“I hope my eyes can see more clearly,” says Yern. “It will be easier to help my family by cooking and cleaning, and go for walks by myself too.” Meet Yern, a 69-year-old woman from Cambodia. Yern has six children and 16 grandchildren. Our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Center (CSC), shares, “Yern enjoys visiting the pagoda in her free time to listen to the monks pray.” One year ago, Yern developed cataracts in both eyes. A cataract is a clouding of the lens that is most commonly due to aging. According to CSC, Yern is experiencing “blurred vision, burning, and tearing.” She and her son traveled four hours to visit CSC with hopes of restoring her vision. For $225, Yern will undergo small incision cataract surgery in both eyes. The surgeon will remove the clouded natural lens of the eye and implant an artificial lens in its place. She will be able to see clearly after the surgery. Yern’s son shares, “I hope my mother can see clearly again so she can go for walks by herself and I won’t have to worry.”

Peninah is a 57-year-old woman from Kenya and the mother of two children. Her daughter was recently married and her son helps support the family financially. “For about one year Peninah started experiencing lower abdominal discomfort, and then she noticed her tummy had begun to increase in size,” shares our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). “After numerous hospitals visits, an MRI revealed a huge ovarian mass that was already pressing on the bowel loops (intestines) and needed to be removed.” Before her diagnosis, Peninah stayed busy farming and socializing with friends and family. Her condition, however, causes her to experience symptoms of pain and discomfort — preventing Peninah from working, making money and having leisure time. $790 will fund the treatment she needs to remove the mass. The procedure includes a total abdominal hysterectomy (TAH) along with a five-day hospital stay and post-operative medications. A TAH involves the removal of the entire reproductive system, including the uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries. Without treatment, “the mass will continue to grow and press more on Peninah's other organs leading to other complications,” adds AMHF. The treatment will “alleviate her discomfort and reduce the risk of the mass turning cancerous.” Peninah shares, “the doctor said the mass is growing fast and I need surgery soon. I am worried and hope Watsi will help me so that I can be operated and gain my life back.” Let’s help Peninah and fund this life-changing surgery!

This little guy is Ian, a four-day-old baby from Kenya. "Ian is the last-born in a family of five children. He lives with his parents and siblings in a single-room mud house in Kenya," says our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). "Ian's father is a trained teacher but has not been able to secure employment, while his mother is a housewife." Ian was born with spina bifida -- an open mass swelling on his lower back. He needs a spina bifida closure procedure to ensure the condition does not progress. "If Ian is not treated soon he is likely to develop severe infection or tethered cord syndrome that can lead to development of either scoliosis and or kyphosis. He is also at risk of losing muscle function on his lower limbs," adds AMHF. $805 will fund the spina bifida closure that Ian needs to get healthy. "Getting employment has been very difficult. I am saddened that I am not able to cater for my son's treatment," shares Ian's father. "Thank you for your support."

Meet Daw Ma, a 47-year-old woman from Burma. For the last 20 years, Daw Ma has been a farmer. Due to prior conflict in her village, she did not have the opportunity to go to school, and never learned to read. "She gives most of the harvest as payments to the owner of the land, and to the laborers," shares our medical partner, Burma Border Projects (BBP). About one year ago, Daw Ma began to experience heavy bleeding and lower abdominal pain. She was diagnosed with uterine fibroids. "Since then she started to have dizziness, blurred vision, headaches, and back aches. She can’t do work in the farm or house chores when she has severe symptoms,” explains BBP. $1500 will fund gynecological surgery to remove the fibroids. BBP explains: "Treatment will restore her dignity, which is something she feels she has lost since falling ill. She is looking forward to not worrying about her health which she says consumes a lot of her time." "She plans to take full care of her grandchildren in the future, so her daughter can work full time," adds BBP.

“I want to marry and have children soon. I want to be able to work so that I will be able to support my future family,” says Festus. Meet Festus, a 40-year-old man from Kenya who has a fractured right femur, the leg bone located above the knee. “Last week, Festus was harvesting Macadamia when he lost his footing and fell from the tree,” reports our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). “Festus is in pain and cannot walk nor sit without support. He is not able to work on his farm. If the surgery is not done soon, Festus may require more complex treatment such as a total hip replacement. He will also not be able to work on his farm nor walk again if not treated.” Festus is the oldest son in a family of five. “Festus is not married but has a fiancée,” continues AMHF. “Festus lives on a part of the family land that his father gave him and he farms bananas and vegetables on the land to support himself. He also takes care of his parents farm for them." For $1115, we can fund an Open Reduction and Internal Fixation (ORIF) procedure to heal his broken leg and ensure that he is able to walk properly. AMHF concludes, “We expect that after the surgery and recovery, Festus will be able to fulfill his dream and have a family that he can support by working on his farm.”

“I just want to be able to walk properly without feeling pain so that I can keep up with other pupils when playing at school,” shares Kijana, a 10-year-old student from Tanzania. The fifth of seven children, Kijana is friendly and very talkative. He enjoys singing and learning how to read and write at school. Kijana’s parents are small scale farmers who work additional odd jobs to earn enough money to support their large family. Even so, they are unable to afford surgery to treat Kijana’s genu valgum, or knocked knees, caused by fluorosis. “Kijana walks with difficulties due to the condition of his legs,” explains our medical partner African Mission Healthcare Foundation. “He sometimes complains of pain on his knees and ankles. If not treated, Kijana’s ability to perform various tasks effectively will be poor and he will also be at high risk of developing early osteoarthritis.” For $940, we can fund a series of casting and surgical procedures that will help to realign Kijana’s legs. Following surgery, Kijana’s gait will improve, his risk for early osteoarthritis will decrease, and he will be able to walk properly to school without feeling pain. Let’s help Kijana return to school well enough to join in the games with his fellow pupils!

"My daughter has started school and is having problems relating with other children in her school because she cannot play most games comfortably. I want my daughter to have a normal life," says Mary’s mother. Mary is a four-year-old girl from Kenya with two older siblings. Mary has a burn contracture on her left elbow from hitting a pot of boiling water. If left untreated, Mary will never be able to lift heavy objects or stretch and move her arm, which may limit her job opportunities. Her parents are casual laborers who have worked hard to get her emergency treatment but have been unable to raise money for her surgery. With $1,125, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF), will be able to provide Mary with contracture release surgery. AMHF expects that, “after the surgery, Mary will be able to play with others and she will have a normal life devoid of any stigma.” Together we can help Mary grow up strong and healthy!

Meet Ferchi, a one-year-old girl from Guatemala who is suffering from malnutrition. Our medical partner, Wuqu’ Kawoq, reports, “Ferchi was born very premature. Since then, she’s struggled to grow. She is frequently ill with common things, like diarrhea, which further have restricted her growth.” The lack of nutrition also limits her cognitive development. Ferchi’s parents understand that they need quality nutrition to help Ferchi. The family’s financial situation prevents them from meeting this goal. For $535, we can tackle Ferchi’s acute malnutrition. Ferchi will experience an improved diet, heightened cognition, and a resumption of physical growth. Ferchi’s mother desires that Ferchi, “gets better, so that she can go to school and be successful.”

Meet Yun, an 80-year-old woman from Cambodia! Yun is the matriarch of a very large family, including four children and 20 grandchildren. In her free time, Yun likes to listen to the radio and monks praying. Yun is experiencing a mature cataract in her left eye, causing significant vision impairment. “For the past two years, she has been unable to see anything clearly and needs her grandson to help care for her,” our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre, tells us. She misses being able to help on the farm, cook, and care for her large family. For just $150, we can help Yun gain access to the medical care she needs! Her treatment will include cataract surgery which will improve her vision and prevent further blindness. Together, let's make sure Yun is able to care for her family again soon!