“I need your help to support my child's medical needs,” says Mekliet's mother, a woman from Ethiopia. She lost her husband in a car accident when she was six months pregnant with Mekliet. The two now live with Mekliet’s grandmother, and have no income source of their own. Mekliet, who is now five months old, was born with anorectal malformation. As a result, she experiences bowel dysfunction. For $1,500, we can sponsor a procedure on September 21 to repair her condition. This will cover the costs of her lab tests, medications, and one-day hospital stay.

Lyse is an eight-year-old girl from Haiti. She lives with her mother, father and two younger sisters in Port-au-Prince. Her mother works as a pediatric nurse, and her father works as an office administrator to support their family. Lyse is in the fourth grade and is an extremely intelligent and focused student. Lyse was born with patent ductus arteriosus, a cardiac condition in which a hole in the heart that normally closes shortly after birth remains open. As a result, blood leaks through this hole without first passing through the lungs to obtain oxygen, leaving Lyse feeling weak and short of breath. Lyse will travel to the Dominican Republic to receive treatment. On August 24, she will undergo cardiac surgery. This $5,000 surgery is subsidized by International Children's Heart Foundation. Lyse's family also needs help to fund the costs of surgery prep. The $1,500 bill covers labs, medicines, and checkup and followup appointments. It also supports passport obtainment and the social workers from our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, who will accompany Lyse's family. "I would like to say thank you to everyone who is helping me to have a normal heart!" says Lyse.

Dohn is a 21-month-old boy who lives in a village in Karen State, Burma with his family. Dohn’s grandparents work as subsistence farmers, his father works as car mechanic in Thailand, and his mother looks after the children. Following a persistent fever and vomiting, Dohn was admitted to the hospital last April. A CT scan revealed a fluid-filled mass in his brain and a possible tumor. Upon receiving the news that Dohn would need surgery, Dohn's father stopped working in order to look after Dohn at the hospital. The fluid around Dohn's brain was drained, but, due to an infection, no further procedure was done at that time. Dohn has now been transferred to our medical partner's care center, Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital, and is scheduled to receive a ventriculoperitoneal shunt on May 26 in order to drain any built-up fluid. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to help fund Dohn's surgical care. With proper treatment, Dohn will be freed of potential cognitive complications and can hope to develop into a strong, healthy young boy.

Charles is a 52-year-old motorcycle taxi driver from Uganda. Charles is married and is the father of nine children. For the past six years, Charles has been living with a hernia that has only gotten more painful over time. The pain he feels from his hernia has made him stop driving his motorcycle, and has seriously affected his income. Seeking treatment, Charles was referred to our medical partner, The Kellermann Foundation. He is scheduled to undergo hernia repair surgery on May 5, and is requesting $229 to cover the total cost of his procedure. After his surgery, he hopes to get back to work to be able to provide for his family. “Bwindi Hospital has very excellent services," says Charles. "I thank the donors for helping me to have treatment here. I know I will be well taken care of. May God bless you.”

Him is a 60-year-old rice and crop farmer from Cambodia. She is married with three sons, five daughters, and 12 grandchildren. In her free time, she likes to go to the pagoda, watch dramas on TV, and listen to monks pray on the radio. Last month, Him developed cataracts in both eyes, causing her blurred vision, headaches, tearing, and pain. It is difficult for her to see things clearly, recognize faces, work, or go anywhere by herself. Him worries about going blind one day. On May 22, surgeons will perform small incision cataract surgery and implant intraocular lenses in both of Him's eyes. After the surgery, she will be able to see clearly again. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $292 to cover her treatment.

Mu is a 19-year-old woman from Thailand who works as a babysitter. Both of her parents are farmers, and she has four siblings. She is originally from Burma, but she moved to Thailand to seek better work opportunities and support her family. Mu was born with a congenital cardiac condition that has caused her chest and back pain, difficulty breathing, and a rapid pulse. While she used to receive medications in her hometown in Burma, these did not help to completely alleviate her symptoms. She was eventually diagnosed with congenital aortic and mitral valve disorders that will require surgery to repair. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund a mitral and atrial valve repair and replacement. Mu's procedure is scheduled for May 2. Mu shares, “As we didn’t have money to visit the hospital and get treatment, there wasn’t a lot my mother could do to make me feel better.” With the proper treatment, Mu can resume living a normal, healthy life.

Kian is an eight-month-old baby boy from the Philippines. He lives with his family in a small house made of bamboo. They have no access to electricity, and they get their water supply from a well. Kian's father works as a fisherman, but he does not have a permanent income. Kian loves to roll on his bed and listen to nursery rhymes with his mother. Kian has been diagnosed with moderately acute malnutrition. Fortunately, on February 23, Kian will begin $184 malnutrition treatment. Kian will be treated by International Care Ministries (ICM), a Watsi medical partner. One out of five children under five in ICM communities is either severely or moderately malnourished. Worldwide, poor nutrition is associated with nearly half of all deaths in young children. In remote communities and urban slums of the Philippines, the lack of clean water and unclean environments add risk to potentially fatal childhood diseases. ICM’s home-based feeding program provides nutrient-enriched food packs to ensure malnourished children get additional food to regain normal weight and achieve optimum physical and mental development. After identifying a child as malnourished, staff and community volunteers make weekly visits to monitor this child’s progress. To help sustain the health of the child, ICM’s professional staff educate the mother, guardian, or other family members about proper nutrition, sanitation, hygiene, and organic vegetable gardening. Kian's mother says, "I hope my child can recover from malnutrition and become healthy and strong in the future. I am excited for the treatment and its outcome"

Oy is a 73-year-old housewife from Cambodia. She has four sons, two daughters, and ten grandchildren. She likes to listen to monks pray on the radio, go to the pagoda, and join ceremonies. One year ago, Oy developed a cataract in each eye, causing her blurred vision, tearing, and sensitivity to light. Oy has trouble seeing things clearly and going anywhere on her own. When Oy learned about our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre, she traveled for three hours to seek treatment. On March 22, doctors will perform a small incision cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in each eye. After recovery, Oy will be able to see clearly again. Now, she needs help to fund this $292 procedure.

Nitchie is a 12-year-old girl from Haiti. She is known for her friendliness and love of interacting with others. She particularly enjoys playing with her neighbors and helping her mother around the house. Nitchie was born with a heart condition called patent ductus arteriosus (PDA). Normally, there is a hole in the heart that closes soon after birth, but for individuals with PDA, the hole remains open. Blood leaks through this hole without passing through the lungs for oxygen. Because of this, Nitchie feels fatigued and short of breath. She needs to undergo surgery to repair this hole. First, Nitchie will undergo a full cardiac assessment on January 20. This assessment will include physical exams, labs, and an overnight stay at the hospital. Our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, is requesting $1,500 to fund these procedures. Funding for Nitchie also covers the cost of medications and social support for her and her family. Gift of Life International is contributing $3,500 to cover additional costs associated with Nitchie's surgical care. Nitchie's mother is ecstatic that her daughter is receiving help. She says, "It always makes me sad to see Nitchie get out of breath when she tries to play. We will be very happy once her heart is fixed."

Meet Nyabukye, a 31-year-old woman from Uganda. She is the mother of three children, and she works on the farm with her husband. After giving birth to her second child in 2013, Nyabukye developed a hernia in her left inguinal region. This condition caused her pain and discomfort, but she never received treatment. She became unable to dig, lift heavy items, or walk long distances. Recently, Nyabukye visited our medical partner's care center, Holy Family Virika Hospital, after her neighbor told her about a surgical procedure that might alleviate her pain. On November 16, she underwent a hernia repair surgery. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $249 to fund this procedure. After recovery, Nyabukye hopes to keep working to provide for her family.

Pov is a 61-year-old farmer who is married. She likes to cook and look after her grandchildren. In July 2016, Pov slipped and fell, sustaining a fracture in her right hip. She visited a Khmer traditional healer for treatment, but her symptoms did not improve. Pov experiences pain and it is difficult for her to walk. When Pov learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), she traveled for five hours to seek treatment. On November 29, CSC surgeons performed a hemiarthroplasty procedure in Pov's right hip, replacing half of her hip joint with a prosthetic and leaving the other half intact. Now, she needs help to fund this $450 procedure. After recovery, Pov will be able to walk easily again. "I hope that I can walk properly again," she says.

Samantha is a 23-month-old girl from the southern tip of the Philippines. She is a friendly girl who loves to play with dolls. Samantha lives in a hut made of woven leaves with a bamboo floor. Her father is a farmer. Samantha has been diagnosed with moderately acute malnutrition. She began $184 malnutrition treatment on October 20. She is being treated by International Care Ministries (ICM), a Watsi medical partner. One out of five children under five in ICM communities is either severely or moderately acutely malnourished. Worldwide, poor nutrition is associated with nearly half of all deaths in young children. In remote communities and urban slums of the Philippines, the lack of clean water and unclean environments add risk to potentially fatal childhood diseases. ICM’s Home-Based Feeding program provides nutrient-enriched food packs to ensure malnourished children get additional food to regain normal weight and achieve optimum physical and mental development. After identifying a child as malnourished, staff and community volunteers make weekly visits to monitor this child’s progress. To help sustain the health of the child, ICM's professional staff educate the mother, guardian, or other family members about proper nutrition, sanitation, hygiene, and organic vegetable gardening. Samantha's mother, Anita, hopes that she will recover from malnutrition and finish her schooling someday.