Meet Margaret, a 55-year-old married grandmother from Kenya. She enjoys staying at home and looking after her grandchildren. About one year ago, Margaret noticed a lump on her left breast. As it was not painful at the time, she was not concerned about it. Margaret recently visited our medical partner's care center, AIC Kijabe Hospital, to seek treatment for the pain. A biopsy was subsequently performed and doctors diagnosed Margaret with breast cancer. Margaret has been recommended for a mastectomy to remove the cancerous cells and prevent them from spreading to other parts of her body. This will take place on August 21. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is asking for $816 to help pay for Margaret's life-saving surgery. "Even if I worry, I know that I cannot change much. So I choose to rely on God and Watsi's donors," says Margaret.

Kaaya is a nine-year-old boy from Uganda. He's the fifth born of six children and is a primary school student. Kaaya loves football and wants to become a professional football player when he grows up. Kaaya began developing swelling in his left scrotum when he was four years old, but he only recently began experiencing discomfort. In June, a ball hit Kaaya while he was playing football at school. That incident caused the scrotal swelling to inflame and become so painful that Kaaya was too weak to walk to school. His mother took him to a local hospital, where doctors diagnosed Kaaya with a left hydrocele and advised that he undergo surgery. Kaaya's parents are small scale farmers and can't afford to pay for their son's operation. But if left untreated, Kaaya will continue experiencing pain and discomfort as the swelling continues to grow. On July 12, Kaaya will have hydrocele repair surgery. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $185 to fund the treatment. Kaaya can't wait to feel better again so he can return to school and play football again. His mother is grateful to Watsi for helping her son recover so that he can grow up healthy and happy.

Peter is a farmer from Malawi. Peter lives with his wife, and he spends his days tending his land and raising livestock to help supplement the family income. When Peter isn't busy with his animals and his farm, he likes to spend time with his three grandchildren telling them stories. Since January 2017, Peter has been experiencing pain and urinary difficulty. These symptoms are caused by an enlarged prostate, a condition called benign prostatic hyperplasia. He needs to undergo a prostate resection surgery, a procedure in which surgeons will remove part of the enlarged gland. Our medical partner, World Altering Medicine, is requesting $733 to fund Peter's surgery. On November 16, he will undergo prostate surgery at Nkhoma Hospital, our medical partner's care center. The requested money pays for supplies, medications, and two weeks of hospital stay. Peter was thrilled when he found out his surgery would be funded. He is looking forward to going back to his farm and playing with his grandchildren again. He says, "Thank you for your support; I had no money to pay for this surgery."

Basirwire is a 49-year-old woman from Uganda. She works as a farmer. For the past year, Basirwire has experienced lower abdominal pain and painful gynecological symptoms. This has caused her discomfort and limited her ability to do household chores. A gynecologist diagnosed her with multiple fibroids and recommended a total abdominal hysterectomy. After surgery, Basirwire will be able to keep farming without pain. Basirwire says, “I am very lucky, as I look forward to receiving the support from Watsi and after surgery, I hope to continue with farming.” Watsi is requesting $208 to fund Basirwire's surgery, scheduled for August 17.

Pawt Sue is a bright and active four-year-old boy from Burma. He lives in a village with his mother and seven-year-old brother and two-year-old sister. His father works in a restaurant in Thailand and sends money to the family every two or three months. Since he was a week old, Pawt Sue has had an inguinal hernia. Whenever he cries, his scrotum became swollen. As the time went by, his condition seemed to worsen. The more active he became, the more pain he experienced. Fortunately, on December 18, he will undergo hernia repair surgery at Mae Sot General Hospital, our medical partner's care center. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund Pawt Sue's hernia repair surgery. The procedure is scheduled to take place on December 18 and, once completed, will hopefully allow him to live more comfortably. His mother says, "My son says he wants to be a surgeon when he grows up. He wants to help other children who are in pain."

Ally is a three-year-old boy from Tanzania who loves playing with balloons. He is the youngest child in a family of five. Ally's mother brought him to the hospital after a persistent problem with his feet. He had swollen legs and often fell down. After an X-ray, he was diagnosed with bilateral genu varum, or bowleggedness. On November 8, 2016, surgery was performed to correct the deformity. Ally's father is a taxi driver, and his mother a caterer. They have only raised $50 to pay for his treatment, and they need help to fund the remaining $940.

Julius is a nineteen-year-old boy from Tanzania who is the second of three children. His father has a nighttime job of being a guard to supplement their family's income. Julius noticed that his legs started to bend inward two years ago in 2014. This was also accompanied by pain. His parents sought out treatment for Julius's knock knees at different health centers but found the cost of surgery and rehabilitation too great to bear. For $940, Julius will receive the surgery and care he needs to realign and stabilize his legs. Julius is looking forward to returning to school when his legs are straightened and he no longer feels pain when walking.

Tumaini is a twelve-year-old girl from Tanzania, and the first of her mother's five children. Tumaini is an earnest girl who loves going to school and has just recently finished exams for finishing primary school. She is waiting for her results, but really hopes to go on to secondary school. Tumaini was involved in a hit and run car accident on her way to school when she was five years old, she sustained serious injuries on her legs and was treated in two different hospitals for a period of several months. She has a residual left ankle/foot deformity that means that she walks on the outside of her foot. She experiences great pain when she is walking. Tumaini needs surgery to correct the deformity and turn her foot inward. This surgery, which includes long-term treatment and rehabilitation, will cost $1,160. It will allow her to walk more normally and without pain. "I wish for my foot to be straightened and so that I can look like others," Tumaini shared.

Happy is a four-year-old girl from Tanzania who is the seventh of eight children. Her parents are peasant farmers who farm maize and vegetables. Happy was born with club feet, a condition that causes her feet to turn inward. When she was seven months old she received treatment, which included serial casting and a tenotomy (surgical cutting of a tendon). However, Happy's mother didn't see much improvement and no longer had the bus fare to get to the treating hospital. She now needs surgery to correct her club feet permanently, so she can walk straight and without pain. Happy is a sweet girl who likes to play with the other children. For $1,160, Happy will receive the surgery and care that she needs to walk straight again. "I hope that Happy will have her feet straightened properly this time and will be able to wear normal shoes," her mother shared.

Rahab is the oldest of three children and is a nursing student in her final year. Her two brothers are in primary school. Rahab's father vends soap while her mother is a cook. The little amount they get is split to provide for the family and meet school fees for Rahab and her siblings. On September 21st, while practicing for her college games, Rahab was injured. An x-ray indicated an ankle fracture. Rahab has not been able to walk with ease since the injury. She is not able to practice for the college games, nor is she able to nurse patients in the wards. Surgeons will perform an open reduction internal fixation procedure, during which the fractured bone is reset and fixed in place using steel rods, screws, or plates. Rahab and her family are unable to afford this treatment. Without surgery Rahab will continue experiencing pain and difficulty in walking. The ankle could also heal incorrectly, possibly leading to ankle arthritis. Rahab says, “I want to be well to complete my studies and help my parents clear the fees owed to the college."

Moo Thaw is a 21-year-old man who has lived in a refugee camp in Thailand for one year. His parents passed away when he was young. He is currently in his final year at a junior college. Four years ago, Moo Thaw began to notice pain in his right leg. The leg began to swell. He visited a clinic and was diagnosed with a cyst in his right knee joint. He received some medicine and returned to home. After two or three months, Moo Thaw returned to the clinic after the pain got worse, but again was just given pain killers. Finally, after returning several times, he received a blood test, CT scan, and received some medicine. The tests confirmed that he has a benign cyst on his knee as well as Pigmented Villonodular Synovitis, or inflammation of the joint lining. Moo Thaw is worried about his condition. When he sees his friends play football, he really wants to play but cannot. He has difficulty walking, and often finds that his condition interferes with his daily life. Fortunately, Moo Thaw can receive the treatment he needs to fully recover. "I hope that after surgery I will be better and can walk normally like other people," Moo Thaw shared.

Four-month-old Yegebriel was brought to our medical partner in Ethiopia, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF), because he was born with an imperforate anus and could not pass stool. "Yegebriel was born with no natural stool passage," AMHF says. "Just two days after his delivery, he developed bowel obstruction. He had a an emergency colostomy procedure to treat the bowel obstruction. Yegebriel is is a healthy growing boy but for his parents it is difficult living with colostomy. This condition is psychologically affecting his parents and is making raising their child difficult." "Yegebriel is a lovely little one very much loved by his parents," AMHF continues. "He is the only child for the young couple. He is playful and happy except his suffering from colostomy care related issues such as rush and leakages. His father is an employee in a small private company with a very minimal monthly wedge. He is a cleaner by occupation and his salary does not cover more than the food and the house rent for the family." For $1,500, Yegebriel can receive the life-changing surgery he needs. "We expect that after the the anorectoplasty and later colostomy closure, Yegebriel will be able to pass stool normally eliminating the risk of infection and leakage at the colostomy site," AMHF says.