Htwe is a 61-year-old man living with his wife, brother-in-law, sister-in-law and niece, in a refugee camp in Thailand. His wife and his brother-in-law are day laborers, while his sister-in-law is a homemaker. His niece is a student. Htwe is currently unemployed. Since 2021, Htwe has lived with an incarcerated inguinal hernia. This hernia causes him discomfort when he walks and pain. It is because of his condition that Htwe has been unable to work. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund Htwe's hernia repair surgery, which is scheduled for October 12th at Mae Sot General Hospital. Once he has recovered, Htwe's symptoms should finally be resolved, allowing him to return to work, and to a more comfortable life. Htwe said: "I want to recover so that I can find work to make money for my family. Now we have a hard time trying to make ends meet, as we do not have a regular income. I am the only one that eats without work. Thank you to all the kind people who are supporting my costs."

Meet Pisey, a 35-year-old woman who is happily married and has a son currently studying in the sixth grade. Both she and her husband are dedicated construction workers, spending long hours working under the sun. Apart from her work, Pisey finds joy in preparing delicious meals for her beloved family at home. For several years, Pisey has had nasal congestion; this has resulted in chronic headaches, pain, fatigue, and frequent infections. She visited the local provincial hospital, where she was given medication, but it has not improved. Her family is financially burdened when she cannot work due to her illness, and she is not paid when she does not work. Fortunately, our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC), can help. Surgeons have diagnosed Pisey with a deviated septum that is blocking her nose and affecting airflow. A deviated septum occurs when the septum bends enough in one direction to become crooked. This can make breathing difficult. On July 18th, surgeons at CSC will perform a septoplasty to relieve her pain and help her live and work comfortably again. Now, she needs your help raising $333 to fund this treatment. The cost will cover hospitalization, medications, supplies, and post-operative care. Pisey said:"I hope to breathe better and sleep well after surgery. I want to care for my son and work so he will stay in school."

Anne is a 13-day-old baby from Haiti. She is loved deeply by her parents and big brother. Anne has been diagnosed with hydrocephalus, a condition in which excess cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the brain and increases intracranial pressure. As a result of her condition, Anne has been experiencing an increased head circumference. Without treatment, Anne will experience severe physical and developmental delays. Our medical partner, Project Medishare, is requesting $957 to cover the cost of hydrocephalus treatment for Anne at Hospital Bernard Mevs, the only hospital in the country where this care is currently available. The procedure is schedule to take place on May 30th. This critical treatment will place a shunt to drain the excess fluid from Anne's brain to reduce intracranial pressure and greatly improve her quality of life as she grows. With proper treatment, Anne will hopefully develop into a strong, healthy young girl. Anne's family is hopeful that this early intervention will allow her to develop into a healthy young girl!

Srey Pov is a 46-year-old garment worker. She has been divorced for ten years and has one son and one daughter who are both students. She and her children live in Phnom Penh City. When she is free from work, she likes to listen to music on her phone. About ten years ago, Srey Pov developed a pterygium in her right eye, causing her itchiness, tearing, and poor vision. Pterygiums are non-cancerous growths of the conjunctiva, a mucous layer that lubricates the eye. The growths occur when the conjunctiva is exposed to excessive sun damage and the cells grow abnormally over the pupil. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, recognizing faces, working, and going anywhere outside. When Srey Pov learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for one hour seeking treatment. Srey Pov needs a surgical procedure to remove the abnormal conjunctiva from the cornea surface and replace it with a conjunctival graft to prevent a recurrence. The total cost of her procedure is $225. This covers medications, supplies, and inpatient care for two days. The procedure is scheduled for April 28th. Srey Pov said: "I hope after surgery the irritation and burning in my eye will stop. I want to continue my work, do housework and go outside like before."

Kanhchana is a clever 4th grader. She lives in rural Kratie province with her parents and two older brothers. Her mother is a teacher, and her father is a police officer. Her dream is to be a lawyer when she's older. For now, she is busy in school and gets good grades. Before her injury, she liked to jump rope with her friends. On January 23rd, she was playing with her friends when she fell and wounded her ankle. She went to clinic near her house a day later and started taking antibiotics. A few weeks after that, she went to a local referral hospital and had a cast for 20 days, but the wound has still not healed. She experiences pain, wound discharge, and difficulty walking. When Kanhchana's family learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, they traveled for five hours seeking treatment. On April 6th, surgeons at CSC will perform a debridement procedure to remove the damaged and infected tissue from the wound. Now, Kanhchana's family needs help to fund this $324 procedure. After surgery, her family is hopeful that the wound will be able to finally heal and she can grow up healthy, happy, and active.

In 2018, Jerry noticed a palpable mass under his jaw that kept increasing in size. Although he sought medical attention, Jerry and his family were unable to support his continued need for medications and checkups. Over time, the mass kept growing, causing swelling in his neck. Due to his condition, Jerry was unable to receive job orders and support his family. This has affected his self-esteem and confidence in socializing with other people. Fortunately, a few months ago Jerry was referred by his friend to our medical partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines. Doctors assessed Jerry and diagnosed him with a submandibular gland tumor. This condition usually presents as a painless neck mass but may progress into cancer if not treated immediately. World Surgical Foundation Philippines is helping Jerry access the care he needs and is asking for your help to fund his $1,479 procedure on March 11th. Jerry shared, "I’ve been praying to the Lord to heal my condition. Gladly, he sent you as an answer to my prayers. I may not be able to return the favor, but I’ll continuously pray that the Lord bless you more. Thank you so much, WATSI and World Surgical Foundation Philippines for helping me!”

Saruni is a 10-year-old girl from Tanzania. She comes from a large culturally polygamous family with over twenty siblings. Her father is a cattle breeder and farmer who does not earn much from the livelihood. Due to this, Saruni was forced to drop out of school two years ago because her school fees could not be paid. She started working when she was very young as a house manager in people's houses. She has grown to be a very responsible girl. In early 2022, while Saruni was preparing tea for the employer, she tripped over while carrying a pot with hot tea, burning her left arm. She was taken to a military hospital for treatment where she received treatment for her wounds that took months for them to heal. Burn scar contractures have now developed, tightening the skin around her burn. Now she finds it difficult to straighten her arm or carry a load that requires two capable hands. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is helping Saruni receive treatment. On March 2nd, surgeons at their care center will perform a burn contracture release surgery to treat the damaged skin around her elbow. This will increase the extension of her elbow and will reduce the pain she feels when she tries to use her arm. Her father can’t afford to pay for the treatment and he is asking for help to fund this $639 procedure. Saruni says, “I am happy that I am going to get treatment and my arm will be better.”

Elysee is a 26-year-old farmer. He resides with his parents and several other relatives on a small farm in the mountains of central Haiti. Elysee lives with a double outlet right ventricle. This means that Elysee's aorta and pulmonary artery do not connect to the usual places in the heart. This condition, which is present from birth, can lead to numerous heart problems, making it rare for someone with this condition to live to adulthood. While Baylor Scott and White Heart Hospital are contributing $10,000 to fund corrective cardiac surgery for Elysee on February 28th, our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, is seeking $1,500 to fund the costs of Elysee's pre-surgical prep; lab tests; medicines and follow up appointments. The money is also needed to support the travel costs for the social workers from Haiti Cardiac Alliance, who will accompany Elysee and his family on their trip to the United States. Elysee said: "I am excited to finally be healthy for the first time in my life!"

Manin is an eight-year-old student in grade three. She and her family live in Kampong Cham province. Her father is a driver, and her mother stays home to care for the children, including her younger brother and sister. In school, her favorite subjects are Khmer literature and mathematics. At home, she likes to eat her mother's fried pork and soup, and ride her bicycle around the village. When Manin is older, she would like to be a nurse. For the past four years, Manin has been experiencing a sore throat and difficulty swallowing. Her mother said she has had throat problems since she was a small child, accompanied by infections and high fevers. In the last few years, Manin has lost her appetite because of difficulty swallowing and it is hard for her to breathe at night. Manin was recently diagnosed with enlarged tonsils and adenoids, which, if not treated, will cause her symptoms to persist and possibly intensify over time. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is helping Manin receive a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy, which is scheduled to take place on January 24th. Surgeons will remove her tonsils and adenoids, hopefully relieving Manin of her symptoms and helping her live much more comfortably. Manin's family needs help raising $265 to fund her procedure and care. Manin's mother said: "We hope Manin will no longer have infections. She can swallow without pain, eat better, and not take so much medicine."

Sreang is a widowed, 69-year-old retired rice farmer. She is from Kandal province, and has two sons, two daughters, and twelve grandchildren. Sreang's husband passed away forty years ago and since then, she has worked hard to look after her family as a single mom. Currently, she lives with her youngest daughter, who sells vegetables in front of her home. In 2002, Sreang developed a pterygium in her left eye, which causes her blurry vision, itchiness, and tearing. Pterygiums are non-cancerous growths of the conjunctiva, a mucous layer that lubricates the eye. The growths occur when the conjunctiva is exposed to excessive sun damage, and the cells grow abnormally over the pupil. Sreang's visual impairments make it difficult for her to go about her life safely and independently. Sreang learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, and sought their help. Thanks to CSC, on January 5th, Sreang will undergo a surgical procedure at Kien Khleang National Rehabilitation Centre to remove the abnormal conjunctiva from the surface of her cornea, to be replaced with a conjunctival graft to prevent a recurrence. The total cost of her procedure - including medications, supplies and inpatient care - is $225, and Sreang is looking to you to help cover these costs. Sreang said: "I hope I will see again, and my eye will feel better."

Mary is an eight-year-old girl. She is a talkative and playful young girl. She is the last born in a family of seven children and the family is not well off financially. Both of her parents do casual jobs like ploughing people's farms for a living and such jobs are not easy to find where they live. Sometimes the church members chip in to help them where they can. When Mary was one year old, she was involved in an accident where she sustained burns to her head, some parts of her face and neck. She was rushed to the hospital and was admitted for better care. While in the hospital, a surgery was done on her head where she had sustained more burns. She was then discharged and booked for wound dressing clinics. The wounds were healing well as per the doctors’ plan. Her parents managed to take her for the clinics for a few months but later stopped because of finances. While at home, the wound got infected but due to lack of funds, she was not taken to hospital at that time. Time went by and the infection spread to most parts of the head. When she was three years old, the family met up with a local pastor who started helping them. He started financing Mary’s hospital visits with the help of some church members where he ministered. The wound was dressed again but the recovery process was very slow. In mid this year, the pastor brought them to Kijabe Hospital, she was examined, and the wound was dressed properly. Since then, the wound has been healing as expected. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Mary receive treatment. On December 9th, surgeons will perform a debridement and skin graft procedure to help the remaining wound to heal properly. Now, Mary's family needs help to fund this $1,185 procedure. Mary’s father says, "Since the accident, we have been struggling a lot to make her get the required treatment but have failed to some extent. Coming to Kijabe, our hopes have been boosted greatly with the improvement she has experienced, and we hope that she will go through with the surgery and be well again.”