In, who is 73 years old, is a widowed, retired rice farmer, living alone in Kampong Cham province in Cambodia. Her two sons live nearby, and help support In with their income from working in a rice mill. Her daughter also lives nearby, and helps In with household chores. In's greatest joy is her four grandchildren, for whom she loves to cook. Around ten years ago, In developed a pterygium in her right eye, causing her constant itchiness, redness, and watery eyes. Pterygiums are non-cancerous growths of the conjunctiva, a mucous layer that lubricates the eye. The growths occur when the conjunctiva is damaged due to excessive exposure to the sun, causing cells to grow abnormally over the pupil, resulting in impaired vision. When In learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for three hours seeking treatment. In needs a surgical procedure to remove the abnormal conjunctiva from the surface of the cornea, which will be replaced with a conjunctival graft, to prevent a recurrence. The procedure, which will cost $225, is scheduled for July 3rd at Kien Khleang National Rehabilitation Centre. Children's Surgical Centre is requesting your help to cover the costs of In's medications, supplies, and inpatient medical care for two days. In shared: "I want to be able to leave my house and not feel scared of the sun, or not seeing clearly on my way to the pagoda to pray."

Ye is a 48-year-old man from Thailand. Ye lives with his wife and daughter on the Thai-Burma border. He used to work as a carpenter, but had to stop working two years ago when his health deteriorated. Ye's wife is a homemaker, and his daughter works as a vendor selling mobile phones. His family income is just enough to cover their daily needs. Currently, Ye experiences back pain and also a strong discomfort when using the bathroom. He sometimes has a slight fever if his pain is more severe. To remedy this, Ye underwent laser treatment for kidney stones, which helped relieve some of his pain, but the doctors have determined that his case is severe and surgery has now been advised. If left untreated, Ye's symptoms will continue to worsen and put him at risk for further health complications in the future. After seeking treatment with our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF), Ye is scheduled to undergo his cholecystectomy on February 22nd. BCMF is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of Ye's procedure and care. Once recovered, he will be able to be more active and hopefully be pain-free. Ye shared, "I have been experiencing this condition for many years and I hope that after surgery I will be freed from pain and I will be able to work again."

Lucy, an elderly lady from central Kenya, has been diagnosed with a right eye cataract. Two years ago, she had a left eye cataract surgery funded by Watsi. Recently, she had the right eye cataract matured and after review, surgery was recommended. Lucy, a very lively lady used to work in Kijabe Hospital over 3 decades ago until she retired. Currently, she gets support from her children to meet her daily needs. Her children are, however, not in formal employment and so meeting health cost for her is hard for them. They have families to provide for as well. After the treatment, Lucy will be able to see with better clarity and reduced chances of further vision loss. Fortunately, Lucy is scheduled to undergo cataract surgery at our medical partner's care center. Surgeons will remove and replace the blurred lens. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Now, she needs help to fund this $220 procedure. “I will appreciate financial help accorded towards my surgery,” says Lucy.

Meet Nyanhiel, a ten-year-old girl from South Sudan. She has six siblings. She has not yet started school. Two years ago, Nyanhiel developed a swelling on her jaw. This has been gradually increasing in size. She has been diagnosed with a mandibular mass and needs to undergo an excision surgery. If not treated, the swelling will continue to increase in size. Fortunately, she is scheduled to undergo surgery on December 13. Her family needs help raising $1,500 to fund this treatment. Nyanhiel says, “I want to be treated and hopefully start school someday."

23-year-old Zin Oo lives in Thailand with his wife, one-year-old daughter, four younger siblings, and his parents. They recently moved from Burma to Thailand three years ago seeking better job opportunities. Zin Oo's parents are no longer able to bring in an income, so his entire family depends on Zin Oo and his wife as the only source of financial support. Earlier this year, Zin Oo was in an accident while driving his motorbike to drop off a friend. Pieces of roofing from an unfinished construction site blew onto Zin Oo and his motorbike, causing him to crash into a small channel in the side of the road. The crash broke a bone in Zin Oo's lower leg, so he went to the local hospital where doctors were able to surgically secure his bone back into place with rods. Zin Oo was able to pay for this operation with the little savings he had working on a potato farm, but now he needs another surgery to remove the pins that the surgeons had used-- surgery he cannot afford. Zin Oo used to be able to save some money, but after his accident and visits to the hospital all the money that he saved is gone. Zin Oo can no longer work because of the pain and discomfort in his leg, so his wife now has to work most of the time as a day laborer. This sole income is not enough for even just everyday expenses. “It has been hard for the family since Zin Oo got in an accident because he is the one that the family depends on”, shares Zin Oo's mother. Zin Oo feels like he has become a burden on his wife and his family due to his leg condition. Let's help him raise $1500 for his operation so that he can complete the full procedure to heal his broken leg. After treatment and recovery, he will be able to walk again free of pain. Zin Oo and his family are very grateful for his treatment, and he is excited to return to supporting his family. “I want to recover quickly, continue my work and then I can help my family," Zin Oo shares.

Marianaelle is a 16-month-old girl and lives in Leogane, a city in southwest Haiti, with her mother, father, and an older sister. Her mother works in the market, and her father is currently seeking employment. Marianaelle was born with a cardiac condition called double outlet right ventricle, in which both major arteries emerging from the heart are attached to just one of the heart's chambers, instead of two. This leads to heart failure and can be fatal if not corrected surgically. $1,500 in Watsi funding, and an additional $10,000 subsidy from Have a Heart Cayman Islands will fund the life-saving heart surgery that Marianaelle needs to grow up healthy. "Marianaelle has been sick ever since she was born, but I am excited and hopeful that she will become a normal child after her surgery," her mother shared.

“I had planned on attending nursing school this year, before the accident happened. I hope to still fulfill my dream and become a nurse one day,” says Jane. Say hello to Jane, a 21-year-old woman from Kenya with a right tibia fracture. "Earlier this year, Jane was in an accident that left her unable to walk without support. Since then, she has already undergone four surgeries but is now in need of a bone transport," our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, tells us. Jane is the ninth child in a family of ten. Although none of her older siblings are employed, they have seen each other through school and always ensured that they had their basic needs met. While her siblings have worked hard to meet the costs so far, they are no longer able to raise enough money for their sister’s next treatment. $1,500 can help alleviate this family's financial strain and pay for Jane's procedure. Without our help, Jane’s leg could get severely infected and may even need to be amputated. Watsi donors, let’s make sure she gets the treatment she needs!

As a result of severe burns, Maleko can't use his arm. This makes it very difficult for him to perform daily activities of self-care, and will eventually make it hard for him to find work. Maleko was identified during a community outreach trip performed by ALMC and Africa Mission Healthcare Foundation in Tanzania. The doctors that spoke with Maleko told us that despite not being able to do throw-ins, he is a great soccer player who one day, hopes to regain use of his arm. Our Medical Partner believes that with simple surgery, they can reverse Maleko's condition. Let's help him get the care he needs to live a healthy and productive life with use of both his arms.

In 1992, when Rose was only 3 years old, politically instigated riots broke out in the small village in Kenya where she and her family lived. With her parents and siblings all at home, their small house was set ablaze. Sadly, only Rose and her mother made it out alive. Rose incurred severe body burns. Good samaritans rushed her to a nearby hospital where she received emergency medical attention. However, she was unable to get any further surgical assistance due to a lack of finances. It’s been 21 years, and Rose’s body is still deformed due to scaring. Her burned skin is uncomfortable, causes pain, and will eventually lead to permanent disability. Surgery is her best chance at a normal life, but as an employee in a small shop, she can only afford $1000 of her catastrophic medical costs. If we can raise the remaining $1500 needed, African Mission Healthcare Foundation can provide Rose with a burn contracture release and reconstruction surgery. Rose told Watsi's coordinator at AMHF that she "desires to settle down and raise a family," and this treatment can give her the chance.

Mayda is a 7-year-old girl from Guatemala with an atrial septal defect, a large hole in her heart that causes fatigue, shortness of breath, and heart palpitations. According to the doctor that confirmed Mayda's diagnosis, "surgery should completely correct her symptoms and allow her to lead a normal life." Mayda also has some issues with her teeth, and the cost of treatment will include preliminary dental work to prevent any infection from spreading from her teeth to her heart during surgery. Mayda's brother has the same heart condition, and is currently being sponsored by Watsi donors as well. Let's ensure they both have the opportunity to live healthy lives together!