Emelita is a loving grandmother from the Philippines. Emelita has five children and is currently living with one of them. When she was younger, she worked hard as a laundrywoman to make ends meet for her family. Now that she is physically weaker due to her age, she takes care of her grandchildren and helps her daughter with the household chores. Three years ago, Emelita began to experience troubling symptoms, including severe stomach pain, upper back pain, fatigue, and rapid exhaustion. Whenever she feels her symptoms, she cannot perform her day-to-day tasks. She also knows that her daughter and grandchildren worry about her condition and are affected whenever she is in pain. After seeking treatment, Emelita has been advised to undergo a cholecystectomy, the surgical removal of the gallbladder. If left untreated, her symptoms will continue to worsen and put her at risk for further health complications. After seeking treatment through our medical partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines (WSFP), Emelita is scheduled to undergo a cholecystectomy on October 14th. 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 Emelita's surgery and care. Emelita says, "I am very grateful for this surgery opportunity because it will help me and my family. I feel like I have been a burden to them, especially when my symptoms act up. This surgery will enable me to regain my ability to do my day-to-day tasks and household activities to help my family."

Mon is a 40-year-old mother from Thailand. She lives with her husband and son in a small village. She is a seamstress while her husband is unemployed. Her son goes to nursery school. In her free time, she enjoys playing with her son and riding bikes with him. Since 2015, Mon has been experiencing pain in the right side of her abdomen. She has been diagnosed with uterine myoma. She has been advised to undergo a total abdominal hysterectomy, the surgical removal of her uterus and cervix. If left untreated, Mon's symptoms will continue to worsen and put her at risk for further health complications in the future. Fortunately, Mon is scheduled to undergo her hysterectomy on July 19th. Our medical partner Burma Children Medical Fund (BCM) is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of her procedure and care. Once recovered, she will no longer experience pain. She said, “I was depressed when I learned I have to undergo surgery, but my husband comforted me and encouraged me to continue seeking medical treatment so I will feel better.”

Susan is a soft-spoken woman from Kenya. She is a widow and a mother of six children who are now all adults. She currently resides in her ancestral home in Limuru, Kenya. For four months, Susan has been experiencing pain and abnormal bleeding. She has been diagnosed with endometrial hyperplasia, a precancerous condition that impacts her quality of life. She needs to undergo a hysterectomy, a procedure in which surgeons will remove her uterus. Susan's national health insurance coverage has not been active, and despite reactivation, she will have to wait for more than 60 days before using it. However, she is unable to continue living with her condition as is and urgently needs to undergo her procedure to rid her body of the risk of cancer. Her family cannot afford her treatment and is appealing for financial assistance. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1260 to fund Susan's surgery. On June 1st, she will undergo gynecological surgery at our medical partner's care center. Once recovered, Susan will be able to resume her daily activities free of pain. Susan says, “I am old and need to get treatment for this bleeding condition. It is very uncomfortable.”

Aye is a 44-year-old teacher from Burma. She resides along with her husband, aunt, and niece. She works as a school teacher while her husband runs a betel nut shop. Her aunt is a homemaker and her niece goes to school. During her free time, Aye enjoys watching TV and reading. Aye has a heart condition that requires replacement of two heart valves (aortic and mitral) and repair of the tricuspid valve. These valves control the blood flow between the chambers of the heart and are necessary to prevent long term damage to the heart and lungs. For the past 14 years, Aye has suffered from her heart condition. Since the beginning of 2023, her symptoms worsened. Aye has been experiencing occasional chest pain and difficulty breathing which worsens with physical activities. She also has a decreased appetite, weight loss, and difficulty sleeping at night. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 for this complex surgery. The treatment is scheduled to take place at Pun Hlaing Hospital on November 23rd and, once completed, will hopefully allow her to live more comfortably and have a more active and healthy life ahead. Aye said: "I have been ill and taking medication for more than 10 years already. I feel sad and depressed living with this health problem. I want to get treated and live healthy like other people, but I cannot afford to pay for surgery. Since I learning that BCMF and donors will help me pay for my surgery, I am so excited to undergo surgery and become healthy again. I never thought that I would have the opportunity to receive a surgery since I cannot effort to pay for it myself. I am really grateful for your help and I am thankful to all the donors who will help pay for my treatment. May you all be in good health and may you have the ability to help more people in the future."

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."

Antonela, who is just two months old, lives in La Paz, Bolivia, with her parents and two older siblings. Antonela's parents both work as market vendors. Antonela was born with two heart defects: a hole between the two lower chambers of her heart, and a leak between two of the major vessels next to her heart. Fortunately, our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, can help Antonela access the care that she needs. As she is too small and fragile to repair both conditions at the same time, surgeons at Hospital del Niño Dr. Ovidio Aliaga Uría will first close the leak next to her heart on April 5th, allowing her to become stronger and more stable. Approximately one month later, Antonela will undergo a second heart surgery to close the hole inside her heart. She and her family need your support to raise the $1,500 for this critical procedure. Antonela's mother said: "Our family is all praying that after this surgery our daughter will be healthier and will start growing and gaining weight."

Chambi is a one-year-old baby. Her parents are hardworking farmers, working day in and day out to provide for their family in Tanzania. Chambi was born with clubfoot of the left foot. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. This causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Concerned for their daughter’s well-being, her parents took her to the local referral hospital, hoping for a solution but it was beyond the hospital's scope of care. Chambi’s mother reached out to our medical partner Plaster House NGO, an organization renowned for helping children like Chambi. Chambi’s mother went on a 2-day journey to our partner centre. There, the team will begin clubfoot treatment on September 15. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $935 to fund Chambi's clubfoot repair. After treatment, Chambi will be able to walk comfortably and wear shoes with ease when the time comes. Chambi's mother says, “It is my wish for my daughter to be healthy and okay, free from any kind of disability, I wish she gets the best treatment that will make her have a normal childhood.”

Kenn is a 26-year-old food handler from Philippines. He lives with his partner and has an income of $200 a month which is just enough to provide for their daily needs. In addition to his needed treatment, Kenn is worried because he already holds debts from a previous hospitalization. In March 2022, Kenn began to experience troubling symptoms, including severe stomachache, back pain, and vomiting. He was brought to the nearest hospital to receive urgent care. After a series of tests, he was diagnosed to have a gallstone. Unfortunately, he cannot afford his surgery and had it delayed. Consequently, his symptoms worsened as he experienced chest pain and yellow skin discoloration. He went back to his surgeon to be checked and was diagnosed with Chronic Calculous Cholecystitis. Kenn must undergo a cholecystectomy, the surgical removal of the gallbladder to heal. 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), Kenn is scheduled to undergo a cholecystectomy on March 3rd. A portion of the cost of the procedure is being supported by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and WSFP is raising the requesting $1,128 to cover the cost of Kenn's surgery and care. Kenn shared, "The treatment cost is very expensive and we can't afford it. Thankfully, Watsi and World Surgical Foundation Philippines have good hearts and are willing to help me. I'm so grateful for their generosity. May the Lord continue to bless them."

Srey Sor is a 33-year-old wife and mother of two from Cambodia. She has a 16-year-old son in high school and a 5-year-old daughter in kindergarten. Her husband supports the family by working a local job in construction. In her free time, Srey Sor likes to garden, grow her own vegetables, and cook for her family. Three years ago, Srey Sor fell at home, injuring her tibia and de-stabilizing her knee. The injury has resulted in recurring dislocations in her knee. Due to the severity of the injury, Srey Sor has been unable to walk and needs to take pain medication regularly to ease her symptoms. When Srey Sor learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), she traveled for over two hours to seek treatment. On February 16th, surgeons at CSC will perform a knee fusion procedure to secure the joint and restore a pain-free range of motion in her leg. CSC is requesting $600 to fund this procedure. Srey Sor said, "I hope after this surgery I can walk and take care of my children and that the pain will stop."

Daw Toe is a 70-year-old woman who lives with her husband in Burma. They are both retired farmers. Daw Toe likes to cook and sew clothing during her free time. Daw Toe has started to experience severe lower abdominal and back pain. When she walks long distances, the pain increases in her back and abdomen. She also has symptoms when using the restroom. Daw Toe has been diagnosed with kidney stones and swelling in her left kidney. Our medical partner Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF) is requesting $1,500 to cover the cost of a nephrectomy for Daw Toe, an operation to remove her left kidney, scheduled for June 12th. Daw Toe said, “I feel so sad since I have no money to pay for my surgery cost... Now, I feel a little bit better and I hope I will recover quickly after surgery. I thank everyone for helping me.”