Pong is a cheerful 11-year-old student from Cambodia. He lives in Kampot Province with his parents and two siblings. His father works as a reporter at a radio station, and his mother stays at home to care for the family and manage household tasks. He is the middle child of three children. He is in the fifth grade and enjoys mathematics. He dreams of becoming an army officer when he grows up. During his free time, he enjoys playing football with his friends in the village and likes eating fried onions with beef. Pong has camptodactyly of the left thumb, a congenital condition affecting the proximal phalanx of his left first finger. This limits the movement of his thumb and causes pain when he tries to bend it. This affects his ability to use his hand normally for schoolwork, daily activities, and play. Pong's family learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), and sought treatment. On May 20th, Pong will undergo surgery on his hand that will improve his strength and mobility. Now, he needs help to fund this $582 procedure. Pong's mother said, “I pray that this surgery will help straighten his finger, improve its movement, and allow him to use his hand more normally and confidently in his daily life.”

Mouykeang is a four-year-old child from Kandal province in Cambodia, near the border with Vietnam. She is an only child and lives with her parents and grandparents. Mouykeang's father works as a truck driver, while her mother is a homemaker. Her grandparents stay at home as well, raising frogs in a pond behind the house. Mouykeang is currently in kindergarten and enjoys English class. She enjoys watching cartoons and loves eating rice with a fried egg on top. Mouykeang and her father came to Children's Surgical Centre to seek treatment for a bone condition affecting her left leg. She had received surgery at another hospital in December 2023 to treat an infection, and a second surgery in February this year when the infection recurred. Because her condition has been difficult to manage, Mouykeang was sent to our medical partner's care centre, Children’s Surgical Centre, for further care. There, she was found to have a leg bone that didn't heal properly after a fracture, along with an infection in that area. On August 14th, Mouykeang will undergo surgery on her left shinbone, and surgeons will also affix an external frame to help support her recovery. Mouykeang and her family are able to contribute $100 towards the cost of her treatment and need help raising $369 more to fund the procedure. Mouykeang's father says, "I hope she will be able to walk comfortably and grow up happy and free of pain."

Enock is a nine-year-old boy from Uganda. His parents separated, and Enock was adopted by his aunt, a farmer who grows beans and maize. When Enock was born, he developed right scrotal swelling and was taken to different hospitals for treatment. After a scan, Enock was diagnosed with bilateral hydrocele which causes him intense pain. Fortunately, on November 7th, Enock will undergo repair surgery and our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $201 to fund Enock's surgery. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully allow him to live more comfortably. Enock's aunt says, “I am very happy to have to have brought my child to see the surgeon because he has been sick for a long time and not getting proper treatment. After the operation of my son, I will continue taking good care of him and my family as well.’’

That is a loving grandmother from Kampong Cham province. Tragically, she was widowed when her husband of 51 years passed away two years ago. She now lives with her only daughter and her five children. That was a rice farmer with her husband, but has now passed on the land and tradition to her daughter and her family. She enjoys going to the pagoda on holy days and listening to the monks' chanting. One year ago, That developed a cataract in her left eye. When That learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for three and a half hours seeking treatment. On February 2nd, doctors will perform small incision cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in her left eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Now, she needs help to fund this $253 procedure. That said: "I feel bad because I cannot see to help my family, but I am hopeful I can see after this operation and cook and clean for my family again."

Vireak is originally from Ratanakiri province, but most of his family has recently moved closer to Phnom Penh province. He resides with his elderly widowed mother as his father died of lung disease about 20 years ago. He has two older sisters and one older brother who help to support their mother and live nearby. When not delivering food on his motorbike, he likes to play volleyball or go fishing. For as far back as he can remember, Vireak has had servere allergies, including nasal congestion, headaches, and frequent infections. He often has a runny nose and nasal discharge, which makes it difficult for him to interact with customers. Common medications purchased from the local pharmacy only help for a short time. Vireak sought medical assistance at a local clinic where a diagnosis revealed a deviated septum, a condition where the thin wall separating the right and left nasal passages is displaced. Patients with a deviated septum suffer from breathing difficulties, frequent nosebleeds, and disrupted sleep. However, he was unable to pay for the suggested surgery and was referred to our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, for care. Vireak needs help to fund the $319 septoplasty procedure, which will cover surgery, hospitalization, and all medications. After surgery, Vireak will have improved breathing and relief of symptoms. Vireak said: "I really hope that after this surgery my nose will be better, it will be easy to breathe without nose pain or headaches."

Lim is a 61-year-old rice farmer living with her husband in Kampong Cham province, Cambodia. They have two sons, three daughters, and three grandchildren. One son is a monk and her youngest daughter is a student in the twelfth grade. The other children are all construction workers. She and her husband work all day in the rice paddies to ensure the children have completed school and can support themselves. After work, Lim likes to listen to the monks chanting on the radio or visit the local pagoda for ceremonies. For the past several months, Lim has had an ulceration on the side of her mouth. She visited a government hospital, where she was given medication, but it does not heal and has continued to grow. The lesion bleeds when touched and is very painful for her. She is frequently nauseated and has difficulty chewing and swallowing. Lim has now been diagnosed with oral cancer. The government hospital recommended chemotherapy, but she is unable to afford the care. Fortunately, doctors at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, can help. Lim will undergo cancer surgery to remove and replace the bone. Her surgery, medications, and post-operative care will cost $726. Lim says, "I hope after surgery I will feel better, have no pain and can go back to the rice field to help my husband."

Residing in Kampong Thom province alongside her parents, two brothers, and two sisters, Sine's family earns their livelihood from the nearby rice paddies. Sine's favorite food is Khmer noodle soup, and she finds she loves Cambodian Studies. During her free time, she engages in reading and enjoys playing with her siblings. When she grows up, she wants to attend a prestigious university and ultimately pursue a career as a doctor. Sine was born with a hairy nevus - a type of birthmark characterized by a darkly pigmented, often raised patch of skin covered with hair. These birthmarks can vary significantly in size and appearance, ranging from small and barely noticeable to larger and more prominent. Hairy nevi are present at birth and are caused by an overgrowth of pigment cells in the skin. While most hairy nevi are harmless, larger ones may carry a slightly increased risk of developing into skin cancer, particularly melanoma. As Sine has gotten older, her insecurities around her birthmark have led to her missing a lot of school. In the pursuit of a solution, Sine and her mother traveled to Kien Khleang National Rehabilitation Centre, the care center of our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC) for treatment. The doctors at CSC devised a treatment plan for Sine. On November 15th, 2023, Sine is scheduled for a partial removal of the nevus, with a follow-up in six months for additional planning and removal. Skilled surgeons at CSC will conduct the initial operation, employing skin grafting from her scalp to excise part of the nevus. This intervention aims to restore Sine's confidence, enabling her to resume regular school attendance, and to minimize her future health risks. CSC is requesting $726 to help fund the cost of this transformative procedure for Sine. Her mother shared, "I hope she can feel better and will want to play with her friends."

Meet Meng Ly, a nine-year-old 2nd grade student, living with his father - who is a rice farmer - and younger brother.. Meng Ly enjoys reading and playing football when he is not in school. A year ago, Meng Ly developed a sore throat, and also began to experience difficulty swallowing, and hearing clearly. Frequently unwell, Meng Ly began to miss school. Finally, he was diagnosed with enlarged tonsils and adenoids, which require surgical intervention, to prevent his symptoms from persisting, and possibly intensifying over time. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $265 to fund a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy for Meng Ly, which is scheduled to take place on September 8th, at Kien Khleang National Rehabilitation Centre. Surgeons will remove his tonsils and adenoids, relieving Meng Ly of his symptoms, and enabling him to live much more comfortably, and to enjoy the life of a nine year old boy. Meng Ly says: "I hope I can eat and drink without pain."

Jean Pierre is a 45-year-old father from Haiti who lives with his wife and daughter. To help support his family, he works at the local city hall. His daughter was a previous Watsi patient and received life-changing surgery with the help of amazing donors. When bringing his daughter in a few months ago for a post-op checkup, he mentioned that he has been experiencing the same symptoms as his daughter for many years. After further examination, doctors found that Jean Pierre has the same life-threatening condition as his daughter and has somehow survived to his age! He was born with a cardiac condition called patent ductus arteriosus, a condition in which blood leaks through a hole between two large blood vessels near the heart. After years of feeling weak and experiencing poor health, Jean Pierre's heart condition will finally be treated. On July 14th, doctors will use a catheter to insert a device into the hole so that blood can no longer leak through it. Our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, is raising $1,500 to pay for Jean Pierre's life-saving procedure. Jean Pierre shares, "My family and I are very grateful that so many people are making it possible for me to have this surgery!"

Mean is a beautiful five-year-old boy from Cambodia who has one sister and three brothers. He enjoys watching cartoons at home and playing with his four siblings. To support their family, his father is a construction worker, and his mother manages their home and cares for the children. Last August, Mean was badly burned across most of his body in a petroleum accident. Although his parents took him to a specialty children's hospital to receive care, he eventually developed severe burn contractures. Contractures occur when the skin surrounding a scar matures, thickens, and tightens, preventing movement. He is no longer able to stand straight due to a contracture of his right hip. He has burn contractures on his forearm, right elbow, and both armpits. He also has keloid scars, or enlarged and raised scarring, on both ears. He currently experiences itching all over his body and difficulty sleeping. When Mean's family learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), they traveled for two hours seeking treatment. On August 4th, surgeons at CSC will perform a burn contracture release surgery to release the painful contractures. This will allow him to stand and walk straight, as well as grow at a healthy rate. Now, his family needs help funding this $495 procedure. Mean's mother says, "I hope the doctors can help Mean so he will not be in pain or ashamed when he is ready to go to school."

Maxwell is a two-year-old boy from Kenya. Maxwell’s mother works casually in construction sites. His father left them when he learned of his son’s condition. Maxwell is an only child and lives with his mother in a single-rental house in Kiharo Village in Central Kenya. Maxwell was born with hypospadias, a congenital abnormality that causes urinary dysfunction. Without treatment, he will continue to experience uncomfortable symptoms and will be at risk of infertility. Fortunately, Maxwell is scheduled to undergo corrective surgery on February 25th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $700 to cover the total cost of his procedure and care. “Life is very tough. I earn very little from helping out on construction sites and it cannot cater for the surgery my son needs. Please help me,” says Maxwell’s mother.