Izaki is a one-month-old baby boy from Tanzania, born on May 4, 2016. He is the only child to his mother. She is very happy to have Izaki, who is a quiet baby and feeds well. Izaki was born with bilateral clubfoot and contracted wrists and fingers. If left untreated, as Izaki gets older, this condition will begin to affect his gait; he will be forced to use the lateral aspect of his feet, which will also be painful. Izaki's mother and father both work as small scale farmers, but are in need of financial support to make Izaki's treatment possible. Izaki’s mother is trying her best to care for her son and desperately needs him to be treated so that he can grow up like other children. “All I wish is for my son to have normal feet and hands like other children,” says Izaki’s mother. With $1,160 this will be possible. Izaki will undergo a corrective operation that, when he begins to walk, will allow him to move properly and without pain. Izaki will be able to live a healthy childhood.

Meet Mya Htay, a 41-year-old woman from Burma. Mya Htay lives with her father, her 15-year-old nephew, and her 11-year-old niece. In September of 2015, Mya Htay began experiencing particularly heavy bleeding. She also began to experience back pain and cramps in her lower abdomen. As she was tied up working in Bangkok to support her family, she never sought treatment in Burma. In November 2015, the symptoms were still present. Mya Htay visited a hospital in Bangkok to get checked out. There she received an ultrasound test that uncovered a 6 cm uterine mass. The hospital referred her to a gynecological specialist, who presented her with the option of having surgery or leaving it alone and hoping it goes away on its own. She was prescribed some vitamins and was given a follow up appointment; however she didn’t attend because she went back home March of 2016 to see her family and rest. According to her: “It is hard and very expensive to get complex surgeries in Burma and Burmese hospitals can only do minor treatments." Mya Htay returned to back to work in April 2016 due to financial hardship, even though she was still unwell. Her whole body was tired, she was experiencing joint pain and abdominal pain, had no appetite, and began to see the mass protruding from her skin. Mya Htay’s sister-law is a staff member of Mae Tao Clinic (MTC), a Watsi partner, so she decided to make the trip up to Mae Sot. In order to cover the fees for the trip, the treatment, and support the family while she unable to work, Mya Htay’s sister borrowed 1,000,000 Kyat (approx. 1000 USD) at 5% interest. The trip costs 10,000 kyat (approx. 10 USD) and took approximately three hours. MTC then referred her to the Watsi program for treatment funding. All of Mya Htay’s symptoms are still present, and now her blood pressure is getting dangerously low. Not only does her condition prevent her from working, she is unable to do daily tasks around the house like she used to. She is exhausted and feels too much pain to clean or take care of her family. Mya Htay is quite stressed about not being able to provide for her family because of her condition. Mya is a strong, hard working and independent woman. In her spare time, she loves to unwind by reading magazines. Her dream is to one day own her own home. $1,500 will fund the surgery Mya Htay needs to recover. "After surgery, I am hopeful that I can return to work and pay back my debt," she said.

Stella is a 46-year-old mother of three children living in Kenya. She operates a small green grocery, often selling pre-prepared vegetables to earn a living; and her husband is a carpenter and his income is small. Stella has cervical cancer, and she experiences fatigue and lower abdominal pain from time to time. Due to this fatigue, Stella is unable to attend to her business and has to close it most times. Stella went for cervical cancer screening and a LEEP procedure (treatment for abnormal cells on the cervix) in November 2015. Afterwards, the doctor advised for a total abdominal hysterectomy (TAH) procedure for better management of her CIN 3 (severely abnormal cells found on the surface of the cervix). If not treated, her condition may spread. However, a TAH for $800 can reduce the chances of further cancer development and spread. Stella will be relieved from the pain and fatigue and she will be able to work. “I hope to live longer and see my grandchildren," Stella said.

"Gregoria began to feel strange in late February, after she gave birth in her home," our medical partner, Wuqu Kawoq' (WK), tells us about the 24-year old mother. She has epilepsy, causing her to experience multiple seizures a day. Due to the epilepsy, a chronic condition that causes seizures, Gregoria often loses consciousness for a few minutes at a time. After the seizure, she experiences severe headaches and numbness in her hands and feet. As she lives in a rural mountain town in Guatemala, Gregoria does not have access to high-quality medical care. Her husband works in the fields, however he has been staying home more often to help care for the baby and Gregoria. For Gregoria to receive treatment, she will have to travel from her town to Guatemala City with her husband. Treatment will consist of diagnostic tests along with medications to regulate her seizures. In total, the treatment and travel will cost $967. "This treatment will help clarify Gregoria's condition, allowing our medical team to give her the follow-up care she needs," WK explains. "It will relieve the stress-both emotional and economic- that her family is feeling." "I just want her to get better and be able to spend time with our family," Gregoria's husband expresses.

Charles is an 11-year-old student in Haiti living with a congenital heart condition called Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF). This means Charles has a hole between the two chambers of his heart, and a muscular blockage of one of the heart's valves. As a result, Charles's heart cannot deliver enough oxygen to his body, making him sickly and weak. TOF carries a 35% mortality rate in the first year of life, and a 50% mortality rate in the first three years of life. It can also cause delayed growth and development later in life. Charles lives with his parents, younger brother, cousins and their family. He is in fourth grade, but his illness caused him to stop school late last year. He likes math and science, and would like to be an engineer or architect when he grows up. Charles needs surgical intervention to repair his heart. The goal is to repair the defects, including enlarging the blocked heart valve and patching the hole to improve blood flow and oxygen delivery to his lungs. Our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, works to maintain a network of overseas referral hospitals in the United States, Canada, and elsewhere that are capable of accepting cases too complex to be attempted in-country. They organize not only the cost of the surgery, but also host family stay, airline fees, food, and travel insurance for the patient and parents for the duration of the medical care. Through Haiti Cardiac Alliance, $5,000 of the total cost has been subsidized by the Health City Cayman Islands, a medically advanced tertiary hospital located in Grand Cayman. Haiti Cardiac Alliance tells us that Charles’ family needs an additional $1,500 to cover the costs. Following surgery, normal blood flow should be restored to Charles's heart and he should not have any further cardiac symptoms. "I am excited to have this surgery so that I can go back to school and play with my friends again,” says Charles.

Meet Delinor! At four years old, Delinor is the oldest child in his family. He and his parents live in Haiti, where his father earns a wage as a road-side vendor. His mother is currently looking for work to help support the family. “Delinor was born with a condition called severe subaortic stenosis, in which part of the heart new the aortic valve is unusually narrow, causing blood to back up and leaving him sickly and weak,” explains our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance (HCA). “If not stretched to a normal size, this condition could eventually become fatal.” The vast majority of Haitian people cannot access the care they need. The existing healthcare system was mostly destroyed by the major earthquake in 2010, and the services that are available are unaffordable to the average Haitian citizen. To correct his heart condition, Delinor needs care that is only available in the Cayman Islands. Pre-operative care, transport to the treatment centre, passports and visas, and the cost of the stay at the centre total $1500, a cost that is out of reach for Delinor’s family. Once there, the treatment centre will subsidize his operation that will restore normal blood flow to his heart. After the surgery, he should experience no more symptoms from his condition. “We have known that Delinor had a heart problem ever since he was a baby but we were very sad because we thought there was no way to fix it,” shares his mother. “We are glad that God is answering our prayers.”

Princess is a two-month-old girl who lives with her parents in Kenya. Her father is a carpenter and her mother stays home to care for her. Princess was born with spina bifida, a congenital condition caused by an incomplete vertebrae closing around the spinal cord. This causes areas of the spinal cord to bulge outwards, forming a mass. The mass causes Princess to be in a lot of pain, and has taken an emotional toll on her parents. “Princess's agonizing cries, whenever the mass is touched, crushes their soul. They do their best to comfort and sooth her, but are always left feeling helpless,” says her doctor at African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). Without treatment, Princess is at risk for developing complications, such as paralysis or scoliosis, an abnormal spinal curvature. Fortunately, AMHF can help Princess and her family. Spina bifida closure surgery will cost a total of $805 and “will help prevent risk of infections, development of a tethered spinal cord and paralysis of Princess's legs.” “Please help our firstborn daughter make it,” adds Princess’ mother.

“Zaw is a playful 19-month-old baby who suffers from a neurological condition called encephalocele,” our medical partner, Burma Border Projects (BBP), tells us. Zaw lives with his parents, sister, and grandmother in Burma. An encephalocele is a sac of brain tissue that protrudes through a structural gap in the front or back of the skull. They are very rare, occurring in one in 5,000 births. Protrusions in the front of the skull—as is the case with little Zaw—are more common in Southeast Asia than those at the back and may cause difficulty seeing, breathing, or eating. Infection of the encephalocele due to injury or rupture is a major concern and can be life-threatening. BBP continues, “Since Zaw was born, the mass has now grown. It covers the bridge of his nose, the top of his left cheek, and his left eye. If something accidently touches the mass on his face, then he cries loudly, but otherwise he is a playful, happy little boy.” Zaw’s father works as a day laborer in construction, and his mother stays at home to take care of Zaw and his sister. They have been very worried about their son’s condition. $1,500 will fund surgery to remove Zaw's encephalocele, repair the hole in his skull with a bone graft, and reconstruct his face. Funding also covers eight days of hospital care, transportation to and from the hospital, and three post-operative follow-up appointments. BBP says, “Encephalocele repair will improve Zaw's future. He will no longer have disfiguration and will also be able to see and breathe better.” Let’s help fund surgery for Zaw!

Two-year-old Waldy was abandoned as a baby in a hospital in Haiti. Waldy has hydrocephalus -- a congenital neurological condition in which cerebrospinal fluid builds up in the brain, causing the head to swell. A group of doctors found Waldy and brought him to our medical partner, Project Medishare (PM), after they'd heard Waldy could receive treatment at no cost. “Waldy's head is swollen,” shares PM. "He cries a lot during nights and he is not able to carry his head.” With $1,260, Waldy can receive a hydrocephalus shunt replacement to remove the excess fluid in his brain. "The treatment and the surgery will positively change his health condition," PM shares. "Waldy will have a healthier life and his head won't get much bigger abnormally. We will be able to save his life." "After Wadly gets the surgery he needs to develop and survive, we plan to return him to his family with help and advocacy," PM adds. "He was in a terrible condition, but being returned with this surgery, he will not only be a miracle of hope but a testimony to everyone that these children are valued."

“Bayron is an only child. He loves to sing and imitate the tune when his mother sings, even if he cannot yet say the words,” shares our medical partner, Wuqu’ Kawoq (WK). Bayron is a 16-month-old baby from Guatemala with acute malnutrition. “Bayron is far below the average weight and height for his age. The long term effects of malnutrition include increased risk of chronic diseases, and low economic productivity,” WK reports. Because most children are malnourished in the town where Bayron lives, his mother did not realize he was malnourished until WK visited him. This is due in part to how malnutrition is normalized in Guatemala. There are few examples of how a healthy child grows and develops, so it is difficult for parents to recognize the warning signs." $535 will fund the treatment Bayron needs to address his malnutrition. “This treatment will supply Baryon with the growth monitoring, micronutrient and food supplementation, and medication for him to recoup some of the weight and height he has lost, strengthen his immune system, and increase his overall caloric intake.” In addition, Bayron’s parents will receive intensive nutrition education so that they can continue to care for him throughout his childhood. “Without intervention his immune system will weaken and his energy will decline,” WK continues. “Intervention now will prevent the future devastating effects of malnutrition, and give Bayron the chance to live a healthy productive life.” This comprehensive health plan will ensure that Bayron and his family are placed on a successful path for the future.

Meet Sambath, a 58-year-old woman from Cambodia. Our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC), shares, “Sambath is married with six children and seven grandchildren. She spends her free time doing house work.” Sambath has a cataract in one of her eyes. Cataracts are a condition in which a structure develops over the eye lens, causing blurred vision, which can worsen over time. When they reach maturation, cataracts can lead to swelling and cover the entire lens with an opaque layer. Sambath’s cataract is so severe that Sambath worries she will go blind in her eye. CSC explains that the cataract causes Sambath to, “have a very hard time doing work at the farm and in her house. She also can't go to the pagoda as much as she would like.” For $150 we can fund Sambath’s treatment. She will receive a surgery in which her blurred lens will be replaced with a clear lens implant. CSC concludes, after surgery “Sambath will have fully restored vision.” CSC tells us, "After surgery Sambath would like to get back on the farm so she can help support her family. She also is looking forward to going to the pagoda with no problems."

“I want to be healthy and free from worry,” shares 34-year-old Mar, a mother and market vendor from Thailand. Mar has an ovarian cyst, a fluid-filled sac that has formed on one of her ovaries. “She is in pain when she sits and sometimes even loses sleep,” our medical partner, Burma Border Projects (BBP), tells us. “Her legs and arms ache as well, and she is no longer able to work as much as before.” Because Mar is unable to work regularly, her 14-year-old son has stopped going to school to help earn money to support the family. The recommended treatment for Mar is surgical removal of her uterus and ovaries—procedures known as a total hysterectomy and oophorectomy, respectively. Mar’s stage three uterus prolapse, in which her pelvic muscles and the ligaments that support the uterus are weakened, also calls for specific treatment. $1500 in funding will cover the cost of the surgeries as well as a seven-day hospital stay and one outpatient appointment post-surgery. BBP explains, “After treatment, Mar will be able to return to work. She will no longer suffer from pain and will be able to earn an income again without worrying about further medical complications.” “I want to be able to work regularly and earn enough money to spoil my children,” says Mar. “I want my son to return to school to continue with his education. I wish that my children will have better education that I was able to.”