"We knew for a long time that Jefferson had a problem, but we didn't know what it was,” Jefferson’s parents share. “We're so glad to know what's wrong, and that there is a way to fix it!" The first-born child to office workers in Haiti, three-year-old Jefferson is an intelligent boy who asks a lot of questions and is learning to read. Jefferson’s parents have not put him in preschool yet due to a congenital heart condition known as tetralogy of Fallot. The condition involves a combination of related defects, including a hole between two chambers in the heart that results in blood passing through without being oxygenated. The lack of oxygen in the blood can cause Jefferson to faint, feel weak and be prone to sickness. Without treatment, tetralogy of Fallot can be fatal. Health City Cayman Islands is subsidizing Jefferson's heart surgery, and Watsi donors can support Jefferson with $1,500 to cover the overseas travel expenses and medical preparation he needs before surgery. “Following surgery, Jefferson should be able to lead a normal life with near-normal blood flow through his heart, and no ongoing risk of death from this condition,” explains our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance. “He will probably never need another surgery in his life.”

This is Sabianca, a two-year-old baby girl from Haiti. Sabianca is her mother and father's first child. Her mother is a primary school teacher and her father is a laborer. Sabianca was born prematurely adn with hydrocephalus - a condition which causes excess cerebral fluid to accumulate in her head, causing swelling of the brain which can be fatal. This worries her parents very much. They want to help but they don't have the means to provide her the medical attention she needs. Watsi's medical partner, Project Medishare, has recommended a shunt replacement to drain the excess fluid in Sabianca's head. The cost of care will run at $1260 and will give this baby girl a shot at a normal life. Let's help make it happen!

Four-month-old Saida is her parents’ fifth child. Her father died while Saida's mother was two-months pregnant with Saida, and her brave mother is now the sole provider for their five children. Saida's head is enlarged, which has been caused by a dangerous condition called hydrocephalus. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, explains this as “excess fluids building up in her brain, putting strong pressure on the inside of her skull. If not treated, she risks brain damage and complete blindness.” Saida’s mother says, “Seeing my daughter’s head grow big day-by-day has really been stressful! I would appreciate any help. All I pray for is that she gets treatments as soon as possible." As a small-scale farmer, she works diligently to support her five children but is unable to afford the surgical care Saida needs. For $980, Saida will receive a shunt insertion. The doctors predict that with this surgery, Saida will live a happy, normal life without blindness or brain damage. Let’s give Saida’s mother the break she deserves, and Saida the opportunity to have a healthy childhood!

Wilson is just two-days-old! He is the last born in a family of two children and has two loving parents. Wilson’s parents own a small piece of land, which they till for domestic consumption. They fully depend on the farm’s produce to support their children's day-to-day needs. Wilson was born with spina bifida and has an open mass on his back. Our hospital partner writes, “If surgery is not done, Wilson is likely to get an infection and develop spinal conditions like tethered cord, scoliosis, or kyphosis.” With the little income Wilson’s parents earn from their farm, they have been unable to raise the funds needed for his surgery. “If I can only get support for my son’s treatment, I would be very happy,” says Wilson’s mother. For $980, Wilson will receive a spina bifida closure, a surgery that will prevent any possibility of a tethered cord or infection. Let’s work together to give Wilson the opportunity to live a normal, healthy life!