53-year-old Aye lives with her husband, son and two daughters in a refugee camp in Thailand. Her husband is a teacher, and Aye is a homemaker. All of the children go to school. In her free time, Aye loves to plant different types of flowers around her home. One day in the middle of 2018, Aye's friend told her that her neck looked a bit swollen. Aye did not seek medical attention, as she wasn't experiencing any symptoms. Gradually, however, she began developing mood swings, anxiety, and fatigue. Although she was put on medications by the doctor, her symptoms worsened, and she was referred to Mae Sot General Hospital. At the hospital, she was diagnosed with a left thyroid mass and for the next three years, she returned to the hospital for multiple follow-up appointments. During her appointment on September 28th, the doctor told her that she will need surgery to remove her thyroid and cure her worsening condition. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is seeking $1,500 to fund Aye's thyroidectomy, which is scheduled for October 11th, at Mae Sot General Hospital. Aye is looking forward to her surgery, as she feels as if the mass is increasing in size, and is causing her to have fatigue and chest pain. Aye said: “Because of my condition, I feel sad and angry without reason. Afterwards, I feel bad for my family. I believe that after my surgery, I will have normal emotions again, and I will be able to help my family more.”

Faith, who is 29 years old, lives in Kenya with her young son. Both of her parents died when she was young, and she was raised by her grandmother. She was unable to pursue her education due to financial constraints, so today she washes clothes for a living. As her husband passed away two years ago in a traffic accident, she works hard to support herself and her son. Faith has lived with severe hearing loss throughout her whole life. Sadly, her grandmother couldn't afford to get Faith the help that she needed. But when Faith brought her son in to get care to address his hearing loss, the doctors determined that Faith needed help, as well. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is seeking $1,171 so that Faith can get hearing aids to treat the condition she has lived with for so long. She will be receiving care from AIC Kijabe Hospital. Faith says: “I have struggled with hearing loss since birth. I never had a chance to get treatment due to financial constraints. I hope to be able to hear well.“

Samwel is a five-month-old baby from Gilalumpa, Tanzania. He is the youngest child in his family, born into a polygamous family of two wives and eleven children. The family relies on livestock-keeping as their primary livelihood but lack the means to generate sufficient income to cover expenses. They reside in a communal boma or community enclosure consisting of seven small mud huts, each hut divided into two rooms, which accommodate their entire family. Samwel’s mother, Namag, gave birth to him at home, and while the delivery went smoothly, Samwel developed some health issues a few days later. Observing an abnormality in Samwel’s left foot, the family initially took no action as they had no understanding of the condition. When a concerned neighbor noticed his foot, the family sought medical treatment. However, due to their financial situation, the family was unable to afford the necessary care. Fortunately, doctors offering mobile clinic services set up camp near the family's home. Samwel’s parents managed to attend the clinic, where the doctors recommended assistance from Fly Medical Services (FMS) for transportation to Arusha where treatment would be available. Samwel has congenital clubfoot of left foot. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape or position as the tissues connecting the muscles to the bone (tendons) are shorter than usual. Clubfoot causes difficulty walking and wearing shoes. Samwel's family was able to travel to visit our medical partner's care center, The Plaster House NGO. There, the team will begin clubfoot treatment on September 22nd. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $935 to fund Samwel's clubfoot repair. After treatment, Samwel’s quality of life will significantly improve as he grows. The treatment will enable him to walk comfortably, wear shoes, and alleviate any concerns his parents may have about his condition and his future. Samwel’s mother says: “I would like my son to be well. I want him to enjoy long walks with his brother when he grows up.”

Lay is a 29-year-old mother from Thailand. She lives with her husband, son, uncle, aunt and two cousins in a refugee camp. Originally from Karen State, Burma, they fled to the refugee camp in March 2023 due to airstrikes in their village. Lay is a homemaker; her husband, uncle and aunt are unemployed, while her son is in preschool. One of her cousins is a teacher, while the other one is a student. During her free time, Lay enjoys weaving Karen shirts and bags for her family, as well as occasionally to sell. She also enjoys raising chickens and pigs and foraging vegetables in the forest. Lay is currently expecting her second child. Her doctors recommend that she deliver via a caesarean section (C-section) because she gave birth previously through a C-section. This way, doctors can ensure the safety of both mother and child. Our medical partner Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF) is helping Lay undergo a C-section scheduled on August 11th. This procedure will cost $1,500, and Lay and BCMF are asking for your support to fund the surgery. Lay shared, "I want to stay in the refugee camp. If I have the opportunity to do so, I would love to be resettled in another country.”

Khin is 28-year-old man from Burma. He lives with his wife, two children, parents in-law, a brother-in-law, and a sister-in-law in a village in Karen State. Khin, his parents, and his sister-in-law are subsistence farmers, while his daughter and brother-in-law are students. His son is too young to enroll in school. They also raise chickens and pigs for their own consumption, forage for vegetables and go fishing. To pay school fees, Khin sometimes is able to get work as a day labourer. On July 10th, Khin was picking dog fruit when suddenly the branch he was standing on broke. He fell out of the tree on to a wooden dwelling and broke his spine. With the help of Watsi donors, he received a CT scan of his back which showed that he had indeed fractured his spine, and he was told that he would need to undergo surgery to heal. He is in pain, and he cannot walk. With the help of our medical partner Burma Children Medical Fund (BMC), Khin will undergo surgery to reset his fractured bones and ensure proper healing. The procedure is scheduled for July 19th and Khin needs help raising $1,500 to fund the surgery. This procedure will help him walk again. Khin shared, "I am not scared to receive surgery because I know I need to undergo it to recover."

Keyler, who is nine years old, lives in Bolivia and is in need of heart surgery. His mother passed away when he was only four years old, and since then, he has been raised by his grandmother. He accompanies her every day as she goes about selling sodas and cleaning houses, in order to make a living, and as a result, grandmother and grandson have become inseparable. Keyler was born with a cardiac condition called ventricular septal defect, in which a hole exists between the two lower chambers of his heart. Blood leaks through this hole without passing through his lungs and obtaining oxygen, leaving Keyler weak and short of breath. He also has Down syndrome. Our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, is seeking $1,500 to fund the surgery that Keyler needs to correct his heart condition. The procedure, which is scheduled for May 18th, at Hospital del Niño Dr. Ovidio Aliaga Uría, will enable Keyler to live a happier and more comfortable life. Keyler's grandmother said: "I am so happy that Keyler can have this surgery, so he will be healthy and strong."

Hillary is a cool, caring 39-year-old man from Kenya. He is a middle child and lives at home with his parents and younger brother. Hillary experiences epilepsy and cannot talk or work due to his condition. His elderly parents are retired, and his brother practices small-scale farming and works labor jobs in the neighborhood to help earn a living for his family. Hillary recently fell from his bed and injured his arm and hand. He visited a nearby government facility and was diagnosed with a displaced fracture in his left humerus and received a splint. As Hillary is still experiencing pain, swelling, and discomfort in his arm, his family brought him to our medical partner's care center. Upon review, the doctor advised that Hillary needs surgery since the fracture is too displaced to heal with a splint. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner can help. On May 16th, Hillary will undergo a fracture repair procedure called an open reduction and internal fixation. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is requesting $1,145 to fund this procedure. Hillary's brother says, "My brother has had a lot of challenges in his life, and when I see him crying with pain, I feel hurt. I am so hopeful that he will get treatment and that he will live comfortably once again. Kindly help him."

Victoria is a 22-month-old baby girl that lives in Port-au-Prince with her parents. She is a happy child that enjoys dancing and playing dress-up. Victoria was born with a condition called Patent Ductus Arteriosus, where an extra blood vessel (passageway) called the ductus arteriosus (DA) allows blood from the right side of the heart to flow to the aorta and back out into the body without going through the lungs. This leaves Victoria feeling weak and short of breath. Fortunately, our medical provider, Haiti Cardiac Alliance (ACH), has diagnosed Victoria and created a treatment plan involving surgery to repair the issue. During the procedure on April 17th, doctors will use a device attached to a catheter to plug the hole so that blood can no longer leak. ACH is requesting $1500 to fund the procedure. Victoria's mother says, "Our family is very thankful to everyone who is making this possible for our daughter!"