Koeun is a rice farmer from Cambodia. She has two sons. She likes to spend time with her family. In infancy, Koeun had an ear infection. This infection caused the tympanic membrane, or the ear drum, in both ears to perforate. For this reason, Koeun experiences ear discharge, tinnitus, and hearing loss. She cannot hear clearly, and the ear discharge causes discomfort. Koeun traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On June 6, she will undergo a myringoplasty procedure in both ears. During this procedure, surgeons will close the perforation. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $423 to fund this procedure. This covers medications, supplies, and inpatient care. "I worry that my wife's hearing keeps getting worse. I hope the surgery will fix this issue," says her husband.

Ravy is a girl from Cambodia. She loves to study the Khmer language and history. She loves to eat oranges and other fruit. She likes to play outside with her friends and watch TV shows. She has two sisters and a brother. In October 2017, she was in a motor vehicle accident and fractured her right tibia. Ever since, she has been in pain and has difficulty walking. She needs to undergo an osteotomy procedure to fix her fracture and help her walk easily again. This will greatly improve her mobility and quality of life. Surgery is scheduled for June 7 and will cost $390. Her father says, "I hope my daughter's leg is healed so she can walk easily again."

Sokly is a tailor from Cambodia. She has one daughter. She likes to spend time with her family. When she was six years old, Sokly had an ear infection. This infection caused the tympanic membrane, or the ear drum, in her right ear to perforate. For this reason, Sokly experiences discharge, hearing loss, and recurrent infection. She cannot hear and worries that she will have permanent hearing loss. Sokly traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On June 1, she will undergo a myringoplasty procedure in her right ear. During this procedure, surgeons will close the perforation. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $423 to fund this procedure. This covers medications, supplies, and inpatient care. She says, "I hope the surgery will stop the recurrent infection and improve my hearing."

An 18-year-old student, Angelica lives with her mother and siblings in the Philippines. In addition to her school work, Angelica helps her mother with household chores, cooking food to sell in town, and washing clothes in the river. Angelica came to our medical partner, International Care Ministries (ICM), with improperly healed fractures of the two bones of her lower right leg (tibia and fibula). ICM tells us, “In all her chores, whether it be walking, sustaining long hours of work and carrying the said laundry takes a toll to her right leg that causes a radiating pain... [She] is limited in everything she does as she is not only physically incapable, but she is emotionally bullied by some of her classmates and neighbors.” Despite Angelica’s help with selling food and washing clothes to earn money, her mother cannot afford to pay for her treatment. With $1,493 in funding from Watsi and an additional $300 from PhilHealth, Angelica can undergo surgery to repair her right tibia and fibula. These funds also cover transportation to the hospital and new casts for her legs every two months for a year. ICM tells us, after surgery, “Angelica can efficiently help her mother without being bothered by the physical limitations her leg causes her, and she will also start her emotional healing as one of the main causes of her insecurities has already been removed.” “I am hoping that there will be people who are willing to help me, as I help my mother everyday,” Angelica says. “I am grateful for the people making my treatment possible.”

“Ban is married with six children and six grandchildren,” our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC), reports. She is 79 years old, and lives with her family in Cambodia. “Ban has had cataracts for ten years,” shares CSC, “she feels very useless and boring because she is unable to do work herself. She also can’t go to the pagoda unless her daughter takes her. She feels bad for occupying her daughter’s time so much.” Ban’s cataracts severely impair her vision. The lenses of her eyes are so clouded and damaged that the lenses themselves are wrinkled, and the insides are solid and shrunken. Without intervention, Ban will lose her sight completely. For $225, Ban will undergo an operation to remove the cataracts. In a short procedure, doctors will make a small incision in the eye to remove the clouded lens and replace it with a new, artificial lens. These funds will cover the surgical costs, medicines, and care for a successful surgery. After the surgery, Ban will be able to see clearly out of her right eye. One to two weeks later, doctors will operate on her left eye and fully restore her vision. Ban looks forward to enjoying life after surgery. “She would like to see the faces of her family, and be able to go to the pagoda or anywhere without taking someone with her,” shares CSC.

“San is married with three children and one grandchild,” our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC), reports. She is 57 years old and lives with her family in Cambodia. Usually, she enjoys doing house works and sewing mats in her free time from work. “San has had a cataract for about three years,” reports CSC. “Being partially blind in one eye makes it hard for her to do her work at the farm and hard to go anywhere by herself.” Cataracts are a cloudiness of the lens of the eye caused by growth of abnormal proteins on the lens. Having lived with the cataract for three years, it has worsened to the mature stage. This means that the cloudiness has turned the lens opaque. If it goes untreated, it will continue to worsen until San loses all vision in that eye. Treating a cataract is a simple surgery. Unfortunately, with limited ability to work on the farm, it is difficult for San to earn the money to fund the surgery herself. With our support, however, San can cover the cover the costs of the surgery, medicines, and the two-day hospital stay required of the operation. For $150, doctors will perform the operation that will help restore her vision. In a short procedure, a surgeon will make a small incision in San’s eye to remove the affected lens and replace it with an artificial lens, allowing San to see clearly. After the surgery, doctors anticipate only a one to two day recovery time before San is ready to undertake all the activities she used to enjoy. “She hopes to return to the farm, take better care of her house and go to the pagoda,” CSC shares with us.

"I just want to be with my children, and see them grow, and be happy together," says Ofelia, a 37-year-old woman, wife, and mother from Guatemala. Three months ago Ofelia was diagnosed with lymphoma. "She managed to get herself started on chemotherapy, but this has required taking on large amounts of debt," Wuqu' Kawoq' (WK) tells us. "Now, although she is responding well to chemotherapy, she is going to stop treatment unless she gets financial help because she simply can't afford it." "Ofelia personally knows another cancer patient that was helped (and cured) by Watsi funding, and she has come to us hoping for help," WK continues. Ofelia and her husband have four children under the age of ten. With $1475 and expertise from the WK team, we can help Ofelia continue her chemo, remain in remission, and be well enough to care for her loved ones for years to come.

I am very excited to see snow for the first time when I go to the hospital! I've only seen it in pictures!" says Jony. Say hello to Jony, an eight-year-old boy from Haiti. He is a straight-A student who hopes to go to university someday. In preparation for his hospital trip, he has already starting teaching himself English. According to our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, “Jony was born with a cardiac condition called Tetralogy of Fallot." This involves several anatomical abnormalities of the heart which prevent enough oxygen from reaching the body. As a result of this condition, Jony tires easily and sometimes passes out. For $1,500, we can provide Jony with the overseas transportation to the United States and surgery necessary to restore oxygen flow to his body. If left untreated, the condition could prove to be fatal. Watsi donors, we’re counting on you!

Say hello to Sovan, a 22-year-old woman from Cambodia! According to our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC), “Sovan lives alone and supports herself. She wants to earn money at the factory that she can send to her family and also go visit her mother to help with housework.” Unfortunately, “Sovan has glaucoma that severely limits her vision. She can’t go to work at the factory and can’t work at home. She is afraid that she will soon go completely blind, and also has frequent headaches,” explains CSC. Without proper treatment, Sovan’s eyesight could further deteriorate. For $300, Sovan will receive treatment for her glaucoma, and will be able to see much more clearly. Let’s help Sovan reclaim her eyesight!

Meet Tapendra, a 10-year-old boy from Nepal who has a fractured right arm. Tapendra was jump roping with his friends when he was tripped by the rope and landed on his arm. “He developed pain and swelling in his right wrist. After the incident he cannot move his hand, play with his friends, or do homework,” reports our medical partner, Possible. Tapendra is one of nine in his family. “His father is an office assistant in a school and has a very minimal salary that is not enough for feeding the large family. They do own a small piece of land but the produce is not enough for more than 3 months in a year,” continues Possible. For $205, we can heal Tapendra’s fractured arm. Possible says, “Tapendra will be able to move his arm again. He will be able to help his family with chores and go to school again.”

Ramita is a two-year-old girl who has been unable to say her first words. Ramita was born with ankyloglossia, often called "tongue-tie," a congenital anomaly that can affect speech, feeding, and oral hygiene. Because of her condition, Ramita cannot speak, feels discomfort in her tongue, and has trouble eating. Her mother is very worried about her only child’s speech development, but the cost of surgery is out of reach for Ramita’s parents. Her mother does agricultural work and her father works in India to support the family. With your help, Ramita can receive the $965 surgery she needs to live a healthier life and let her voice be heard!

Amelida is a 47-year-old woman living in Guatemala who is fighting cancer. Amelida saved her own money and received successful surgery at a private hospital, but she needs additional funds to pay for the chemotherapy that should follow. The chemotherapy should be curative, eliminating any additional cancer that might cause a recurrence. Amelida was referred to our medical partner, Wuqu' Kawoq, by a community health project in Guatemala that specializes in managing chemotherapy cases, preventing and managing side effects, and navigating the bureaucracy of hospitals in the area. The project can cover the cost of Amelida's chemotherapy medicine - but they're counting on us to raise $800 for transportation, medication for side effects, and lab work that will be very important over the coming months. Raising these funds will ensure Amelida has a safe and complete recovery from her cancer.