Ketilina is 53 years old and a mother of eight from Malawi. She and her husband farm to support their family. Twenty-eight years ago, Ketilina began to experience troubling symptoms, including a small swelling on her neck. At first, she thought it would go away. But the swelling got bigger over time. In 2024, she started the swelling became worse. It started to cause pain and prevented her from performing daily tasks. She was always short of breath and unable to work on the farm. Ketilina visited our medical partner's care center, Partners in Hope Medical Center, to seek treatment. She was diagnosed with goiter which affects the thyroid. The thyroid is the gland located in front of your neck and produces thyroid hormones. These hormones are responsible for functions such as metabolism, growth, and other bodily functions. She needs surgery to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Ketilina receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on March 13th where surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. This procedure will cost $1,015, and she and her family need help raising money. Ketilina says, "I can't wait to see myself well again to get rid of all the physical pains and psychological ones. I have seen many getting better and I also have hope to be well after surgery."

Hay, a 26-year-old man from Burma, lives with his wife, his cousin, her husband, and their two children. Currently unemployed, he and his family are receiving assistance from his sister-in-law and also borrow money from their neighbor. In his free time Hay likes to listen to music. Hay has been experiencing pain in the left side of his lower back when he engages in physical work at home. He has been diagnosed with kidney stones, and doctors at our medical partner's care center, Maharaj Nakron Chiang Mai Hospital, advised him to undergo a procedure to remove them. Previously, he was the sole income earner in their household, but he lost his job due to the condition. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund a percutaneous nephrolithotomy procedure. The treatment is scheduled to take place on February 17th and, once completed, it will alleviate his pain, allowing him to go back to work. Hay said, “I am very stressed right now. I feel like I am a burden to my cousin, and we do not even have money to come back home to see my son. I really hope that after the treatment, I can find some work around here to make money to go home.”

Soe is a 38-year-old woman from Burma who lives in Thailand with her husband, daughter, and son. Her children are in first and fourth grade. She is a homemaker, and her husband works as a construction day laborer. However, they shared that their income is insufficient to cover their household expenses, and they must borrow money from an acquaintance in order to afford their basic needs. In her free time, Soe enjoys planting vegetables. Since 2012, Soe began to experience troubling symptoms, including experiencing tightness in her neck, blurred vision, difficulty breathing, and swelling in her neck. She was diagnosed with a nontoxic thyroid nodule. The thyroid is the gland located in the front of the neck that produces thyroid hormones. These hormones are responsible for metabolism, growth, and other essential bodily functions. The doctors advised that Soe needs surgery to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. Fortunately, our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is helping Soe receive treatment. On January 14th, she will undergo a thyroidectomy, in which surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. This procedure will cost $1,500, and she and her family need help raising money. Soe expressed her gratitude, saying, “Thank you so much to this organization (BCMF) and the donors for helping with my treatment. I will try to find a job to cover my family’s household expenses after my surgery and once I get better.”

Aye is a 41-year-old woman from Burma who has two sons and a daughter. She used to run a dry goods shop but had to close it three months ago due to her deteriorating health condition. Her eldest son works at a motorcycle tire shop. Her two other children are students. Aye enjoys watching the news and reading religious books during her free time. Aye began to experience neck and lower back pain in March 2023. At that time, she managed the pain with painkillers, which provided temporary relief. By June 2024, her neck pain had worsened and was accompanied by numbness and tingling sensations. In August 2024, Aye's neck pain worsened, and she went to the hospital in Thailand, where a medic later referred her to our medical partner's hospital. She received an MRI and was diagnosed with cervical spondylotic myelopathy and radiculopathy. She needs to undergo surgery to remove a part or all of the disk that is putting pressure on the nerve and have an internal fixator inserted. Currently, Aye continues to experience severe neck pain, numbness, and tingling sensation. She sometimes has insomnia due to the pain. Fortunately, our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF), can help. On December 12th, Aye will undergo a fracture repair procedure, which will cost $1,500. This procedure will help Aye be free from pain and give her the ability to go back to work and support her children again. Aye said, "Thank you [BCMF and donors] for your help. I am so glad to receive your support."

Gabriel is a teenage boy from Kenya. He is the second child in a family of four and in the 8th grade. Gabriel dreams of becoming a doctor someday to help patients in need. His mother does day jobs she can find like picking tea and farming. Gabriel was born with bilateral clubfoot, where both feet are twisted out of shape. This causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. When he was just five days old, his mother took him to a hospital where he began treatment with serial casting. While his condition improved, it was not fully corrected. Gabriel was brought back for treatment, including casting his feet and wearing special shoes. Around this time, Gabriel started having other serious medical conditions, prompting the medical team to pause treatment for his clubfoot. Now, Gabriel is at our medical partner's care center, AIC Cure International Hospital, where he’s undergoing serial casting to prepare his feet for surgery. This treatment is helping to soften his tissues and align his bones, getting him ready for the upcoming operation. On November 12th, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery, and our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,286 to fund Gabriel's clubfoot repair. After treatment, he will be able to walk comfortably, play football with his friends, and feel more confident. Gabriel shared, "I am looking forward to a quick recovery so I can get be with my friends and play football."

Thae is a 35-year-old woman from Thailand, who shares a home in Tak Province with her friend's family. Originally from Bago Division in Burma, Thae moved to Thailand ten months ago due to the challenging political situation in her home country. She and her friend support each other by sharing meals and covering living expenses. Thae used to work as a day laborer in a shop, but she lost her job in August. While she searches for new opportunities, her friend has graciously provided her with food. During her free time, Thae helps care for her friend’s baby and pitches in with household chores. Unfortunately, Thae has been struggling with discomfort when lying on her back since mid-2022. Each morning, she wakes up with lower back pain and abdominal discomfort. At times, she feels aches throughout her entire body and deals with constipation. Recently, she learned that she has a pelvic mass and has been advised to undergo a total abdominal hysterectomy, a procedure that would remove her uterus and cervix. Without this surgery, Thae's health issues will continue to worsen, putting her at risk for more serious complications down the line. Fortunately, Thae is scheduled to undergo her hysterectomy on October 16th, to relieve her of the painful symptoms so she can be able to work again. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of her procedure and care. Thae says, “I feel sad because I don’t have anyone to care for me right now. My friend has recently given birth and needs to focus on her baby. I’m worried about whether my condition can be treated, as it has been affecting me for two years already. I wish to thank the BCMF team and all the generous donors for supporting me and helping with my treatment.”

Yee is a 59-year-old mother of two from Thailand. She lives with her family and is retired due to her health condition. Her husband works as a day laborer, and her two sons work at a restaurant. In her free time, Yee enjoys meditation and listening to religious sermons. In October 2023, Yee began experiencing pain, difficulty urinating, and producing only small amounts of urine. Additionally, she feels swelling and pain in her back, which has forced her to stop working. She has been diagnosed with kidney stones, which are hard deposits of minerals that form in the kidneys and are often very painful to pass. She has been advised to undergo surgery to remove her kidney stones. If left untreated, Yee's symptoms will continue to worsen and will put her at risk for further health complications in the future. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF), requests $1,500 to fund Yee's kidney stone removal surgery. The procedure is scheduled to take place on September 17th. Yee said, "I wish I could have the kidney stone surgery, but I don't have the money to cover the cost. But now, I have found that Watsi and BCMF can help me. I am very grateful and will pray for Watsi donors to remain healthy and help more patients."

Margaret is a 59-year-old woman from Nairobi, Kenya. Margaret has two adult sons. Both were married but separated from their wives, leaving their children with Margaret. Margaret works as a domestic worker and sells boiled maize at the market to provide for her family. In 2013, Margaret developed a boil on the roof of her mouth. Despite seeking help at several hospitals, Margaret couldn’t afford the costs of scans and diagnosis. The boil continued to grow, affecting her teeth and speech, and causing her discomfort and pain. For the past eleven years, Margaret has endured this pain without treatment as she could not afford to seek help. In March 2024, our medical partner's care center, AIC Kijabe Hospital, conducted an outreach in the area where Margaret lives. During the free check-up, Margaret was advised to visit the main hospital for further diagnosis. However, she couldn’t afford the transportation costs and took four months to make the trip for a follow-up. In July 2024, doctors diagnosed Margaret with a hard palate mass that had extended from her palate up to her nose. Margaret needs a mass excision surgery to remove the growth before it causes further complications. On August 14th, Margaret will undergo surgery and our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,500 to fund the procedure. Margaret says, “I am stressed out, I keep on thinking this growth will affect me further and I will not be able to speak.”

Lina is a stay-at-home mother from the Philippines. She lives with her husband who works as a security guard, her only child who is in college, and her brother who works at a nearby salon. Her husband earns minimum wage which is barely enough for the their bills and expenses especially since their son is in college. Most of their monthly budget goes to basic needs and their son's school expenses. Four years ago, Lina began to experience troubling symptoms, including abdominal pain which affected her back. Due to the pandemic four years ago, she could only visit a private clinic to consult. She was diagnosed with gallstones and was given painkillers to manage the pain. Four years later, she is still suffering from pain attacks. Lina has been advised to undergo a cholecystectomy, which is the surgical removal of the gallbladder. If left untreated, her 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), Lina is scheduled to undergo surgery on July 13th. A portion of the cost of the procedure is being supported by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and WSFP is raising the remaining $1,128 to cover the cost of Lina's surgery and care. Lina said, "Thank you to everyone who will help me for my treatment and operation. For the past years, I wanted to work and help my husband financially but cannot do so because of my condition. This surgery will allow me to be economically productive so your help will go a long way not just for my but also for my family. Thank you very much."

Rose is a 35-year-old woman from Haiti. She lives with her mother in a neighborhood of Port-au-Prince. Before becoming too sick, she worked at a clothing manufacturer. Rose has a cardiac condition called rheumatic mitral regurgitation, where one of the four valves of her heart was severely damaged by a rheumatic fever she suffered earlier in life. As a result, her heart cannot adequately pump blood through her body and is beginning to fail. Rose will fly to the United States to receive treatment. On June 20th, she will undergo cardiac surgery, during which surgeons will remove Rose's damaged valve and implant an artificial replacement. Another organization, Baylor Scott and White Heart Hospital, is contributing $20,000 to pay for surgery. Rose's family also needs help to fund the costs of surgery prep. Our medical partner, International Cardiac Alliance, is requesting $1,500 to cover labs, medicines, checkups, and follow-up appointments. It also supports obtaining travel documents for the social workers who will accompany Rose's family overseas. Rose shares, "I am excited to get this surgery done so that I can focus on my future instead of on my heart problem."

Aymy is a loving housewife and mother of two children. A year ago, Aymy began to experience severe pain and frequent acid reflux. During these bouts of pain, her husband misses work to stay home and care for their children. Aymy was found to have gallstones and was advised to undergo a cholecystectomy, the surgical removal of the gallbladder. If left untreated, her symptoms will continue to worsen and put her at risk for further health complications. Aymy is scheduled to undergo the procedure on March 5th with our medical partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines (WSFP). The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation is supporting a portion of the cost of the procedure and WSFP is raising the remaining $1128 to cover the cost of Aymy's surgery and care. Aymy says, "I am grateful to everyone who will donate for my surgery. We cannot afford the treatment, especially when the necessities are costly. Thank you for making this possible for me and my family."

Saw Ta is a 36-year-old farmer who lives with his wife and eight children in a village in Karen State, Burma. Saw Ta plants chili and cardamom and volunteers as a community development worker in his area. The family also raises chickens, goats, and pigs. Saw Ta has a heart condition that requires the replacement of the aortic and mitral heart valves and the repair of the tricuspid valve. These valves control the blood flow between the chambers of the heart and are necessary to prevent long-term damage to the heart and lungs. Saw Ta gets tired easily and experiences heart palpitations when he is working, requiring him to take frequent periods of rest. As he cannot work long hours on the farm, he stays home to take care of his children while his wife goes out to work. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 for the complex surgery that Saw Ta's condition requires. The procedure is scheduled to take place at Kasemrad Prachachuen Hospital on April 10th, and once completed, will hopefully allow Saw Ta to live a fuller and healthier life. Saw Ta said: "After treatment, I will go back to help my wife on the farm, and also continue to volunteer in my community. Now, because of my heart condition, my wife has to do all the work at home and I feel sorry for her."