a fortune for the operation itself. It would be a huge setback, as we can’t afford that kind of money right now.” For $579, Dipak will undergo surgery to set and cast his broken bone so that it will heal properly. Funding also pays for four nights in the hospital, X-rays, physiotherapy, medicine to relieve pain and prevent infection, and cast removal after his elbow has healed. “After the treatment, Dipak will be attend school again, something he has been looking forward to,” Possible tells us. Let’s help make that happen!

Sim is a 65-year-old grandmother from Cambodia, and a patient with our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC). Eight months ago, she developed a cataract in each eye. Cataracts occur when the lens inside the eye becomes cloudy, which causes decreased vision and functional blindness. In Sim's case, the cataracts have caused her blurred vision, tearing, irritation, and a fear of sunshine. “She can't see everything clearly, do work well, or go anywhere outside on her own,” explains CSC. In Cambodia, 90% of blindness could be avoided through proper treatment. As with many countries in the developing world, surgical services are inadequate and cataracts remain the leading cause of blindness globally. Even where surgical services are available barriers to surgery remain, such as cost, shortage of human resources, poor infrastructure, and limited awareness about access to available services. $225 will fund cataract surgery that will remove the cloudy lenses from both of Sim’s eyes and replace them with artificial lenses. Funding for her surgery includes post-operative care, and after the surgery, she will be able to see clearly again. Sim, who is married with one daughter, two sons, and two grandchildren, would like to get better so she can resume the activities she enjoys: visiting the pagoda to listen to the monks pray and joining in ceremonies, as well as visiting her relatives in other villages.

Kyaw is a 39-year-old farmer who lives with his wife and four children in Burma. He was referred to our medical partner, Burma Border Projects (BBP), after being diagnosed with a urinary tract infection and kidney stones. “Two years ago, Kyaw started to feel back pain and pain when he urinated,” explains BBP. “He also felt some numbness, and it was difficult to pass urine.” At that time, Kyaw borrowed money to pay for diagnostic tests, but he was unable to pay for the recommended procedures. Since then, Kyaw has been hospitalized twice and had the larger of two kidney stones removed. “Kyaw recovered well from this surgery,” BBP tells us. “He is now scheduled for removal of the kidney stone in his other kidney.” In addition to farming, Kyaw also works as an agricultural day laborer, raises and sells chickens, and grows rice and vegetables for his family. Despite his hard work, the family is not able to save money and will sometimes borrow money for unexpected expenses. For $1,500, Kyaw will undergo surgery to remove the kidney stone. An additional $3,099 from Burma Children Medical Fund will help to cover the costs of transportation to and from the hospital, pre-surgical consultations and tests, eight days of hospital care, and a follow-up visit after surgery. “Following surgery, Kyaw will not have recurring urinary tract infections, fever and back pain,” says BBP. “He will be able to work without pain and continue to support his family.”

"My grandchildren are lost without me; I look forward to being there for them and spending more time with them when I get better" says Choipa. Both a grandfather and farmer, Choipa is a 70-year-old male from Malawi. Choipa has a hydrocele, or buildup of fluid which has caused swollen testes. Our medical partner, World Altering Medicine, shares that, “Choipa produces just enough food for his family with nothing to sell to give him money to pay for his treatment.” If left untreated, Choipa will continue to have swelling and be unable to focus on taking care of his grandchildren. Choipa will be able to receive hydrocele surgery with $631. With this treatment, his testes will return to normal and he will be able to go back to farming and raising his grandchildren. Let’s help Choipa get healthy!

“I am really looking forward to being a normal boy again,” shares Saw Kyar. “I have been to the hospital many times and I want to be released from having to go to the hospital again and again.” Saw Kyar is a delightful five-year-old boy living with his aunt in Burma! Although he had a difficult upbringing and has faced many challenges, Saw Kyar is growing up well and becoming more active and playful, thanks to the help of family and friends. “Saw Kyar likes playing with his friends and is quite adventurous. He is always looking for different things to do,” says Saw Kyar’s aunt. Saw Kyar has severe burns, causing him serious physical deformities and impaired movement. “He has already received surgery to release a skin contracture on his face, neck, and arm [but] the top of his right foot has also sustained some quite serious burn contractures that make walking long distances difficult,” explain our medical partners at Burma Border Projects (BBP). “If he walks too much and the burn contractures on his foot stretch too far, they begin to split open, causing considerable pain.” “[After surgery] he will be able to walk and play with his friends,” continues BBP, “He will also feel more confident going out in public.” For $1,500, Saw Kyar can finally have the surgery necessary to release the skin contractures. When asked what he wanted to do after surgery Saw Kyar said, “I want to play in my village and go to school.” Let’s get this active boy back running around and playing freely without pain!

Say hello to Jovadany, a four-year-old boy from Haiti! According to our medical partner, Project Medishare (PM), “Jovadany is the first child of her mother who is 22-years-old. She is young and lives with her parents. The father of the baby is a motorcycle taxi driver and the mother is a secondhand clothes seller in the streets.” Jovadany deals with a cleft lip and palate; PM says, “according to what the mother of Jovadany says, the baby is not healthy. He cannot talk well and when he eats the food comes out through his nose, and the cleft palate causes some trouble breathing. He cannot breathe well and cannot go to school because of that.” For $960, Jovadany will receive cleft lip and cleft palate repair surgery. Afterwards, Jovadany will be able to drink, eat, and breathe normally. His mother tells us, “I am excited to see my son healed and be able to go to school.” Let’s help Jovadany have a healthy childhood!

“Amran’s parents are looking forward to her surgery and recovery so she is able to learn how to mobilize and reach her milestones,” says our medical partner, Edna Adan Hospital (EAH). Meet Amran, a one-year-old girl from Somalia who has club feet. EAH reports that Amran’s club foot "causes issues in mobility. At Amran’s age, she should be learning to stand and walk, however, this has been delayed due to her disfigurement.” Amran’s mother is a homemaker and her father is a shopkeeper. “Amran has been a patient at Edna Hospital in the past to treat her Spina Bifida and hydrocephalus when she was a baby. She made a good recovery and returned home where she sustained a fractured leg after her siblings were playing nearby and accidentally jumped onto her leg,” continues EAH. For $1185, we can treat Amran’s clubfeet and allow her to move unimpeded as she grows up!