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.

Meet Chim, a 56-year-old rice farmer from Cambodia. “Chim is married with three sons, four daughters, and ten grandchildren. He enjoys watching boxing on TV and listening to music," shares our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC). Four years ago, Chim developed mature cataracts in each eye. A cataract occurs when a thin, cloudy layer forms over the eye’s lens. "This causes him blurred vision, discharge, tearing, and fear of bright lights. It is hard for him to see clearly, do work, or go anywhere outside," CSC explains. After learning about CSC, Chim and his son travelled two hours to visit their clinic. They learned that a simple surgical procedure may restore Chim's sight. With $292, Chim will undergo cataract surgery, during which his old lenses will be removed and replaced with sheer artificial implants, allowing him to see again immediately after his operation.

Vincent is a 44-year-old man who lives with his wife and three children—ages two through eight—in a two-room rental house in Kenya. He used to work as a city council guard—commonly called council askaris—before he broke his right lower leg in a road accident in May 2007. After the accident, Vincent underwent a plating surgery to treat his broken leg. Five years later, he noted an area of swelling on his right leg. He sought medical attention for the swelling and learned that it was a cancerous tumor. Vincent started radiotherapy sessions in March 2013 at Kenyatta National Hospital. In 2015, after receiving a total of 24 radiotherapy sessions for his leg, Vincent came to Kijabe hospital with a wound on his right leg. Doctors performed an incisional biopsy and determined that Vincent has a wound ulcer that requires a skin graft and debridement. If not treated, Vincent is at risk of a severe infection, which may result in amputation of his leg. Vincent has not been able to work since the accident in 2007. House rent and other household expenses are met by his wife, who sells vegetables at a small green grocery. Given the family's financial situation, Vincent is unable to raise the amount of money needed for the treatment. $940 pays for the surgery that Vincent needs as well as 14 days of hospital care, including meals, pain medicine, antibiotics, and lab tests. Vincent's family and friends are contributing $156 to cover additional costs associated with his care. “I want to be treated and be able to provide for my family," shares Vincent. "My medical journey has been long, and I want to be able to start helping my family as I used to do."

Meet Naing, a 42-year-old former soldier in the Burmese army who lost his right leg in combat 15 years ago. He was released from duty and returned to his home in Karen State, Burma. His family consists of his wife and five daughters, and he is a patient with our medical partner, Burma Border Projects. Naing works occasionally doing a variety of odd jobs including weaving bamboo roofs, crafting bamboo products and supporting his family from income from a snack stall at his home. The income is sufficient for the family’s basic expenses but there isn’t enough for savings or health care. Naing began to experience pain some months ago. He was diagnosed with a bladder stone and Watsi and other entities supported surgery to remove the stone. However, at that time he was also diagnosed with kidney stones which now require further surgery. $1,500 funds surgery that will remove Naing's kidney stones. The cost of the treatment includes surgery and a post-operative visit. Let's help Naing get back to normal and fund this treatment.

47-year-old Phon lives in Cambodia with his wife and two sons. When he is not working on the farm or at the factory, he enjoys spending time at home and cleaning the grounds around his house. Last year, "Phon was in a moto accident and fractured his right tibia," reports our medical partner Children's Surgical Centre (CSC). "He walks with crutches now and is in pain." Phon needs surgery to properly fix his leg. However, even working two jobs, Phon does not make enough money to pay for these medical expenses. He travelled three hours with his wife to reach CSC, and for $405 doctors will perform an ORIF procedure to align Phon's fractured bones. Once aligned, the bones will be secured with pins so that they can properly heal in the right position. After his operation, Phon will be able to walk again free of pain. "When I am healed I will go home and find a job," Phon shares.

Meet Baston, a carefree and talkative three-year-old boy from Tanzania. Since birth, Baston has lived with unilateral clubfoot, where his right foot is turned inward. He uses the lateral part of his foot to walk, which has affected his gait. "He will be at risk of developing osteoarthritis at a young age if untreated," reports the staff at our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation. "Despite his condition, Baston likes to walk and run around with other children." Baston started clubfoot treatment when he was 18 months old. Unfortunately, the person in charge of the treatment left Baston's village, and his family was unable to afford care at a different hospital. Baston's mother cares for the children at home and owns a kiosk where she sells drinks, while his father farms peanuts and maize. Baston will need to undergo further treatment to fix his clubfoot. Treatment will consist of stretching and manipulating the foot into the correct position, followed by casting, physiotherapy, and rehabilitation. After four months, Baston will no longer use the lateral part of his foot to walk. $1,160 will cover the cost of the treatment and four-month rehabilitation stay. "He will have better gait and reduced risk of developing osteoarthritis," AMHF explains. "I love my little brother very much, we all do," Baston's older sister shared at their pre-operative interview. "I will be happy to see him able to walk like we do."

Sophon is a 48-year-old man living in Cambodia. He lives with his wife, daughter, and two sons, and he works as a policeman. Before his hearing began to deteriorate, he enjoyed listening to programs on the radio. Sophon has hearing loss in his right ear due to a cholesteatoma he developed many years ago. Sophon’s condition started with recurring discharge from his ear, and since then it has been odorous and painful. "I get pain every day and my hearing is lost in that ear, which makes me unhappy,” Sophon shares. “I can't work anymore." A cholesteatoma refers to an expanding growth in the middle ear, which can eventually lead to damage in the bones of the ear. These growths are often infected, and can cause chronic drainage. Sophon needs mastoidectomy surgery to remove the cholesteatoma and remove either the posterior ear canal wall or the ossicles, depending upon the findings in surgery. For $809, Sophon can receive this life-changing surgery he needs. Funding also covers one day of post-operative care and three follow-up visits. After the surgery, he is expected to regain some hearing and no longer have drainage. “I hope after the operation the pain goes away,” Sophon adds.

Edna is a mother of seven from Haiti. Four years ago, she lost her husband and now raises their children alone. Until recently, she managed a small business selling clothes on the street. Two years ago, Edna noticed a lump in her breast but did not seek treatment for some time. Recently, she visited our medical partner, Project Medishare, and was diagnosed with breast cancer. “She is scared of the cancer diagnosis and can’t wait to have the treatment,” they share. The cancer made her ill to the point she could no longer work, and now has no income for her family and the treatment. “She has significant physical limitations as a result of the cancer,” explains Project Medishare. “Her children are in school and cannot help her with everything and she is unable to afford her treatment.” With our support of $1,500, Edna will undergo a mastectomy to remove the cancer in her breast and chemotherapy to ensure that it does not come back. These funds will cover the necessary pre-operative care, surgical costs, chemotherapy drugs, and hospital stay. “She hopes to get back to work selling clothes and to get back to caring for her children,” Project Medishare shares. “Since her husband died, she is their sole caretaker.” Let’s help Edna get well and return to enjoying time with her family.

Mu is a 38-year-old woman who lives in a rural Burmese village with her husband, son-in-law, five daughters, and ten-month-old grandson. Her eldest daughter got married last year, the middle two attend school, and the younger ones live at home. “Mu’s family harvests rice and grows vegetables on their land,” says our medical partner, Burma Border Projects (BBP). “They also keep chickens and pigs, which they occasionally sell when they need money.” Mu has a myoma -- a noncancerous growth in her uterus. “She can feel the mass in her abdomen and cannot sleep well due to back and abdominal pain,” BBP explains. “As she is unable to afford treatment in Burma, she has to cross the Thailand border to seek medical care. Each time she comes to Thailand, she has to stop working and take out a small loan to cover transportation costs.” Treatment to remove Mu’s myoma costs $1,500. This cost covers transportation to Thailand, a CT scan, and outpatient visits pre-surgery. “Once Mu has received treatment, she will be able to go back to work with her family and will not have to borrow money to cross the border,” BBP continues. “This will enable her to support her children to go to school and pursue their own interests. She will also be free from pain and discomfort and be able to live a life full of dignity.” “In the future, I will go back to my work on the farm – I am happy to stay in my village,” shares Mu. “I will be so happy to have surgery. I feel like I am carrying something inside so I want to take it out.”

"Fadix is from a war zone in Somalia. Her mother is unwell and cannot afford transport to get Fadix to the hospital," explains our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation. One of Fadix's relatives brought her in to the hospital after noticing she was unable to pass stool normally. Fadix is a smiling newborn living in Ethiopia. She was born with an anorectal malformation. After she was born, she immediately underwent surgery to get a colostomy, an artificial passage to make it easier for her to eliminate waste. The colostomy is now blocked and she needs surgery in order to pass stool healthily. "It’s hard for us to get medical treatment for Fadix where we live. If Fadix does not get help here, we are afraid that she will die,” her relatives say. Fadix's family does not have the money they need to cover her medical bills and are eager for her to get better. With $1500, Fadix will receive an anorectoplasty. This operation will surgically create a new passage through which Fadix will pass stool. This operation will eliminate her need for a colostomy and ensure that she can eliminate waste from her body and grow into a healthy young child.