Marie is a mother of two from Haiti. She lives with her mother and two sons in a neighborhood of Port-au-Prince; she previously worked in an apparel factory but had to stop working last year due to her cardiac illness. Marie has a cardiac condition called rheumatic mitral stenosis. One of the four valves of her heart was damaged due to an infection she suffered earlier in life, and she can no longer pump blood normally through her body. Marie needs surgery that is not available within Haiti so she will fly to the United States to receive treatment. On October 19th, she will finally undergo cardiac surgery, during which surgeons will attempt to repair her existing damaged valve; if this is unsuccessful, they may need to implant an artificial replacement. Another organization, Baylor Scott and White Heart Hospital, is contributing $25000 to pay for surgery. Marie's family also needs help to fund the costs of surgery prep and followup. The $1,500 bill covers labs, medicines, and checkup and followup appointments. "I am hopeful that after this surgery, I can stop worrying so much about my health and my heart. I want to focus instead on my beautiful family and my future," Marie shared.

Reuben is a 60-year-old labourer from Kenya. He hails from Rungiri in Central Kenya. He is married and has two young children. Reuben does casual jobs either at construction sites or any other that may be available. His wife is a homemaker taking care of the children. Being the only breadwinner, Reuben has been doing well in his jobs. But about two weeks ago, he was given the job of picking avocados. Unfortunately, the ladder he was using accidentally fell, and thus he also fell to the ground. He sustained an injury to his right hand and was taken to the hospital where an x-ray was done and confirmed a fracture. A bandage was applied and he was advised of the need for orthopedic surgery and asked to go to a bigger hospital. He opted to come to Nazareth Hospital where the surgery can be performed. Due to his socioeconomic status, Reuben and his family cannot raise the fee for this treatment and require help. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner can help. On September 14th, Reuben will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation. If untreated, Reuben may not be able to use his hand, and the fracture may fail to heal properly, leading to deformity. Now, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,049 to fund this procedure. Reuben says: “I am the breadwinner of my family and have no one to turn to for these treatment charges. I kindly request to be assisted so that I can be well, go back to do my job and feed my young family."

Sai is a 26-year-old veteran from Burma. He lives at a dormitory for people with disabilities in the Internally Displaced Person (IDP) Camp in Shan State, Burma. He has been unemployed since his injury. In his free time, Sai likes to exercise and garden. However, he is currently unable to do these activities because of his health. In 2019, Sai was shot in his right upper thigh. Following the event, he underwent an X-ray examination which confirmed a fractured hip. A doctor immobilized his right thigh and hip by applying a cast. Nevertheless, he has been grappling with persistent discomfort in his right leg and hip. On July 11th, with the assistance of Watsi, he underwent a CT scan of his hip, revealing a malunion of the hip fracture. Sai's right hip and leg continue to be a source of pain for him, despite his regular use of pain-relief medications. Due to the pain, he cannot stand or walk on his right leg without the support of crutches, and his sleep is often disturbed at night as the pain intensifies during colder weather and nighttime hours. With the help of our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, Sai will undergo surgery to reset his fractured bones and ensure proper healing. The procedure is scheduled for August 10th and will cost $1,500. The procedure will help him walk easily again without crutches and resolve pain. Sai said; "I feel very happy to receive treatment in an advanced hospital with your help BCMF, Watsi, and my donors. I cannot wait to walk with my leg and become healthy again. Thank you very much."

Sephora, a 4-year-old girl with Down syndrome from Haiti, loves listening to music and drawing with crayons. She lives with her parents and three older siblings in a neighborhood in Port-au-Prince. Sephora has a cardiac condition called patent ductus arteriosus. Because of this condition, a hole exists between two blood vessels near her heart. Blood leaks through this hole, leaving her weak and short of breath. Sephora needs to fly to the Dominican Republic to receive cardiac treatment on May 29th. First, the doctors will perform tests to determine if the hole near her heart can be safely closed or whether it is better to manage the condition with medication. If the tests show a good result, the surgeons will close the hole using a device attached to the end of a catheter. Haiti Cardiac Alliance is contributing $6,000 to pay for Sephora's surgery. Sephora's family also needs help with her $1,500 surgery prep costs. This cost covers all her labs, medicines, check-ups, and follow-up appointments. It also covers the cost of passports and social workers accompanying Sephora's family overseas. Sephora's mother said, "I am very happy to know that my daughter finally has the chance to have her heart fixed!"

Aung is a 34 year old office clerk who lives on his own in Yangon, Burma. In November 2019, Aung started to tire easily. At first he thought it was due to working too much, but when he started to feel tired after walking short distances, he became concerned. He told his employer about his symptoms, and they suggested that he might have a heart condition. Aung then went to a heart specialist, where he was diagnosed with atrial septal defect, which is a hole in the upper chambers of his heart. Because he could not afford to pay for treatment, Aung traveled to Mae Tao Clinic in Mae Sot, Thailand, where he was referred to our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund. Now they are seeking $1,500 for the operation that Aung needs to close the hole in his heart. Surgery is scheduled for May 20th, at Pun Hlaing Hospital. Until he has this procedure, Aung will continue having shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, and chest pain - worsening with time. "In the future, I hope I can find a higher paying job so that I can help support my mother and my younger sisters who live in another city," said Aung as he dreamed about his future when he feels well again.

Khin is a 65-year-old woman who lives with her daughter, son-in-law, and three grandchildren in Tak Province, Thailand. Three years ago Khin, who is retired, moved to Thailand from Burma in order to live with her daughter. Currently, the vision in Khin’s right eye is blurred as a result of a cataract. Khin finds it difficult to help with household chores, as she has to rely on her left eye alone. She finds that if she tries to focus on something, she develops a headache. She worries she might lose the vision in her left eye. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund lens replacement surgery for Khin. On February 23rd, doctors at Mae Sot General Hospital will perform cataract surgery, implanting an intraocular lens in Khin's eye, restoring her vision. Khin said: “I feel like I am losing an eye since I cannot see with my right eye. I am also worried about losing vision in my other eye. I am afraid to undergo surgery, but I want my vision back so that I can see people’s faces again. I feel sorry for my children, and I pity them since they need to help me with everything. I felt really happy when I learned that a donor will support my treatment cost.”

Aung, who is 25 years old, lives with his mother, brother and two sisters in Burma. His mother is retired, and his brother is a security guard. One of his sisters works at a bicycle factory, while the other one works for a local company. Aung is currently unemployed because of his poor health. In October 2022, Aung fell ill and developed a persistent cough. He went to a charity hospital, where he was told that he had a heart infection. After he was treated with injected antibiotics, the doctor told him that he needed an echocardiogram, because he might have a heart condition due to the infection. After the echo was completed, he was diagnosed with mitral valve regurgitation, and he was referred to a cardiologist in Yangon. Aung went to see the cardiologist, who told him that he would need surgery, which he could not afford. On December 25, 2022, both of Aung's legs and his arms became swollen, and he was unable to sleep. He went to a private hospital, where it was determined that he would need surgery as soon as possible. Currently, Aung feels extremely fatigued, experiences chest pains, and has difficulty breathing. Sometimes, his legs and his arms become swollen, and he cannot sleep well at night. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 for the mitral valve replacement surgery that Aung needs. The procedure is currently scheduled to take place on April 2nd, at Pun Hlaing Hospital. "In the future, I want to work as a taxi driver, because I believe that I could easily earn money doing this [in the city]," said Aung.

Seint, who is 34 years old, lives with her parents and her aunt in Ayeyarwaddy Division in Burma. Her parents and her aunt make and sell mats from their home. When Seint was 13-years old, she noticed she started to easily tire, experienced heart palpitations, and had barely enough energy to play with her friends. Her mother took her to a nearby clinic, where the doctor examined her and told them that she had congenital heart disease. The doctor gave Seint medication, which she used together with traditional medicine. Both helped her to feel better. In November 2022, Seint felt extremely tired and experienced heart palpitations while she was completing physical exercises with her students. She also had difficulty breathing, and her vision became blurred. Her mother took her to a clinic, where she received medications which helped her to feel better. A few days later, however, she started to experience pain in her back whenever she felt tired. She also started to have difficulty breathing again, and had heart palpitations. Her mother brought her to a hospital in Yangon, where she received an echocardiogram that allowed the doctor to diagnose her with atrial septal defect. After additional testing, the doctor scheduled her to undergo urgent heart surgery at Pun Hlaing Hospital. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is seeking $1,500 to fund Seint's surgery, which will allow her to regain her health, and to live symptom free. Seint said: "I would like to recover as soon as possible. In the future, I will continue to work as a teacher. I love teaching students and wearing our school uniform proudly."

Valentina is a beautiful 2-year-old girl from Bolivia. She lives in La Paz with her parents, who are a teacher and a homemaker respectively, and two older siblings. Valentina was born with a cardiac condition called atrial septal defect, in which a hole exists between the two upper chambers of her heart. As a result blood leaks through this hole, leaving her weak and short of breath. Our medical partner HCA is helping Valentina access life-saving cardiac treatment so she can grow up healthy. During surgery, doctors will use a patch to close the hole so that blood can no longer leak through it. Her family is raising $1,500 to support her surgery and care. Valentina's mother shared: "Our family is very thankful that Valentina can have this opportunity for her heart to be healed."

Meet Slai, a 41-year-old man who lives alone, and works as a security guard at night. In June 2020, when Slai was living in Burma, he started to sneeze frequently, and he also developed a constantly runny nose. Additionally, his nose became swollen, and his right nostril became blocked, making it difficult for Slai to breathe through his nose. At the local hospital, he was diagnosed with nasal polyps, and was given medication to treat his condition. However, when he moved to Thailand in January 2022, his symptoms returned, and doctors recommended surgery so he can breathe well again. Fortunately, our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, can help Slai access the treatment that he needs. On January 11th, Slai will undergo surgery to remove the polyps at Mae Sot General Hospital. Slai is looking to you to help raise the $1,500 to cover the cost of this procedure, which will allow him to breathe freely again. Slai said: "After completing my treatment, I want to be legally employed as a worker in Thailand. Driving is my profession, so I want to work as a driver, but I would be happy with any work opportunity.”

Meet David, a 29-year-old boda-boda (motorcycle taxi) rider from Kenya. He and his wife have two children. David's income supports their family, but he was recently injured in a hit-and-run accident that compromised his mobility. David was driving his boda-boda when he was hit by another car. An x-ray revealed that he fractured his right leg and dislocated his right ankle. David has a cast on his leg and uses crutches to walk. He needs to undergo surgery to heal. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), can help. On December 15th, David will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation. Once he fully recovers from his treatment, David will be able to walk again and take care of his family. AMH is requesting $1,500 to fund this procedure. David says, "I rely on my legs to ride my motorbike. This is how I feed my family. With this fracture, I am unable to work and provide for them. Therefore, I appeal for your support."

Maribeth is a caring mother from the Philippines. She's a full-time mom to her three children, while her husband works as a grinder. In May 2022, Maribeth began to experience troubling symptoms, including fatigue, trembling hands, and masses on her neck that were growing in size. These symptoms prevent her from being able to take care of her children and do her daily chores. Maribeth sought a medical checkup, where doctors told her to undergo a neck ultrasound and biopsy. Her results indicated that she is experiencing a multiple colloid adenomatous goiter. This condition occurs when tumor formation occurs, caused by an overgrowth of thyroid tissue cells. Maribeth needs surgery to prevent her symptoms from worsening. Fortunately, our medical partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines (WSFP), is helping Maribeth receive treatment. On November 11th, she will undergo a thyroidectomy at WSFP's hospital. During this procedure, surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation is supporting a portion of the cost of her treatment, and WSFP is raising $890 to cover the remaining cost of Maribeth's procedure and care. Maribeth says, "This free surgery is a big help for me because we don't have enough money to pay for my bills. To all the hospital staff who are helping me, to WATSI and World Surgical Foundation Philippines, thank you! May God bless you, and may you help more people in need."