Juoneck is an 11-year old girl from Tanzania. She lives with her father - a construction layman - and her mother - a self employed roadside grocery seller - and a younger sibling. Juoneck is passionate about pursuing her education, as she hopes to become a doctor. Juoneck lives with clubfoot, a congenital condition that limits her mobility, and impedes her participation in playing, sports, and long-distance walks. Despite these challenges, she remains determined in her pursuit of education and her dreams. Her parents recently met a good Samaritan, who was astonished to discover that Juoneck has been living with a treatable disability. The Samaritan directed them to our partner's center for treatment. Juoneck's family traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, Kafika House. There, on December 22nd, the team will begin clubfoot treatment on Juoneck. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $935 to fund Juoneck's clubfoot repair. After treatment, she will be able to walk easily and to participate in sports. Juoneck’s mother says: “I hope my daughter’s spirit won’t be limited by the condition she was born with. I hope this treatment will help correct her leg.”

Maria Jean is a loving mother of three from the Philippines. Maria Jean and her husband, Armando, have three children who are all studying. Armando works as a technician and earns around 216 USD a month. Maria Jean tutors other children to help with the family's expenses. She also takes care of all her children while suffering from a condition that physically limits her. Last year, Maria Jean began to experience troubling symptoms, including pain and itching, difficulty using the restroom, and blood in her stool. She was diagnosed with severe external hemorrhoids. She needs surgery to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. Fortunately, our medical partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines (WSFP), is helping Maria Jean receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a hemorrhoidectomy on November 25th at WSFP's care center. A portion of the cost of her treatment is being supported by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and WSFP is raising the remaining $1,285 to cover the cost of Maria Jean's procedure and care. Maria Jean shared: "This surgery will give me a second life. I will forever be grateful and indebted to the donors and people who will make this possible for me and my family."

Marife is a loving wife and mother from the Philippines. She previously worked as a janitor at Makati Medical Center but had to quit to give more time to her daughter, who has difficulty breathing with asthma. Marife occasionally does freelance work, but their family mostly depends on the income her husband makes as a janitor. Marife and her family reside in a Housing Relocation Site provided by the National Housing Authority. One year ago, Marife began to experience troubling symptoms, including vomiting and extreme abdominal pain. She described it as even worse pain than when she gave birth. For a year, she tried various medications and home remedies to help ease the pain, but to no avail. After seeking treatment through our medical partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines (WSFP), Marife was diagnosed with cholelithiasis, or gallstones. If left untreated, her symptoms will continue to worsen and put her at risk for further health complications in the future. Marife is scheduled to undergo a cholecystectomy (gallbladder removal) on October 21st. A portion of the cost of the procedure is being supported by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and WSFP is raising the remaining $1,128 to cover the cost of Marife's surgery and care. Marife says, "This surgery will be a great help for me and my family as it will regain my confidence. I have been through depression since I first felt my symptoms. This illness sacrificed my supervision and parenting time with my daughter. I had come to the point of being hopeless but thanks to this hospital and the donors I will fight and continue my life. I hope they can help more people like me who need an operation. Thank you very much."

Ma Pyae lives with her mother, brother, sister, and niece in Yangon Division, Burma. She works in a sewing factory, her younger sister is a day laborer, and her older brother is unemployed due to illness. Her mother is a homemaker, and her niece is a student. Their combined family income is enough to cover their daily expenses, but they cannot afford expensive surgery. Ma Pyae was born with a congenital heart defect, but her condition has deteriorated, and she has experienced fast breathing, heart palpitations, and cannot sleep. She went to see the doctor, received an echocardiogram, and was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect that affects the blood flowing through the lungs. Ma Pyae needs surgery as soon as possible. She still experiences heart palpitations and fast breathing if she is more active or walks a longer distance. She cannot sleep well at night because of her heart palpitations. Ma Pyae said, "I am a bit worried about my surgery, and I also worry that I will lose my job in the factory. After I recover from my surgery, I will continue to work in the same factory and contribute to my family."

Eduardo is a 55-year-old father from Philippines. He works as a tricycle driver and as an on-call painter to provide for his family. Despite his diligent efforts, his income is barely sufficient to meet their basic needs. In 2022, Eduardo began to experience troubling symptoms, including severe abdominal pain, shortness of breath, restlessness, and weight loss. Unable to tolerate his pain and discomforts, he sought a medical consultation. After an examination and laboratory tests, it was determined that he was suffering from chronic calculous cholecystitis, which is a condition characterized by inflammation of the gallbladder due to the presence of gallstones. Eduardo has been advised to undergo a cholecystectomy, the surgical removal of the gallbladder. If left untreated, his symptoms will continue to worsen and put him at risk for further health complications in the future. After seeking treatment through our medical partner World Surgical Foundation Philippines (WSFP), Eduardo is scheduled to undergo a cholecystectomy on August 12th. A portion of the cost of the procedure is being supported by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and WSFP is raising the remaining $1,128 to cover the cost of Eduardo's surgery and care. Eduardo shared how grateful he is to be one of the beneficiaries. He said, "This free surgery is a big help for me. I'll be eternally grateful to Watsi and World Surgical Foundation Philippines for their generosity."

Khin is 28-year-old man from Burma. He lives with his wife, two children, parents in-law, a brother-in-law, and a sister-in-law in a village in Karen State. Khin, his parents, and his sister-in-law are subsistence farmers, while his daughter and brother-in-law are students. His son is too young to enroll in school. They also raise chickens and pigs for their own consumption, forage for vegetables and go fishing. To pay school fees, Khin sometimes is able to get work as a day labourer. On July 10th, Khin was picking dog fruit when suddenly the branch he was standing on broke. He fell out of the tree on to a wooden dwelling and broke his spine. With the help of Watsi donors, he received a CT scan of his back which showed that he had indeed fractured his spine, and he was told that he would need to undergo surgery to heal. He is in pain, and he cannot walk. With the help of our medical partner Burma Children Medical Fund (BMC), Khin will undergo surgery to reset his fractured bones and ensure proper healing. The procedure is scheduled for July 19th and Khin needs help raising $1,500 to fund the surgery. This procedure will help him walk again. Khin shared, "I am not scared to receive surgery because I know I need to undergo it to recover."

Sephora, a 4-year-old girl with Down syndrome from Haiti, loves listening to music and drawing with crayons. She lives with her parents and three older siblings in a neighborhood in Port-au-Prince. Sephora has a cardiac condition called patent ductus arteriosus. Because of this condition, a hole exists between two blood vessels near her heart. Blood leaks through this hole, leaving her weak and short of breath. Sephora needs to fly to the Dominican Republic to receive cardiac treatment on May 29th. First, the doctors will perform tests to determine if the hole near her heart can be safely closed or whether it is better to manage the condition with medication. If the tests show a good result, the surgeons will close the hole using a device attached to the end of a catheter. Haiti Cardiac Alliance is contributing $6,000 to pay for Sephora's surgery. Sephora's family also needs help with her $1,500 surgery prep costs. This cost covers all her labs, medicines, check-ups, and follow-up appointments. It also covers the cost of passports and social workers accompanying Sephora's family overseas. Sephora's mother said, "I am very happy to know that my daughter finally has the chance to have her heart fixed!"

Six-year-old Tay lives with her mother, sister, and brother in a village in Shan State in Burma. Tay's mother is a teacher. When Tay was three years old, she was frequently ill with a rapid heartbeat and fingertips that would turn blue. Her mother brought her to a nearby hospital, where the doctor told them that Tay had congenital heart disease and would need to be treated in Yangon. However, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Tay's mother did not feel it was safe to take Tay to Yangon. When she turned five, Tay's symptoms worsened, and her mother brought her to a hospital in Yangon in August 2022. At the hospital, Tay was diagnosed with an atrial septal defect, and her mother was told that Tay would require surgery- which the family could not afford to pay for. Fortunately, Tay's aunt referred her to our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, for help. Now Tay is scheduled to undergo atrial septal defect closure at Pun Hlaing Hospital on May 13th. As Tay is becoming progressively more ill- with episodes of rapid breathing and weight loss due to a lack of appetite- this procedure is critical for her health and well-being. Burma Children Medical Fund is seeking $1,500 to cover the cost of Tay's care. “When I learned that my daughter [Tay] needs surgery, I felt very sad and I cried because I cannot afford to pay for her surgery. But when I learned that the organization [BCMF] will support the cost of my daughter’s surgery, I felt very happy and thankful to all the donors and that organization. I want to see her healthy,” said Tay's mother.

Khu is a 65-year-old woman from Burma. She lives with her nephew in a village in Karen State. Khu is a missionary while her nephew raises pigs and chickens for their own consumption. In her free time, she likes to read the Bible and pray. She also enjoys talking about her religious beliefs with her community. Khu has gallstones. She feels bloated and she cannot eat a lot of food. If she tries to eat more, she vomits. She experiences a burning sensation and pain in her abdomen and on the right side of her back. Her back pain intensifies when she sits for long periods of time and walks long distances. Khu has been advised to undergo a cholecystectomy, the surgical removal of the gallbladder. If left untreated, Khu's symptoms will continue to worsen and put her at risk for further health complications in the future. After seeking treatment through our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF), Khu is scheduled to undergo her cholecystectomy on April 19th. BCMF is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of Khu's procedure and care. "Thank you so much BCMF organization for supporting my treatment’s cost. I want to recover and become more active in my missionary work,” said Khu.