"Stael loves his pacifier, and won't let anyone take it out of his mouth for pictures!" shares our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance (HCA). Stael is not quite one-year-old and lives in central Haiti. He was born with a condition called ventricular septal defect - a hole between the two chambers of his heart. "Stael has suffered from shortness of breath, palpitations, and poor feeding ever since he was born," says HCA. "If left untreated, Stael's condition can lead to heart failure and become fatal." Stael has loving parents and two older brothers. Since Stael was born, his mother has stopped working in order to care for him, leaving the family with financial difficulties. Stael's mom tells us, “I am a little bit scared that my baby is having surgery, but I trust that God knows what’s best and that everything will go well!" Stael has received $5,000 toward the cost of heart surgery from a program called Open Hearts Haiti. All that's missing is the cost of getting him to surgery. For $1,500, we'll be able to pay for his overseas transport and prep, allowing him to receive surgery to close the hole in his heart.

Meet James, a three-year-old boy from Haiti! “He is a friendly and intelligent boy, who is looking forward to starting preschool and learning to read,” our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, tells us. He lives in southern Haiti with his parents and one-year-old brother. “James has a condition called patent ductus arteriosus, in which a hole between two parts of the heart that normally closes by itself after a baby is born, instead remains open,” HCA explains. “As a result, blood can flow through this hole without passing through the lungs to obtain oxygen, leaving the child sickly and breathless. Without treatment, the condition can be fatal.” James has been selected to receive a $5000 surgery to correct his heart defect through Open Hearts Haiti. His family is counting on Watsi donors to raise another $1500 to fund his overseas travel and surgery prep. “It was very hard for me to leave my other baby at home to come with James, but I’m so excited that he will get the help he needs!” James’ mom says.

Caroline lives in Kenya. She has a positive attitude and is determined to overcome the challenges that have been thrown her way. After having polio when she was three, Caroline has a foot deformity. The deformity restricts the mobility of her foot, making it impossible for her to walk normally. Caroline's condition impacts her ability to keep up in school and make progress toward the bright future she aspires to. For $1,000, Caroline can undergo surgery to correct her foot deformity. Her doctors say that with surgery and physical therapy, Caroline will be able to walk, enabling her to succeed in school and live a healthy life.

Maria is a young Mayan woman who was born without a left hand and wrist. She tries not to let this prevent her from living a normal life, but it's hard for her to accomplish basic tasks without pain. Maria speaks Q'anjob'al Maya, an indigenous language, but does not speak any Spanish. Because of language, distance, and financial barriers, she has never considered seeking medical help for her problem. For just $650, Maria can be fitted with a prosthetic arm. She is excited about the possibility of going about her daily life without pain. She also jokes that having a prosthetic arm will allow her to slap her husband if he "gets out of line!"