Meet Sabina: a married mother of six children aged 23, 16, 12, 10, 6 and 4 years from Malawi. She is a farmer together with her husband. Her first child is married with one child and the rest of the children are in primary school except the last born who is yet to join school. Sabina likes chatting with her children and enjoys eating nsima made from maize flour with vegetables. Sabina was well until 18 months ago when she noted a small lump on her right breast that was not painful. She visited the nearest hospital where she was referred to Kamuzu Central Hospital (KCH) for further assessments. At KCH, different tests were done, and a diagnosis of invasive ductal carcinoma was made followed by four cycles of neo-adjuvant therapy during September 2023. Sabina was later scheduled for surgery that same month, but unfortunately she did not report back since her last child was sick and admitted to the hospital for malaria. On January 16th this year, Sabina went back to KCH where she was referred to our medical partner's care center PIH for a modified radical mastectomy. Of late, Sabina has been experiencing needle pricking pains that are becoming unbearable without pain-relieving medications plus backache, weakness, and leg & chest pains affecting her farm work plus household chores. Sabina believes the surgical operation will help her get back to her normal condition and for her to continue taking care of her children and resume her farm work. Sabina said, “It is better to remain with one breast than have two with problems, I will move on with one breast.”

Shane is a four-year-old toddler from Bolivia. She is the middle of three children and lives in a jungle valley in northern Bolivia where her parents are both farmers. When Shany began to walk, her parents noticed that she would become out of breath very easily. After several doctor visits she was diagnosed with a condition called pulmonary valvar and subvalvar stenosis, in which the area in and near one of the four valves of her heart is too narrow. Blood cannot pass easily through this valve, leaving her weak and short of breath. Surgery is recommended to repair her heart. Our medical partner International Cardiac Alliance is requesting $1,500 to fund Shane's surgery. During surgery, doctors will open the valve to a more normal size so that blood can circulate normally through her body. Her mother shares: "Our family is hopeful that after this surgery our daughter will be healthy and strong enough to start school."

Rebecca is a young woman from Haiti. She lives with her parents and younger sister in a neighborhood of Port-au-Prince; she graduated from a local college with a business degree but has been unable to work for the past ten years because of her heart condition. She enjoys cooking and listening to Haitian music. Rebecca has a cardiac condition called rheumatic mitral regurgitation. One of the four valves of Rebecca's heart was severely damaged due to an infection she suffered as a teenager; her heart could not adequately pump blood through her body, leaving her weak and short of breath. The surgery that she needs is not available anywhere in Haiti. Rebecca need to fly to the United States to receive treatment. She will undergo cardiac surgery, and doctors will remove Rebecca's damaged valve and implant an artificial replacement. Another organization, Baylor Scott and White Heart Hospital, will contribute $26,000 to pay for surgery. Rebecca's family also needs help to fund the costs of surgery prep and follow-up care. The $1,500 bill covers labs, medicines, checkups, and follow-up appointments. Rebecca shared with us: "Once I am fully healthy, I would like to return to Haiti and adopt a child to start my own family."

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."

Ah resides in a village in Karen State, Burma alongside his eight-year-old son and elderly mother. Ah is a former carpenter who has been unable to work due to his deteriorating health. During his free time, he enjoys fishing. In 2018, Ah began experiencing severe chest pain and difficulty breathing at times. A medical evaluation, including an echocardiogram, revealed that he has multiple valve defects in his heart. The doctor wants to perform cardiac surgery to replace and repair his heart valves on September 12th. Due to financial difficulties, Ah sought treatment through Watsi's medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF). BCMF is raising $1,500 to support his care. Currently, Ah still has occasional chest pain and difficulty breathing which intensifies with physical activity. He also has a poor appetite, weight loss, and difficulty sleeping at night. Ah said, "I am worried about my son because I am the only one who is taking care of him. Thank you for supporting my treatment. I will never forget you."

Thu Zar is a 47-year-old woman from Thailand. She lives with her daughter and son-in-law. She is a homemaker, her daughter is a babysitter and her son-in-law is a construction worker. Thu Zar spends most of her time doing household chores, allowing her daughter and son-in-law to concentrate on their work. Since March 2023, Thu Zar has been experiencing occasional heavy bleeding and a gradual enlargement of her abdomen which she had initially thought was caused from gaining weight. Now, she has been diagnosed with leiomyoma--a tumor in the uterus, also known as uterine fibroids. She has been advised to undergo a total abdominal hysterectomy, the surgical removal of her uterus and cervix. If left untreated, Thu Zar's symptoms will continue to worsen and put her at risk for further health complications in the future. Fortunately, Thu Zar is scheduled to undergo her hysterectomy on August 21st. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF), is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of her procedure and care. Once recovered, Thu Zar will no longer have her worrying symptoms. Thu Zar said, “Because of my condition, I feel worried, fearful, and sad. At the same time, I feel relieved and happy that my condition is treatable through surgery and that it is not cancerous. I am grateful to everyone for their support in facilitating my treatment."

Ruth is an 11-year-old girl from the Eastern region of Kenya. She is in Grade 5 and is the youngest of three children. Her father is a local farmer and her mother mother is a homemaker. They live in a traditional mud house. She is a jovial and social young girl who aspires to become a doctor in the future so that she can help children in need of different treatments. When Ruth was 7 years old, her mother began to notice an unusual knee deformity which greatly affected her mobility. Her walking style is characterized by limping, and she cannot walk long distances. This has greatly affected her studies, as she is unable to attend school which is quite a distance away. Ruth is scheduled for a knee repair surgery with our medical partner African Mission Healthcare (AMH) on July 17th. Ruth and her family are requesting $1,224 to fully fund the procedure. This surgery will enable her to walk without pain and to attend school. It will also greatly boost her self-esteem and enable her to interact with her friends at school. Ruth’s mother said, “I am pleading for support for my daughter to undergo surgery and continue with her normal life like other children.”

Todolem is a 73-year-old pastoralist - he breeds and takes care of a herd of cows, in order to support his large family. As they live in a semi-arid region of the country, which has been experiencing a shortage of rain, the family moves around a lot in search of water and pasture land for the animals. Todolem injured his arm three months ago when he fell while herding his cattle. He shared that he thought it was not a serious injury, so he went to an herbalist near his home, where he was given some medication. The injury did not improve, and while visiting a neighbor who had recently broken his leg, Todolem learned about our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare. Fortunately, surgeons at AIC Kapsowar Hospital can help. After being examined at the hospital, Todolem was scheduled to undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation, on May 16th. The surgery will enable Todolem to work again. Now, African Mission Healthcare is requesting $1,145 to fund this procedure. Todolem says: "My family has suffered since I injured my arm. They have lacked a lot of things, and I feel so bad when I see them suffer in my presence. I am humbly requesting assistance so that I may continue with my role as a family provider."

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.