Nim is a retired rice farmer, who along with her husband has nine children, and many grandchildren. She has been retired for a while, so she has taken time to travel to many famous pagodas around the country, and she always loves to spend time helping to raise her grandchildren. She also loves reading religious books and listening to monks on the radio. Two months ago, Nim fell and fractured her hip. Since the fall, she has experienced severe pain and is unable to walk. She was referred to a local hospital for treatment where she received an x-ray, but was sent to another hospital afterwards and was unable to afford treatment there. Fortunately, Nim learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC). At CSC, surgeons will perform a total hip replacement to relieve Nim of her pain and allow her to walk easily. Treatment is scheduled for May 14th, and Nim needs help raising $1,087 to fund this procedure. Nim shared, "I hope that I can walk again easily soon. There are still many things I want to do. I want to travel and play with my grandchildren, and visit my children."

Naw Kwee Moo is a 54-year-old woman from the Karen region in Burma, who lives with her husband and their family in a refugee camp. Of her children, three daughters and three sons still live in the refugee camp along with them near the Thai-Burma border. Naw Kwee is a homemaker and her husband is currently too ill to work. Five of their children go to school in the camp, four other children have moved away, and her second oldest son graduated from a post-secondary program in May 2020. He worked as an agricultural day laborer at a nearby Thai village until mid-December 2020. Due to Covid-19 travel restrictions, he was no longer allowed to leave the camp. Naw Kwe’s household receives a monthly cash card to purchase basic rations. Although they receive free education and basic health care in the camp, they shared how hard it is to make ends meet. Starting four years ago, Naw Kwee often went to the camp’s hospital run by Malteser International (MI) Thailand to receive treatment for urinary tract infections (UTI). Most of the time, she would feel better after taking medication, but she was no longer able to work as an agricultural day laborer because of her pain. Over the next few years, she was diagnosed with chronic UTI. “I think my condition was caused from consuming dirty water,” she said. “When I worked as a day laborer, we had no access to clean water.” Naw Kwee received antibiotics through an intravenous (IV) line at the camp’s hospital. When her condition did not improve, a doctor at the camp’s hospital referred her again to Mae Sariang Hospital in March 2020. There she received a urine test and an x-ray of her kidneys, ureters and bladder. She was finally diagnosed with a right kidney stone. After multiple visits, the doctor at Mae Sariang Hospital referred her to Chiang Mai Hospital (CMH) for further treatment. However, Naw Kwee could not travel to CMH for a while due to travel restrictions after the outbreak of Covid-19. Finally, last June medical staff from her camp were able to bring Naw Kwee to Chiang Mai. During her appointment, the doctor scheduled her to undergo an intravenous pyelogram on July 16th, 2020. After she received a diagnostic test, she returned to CMH for her follow-up appointment on November 19th, 2020. During her appointment, she received more tests and it was at her next appointment Naw Kwee was told she needed to undergo multiple rounds of laser treatment to break up the stone in her kidney. She received her first round of laser treatment on February 11th, 2021. Two days later, she developed a fever and could only pass a bit of urine. She also started to experience severe back pain and other troubling symptoms. MI staff took her back to the hospital where she received an ultrasound. The nurse shared with her that after her laser treatment, the stones had broken up and many of them where now stuck in her ureter, creating a blockage. She now needs emergency surgery to remove the stones. Our Medical Partner Burma Children Medical Fund is seeking $1,500 to support her surgery and finally relieve her of her painful condition.

Peter is a third grade student from Kenya. Peter is very active and playful like many kids his age. He is the seventh son in a family of eight children. Peter's father repairs household items including basins and jerricans, and his mother is a casual laborer who washes clothes for a living. Their family currently lives together in a two-room mud house. About 10 weeks ago, Peter fell from a tall tree and he sustained a femur shaft fracture and hip dislocation. He currently walks and gets around using crutches, and there is the risk that he may not able to walk on his own again unless he receives surgical intervention. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner can help. On March 17th, Peter will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation. This procedure will help him walk easily again. Now, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,500 to fund his surgery. Peter's father shared, “[Peter] has been unable to go to school since the accident. He can’t walk without the help of crutches and if he doesn’t go for surgery he might be unable to walk normally.”

Alamunyak is a 16-year-old boy from Tanzania. He is the first born child to his father and mother, and they have are six children together. Alamunyak's parents are small scale farmers and livestock keepers. Because he was the firstborn, Alamunyak was never able to join school because he was the one looking after his father's cattle. He is a hard working young man who walks long distances seeking green pasture for the cattle. Currently, Alamunyak is unable to walk well because his legs bow outwards as he walks. Alamunyak was diagnosed with a condition called genu varus on his right leg, or bow-leggedness. This condition is typically caused by an excessive accumulation of fluoride in the bones, which often stems from contaminated drinking water. As a result, he is in pain and cannot walk comfortably for a long distance. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $880 to fund corrective surgery for Alamunyak. The procedure is scheduled to take place on February 9th. Treatment will hopefully restore Alamunyak's mobility, allow him to participate in a variety of activities, and greatly decrease his risk of future complications. Alamunyak shared, “The first surgery I had helped correct my leg, and walking became a bit easier compared to before. If I am able to get this next surgery, I will be able to walk better and be able to go back home and help my parents and siblings without difficulty.”

Patrick has clubfoot of both feet. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape, and it causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. After he was born, his parents visited the nearest dispensary in their village to take him for treatment, where he was referred to a bigger hospital that would have more resources to treat him. Because Patrick's parents are small scale farmers with minimal income, they decided to return home and save up money so that they could take him to a proper hospital to have his feet corrected. Through a neighbor, Patrick's parents got to know about Watsi's Partner ALMC Plaster House and decided to come and seek treatment for Patrick. Patrick needs to start manipulation and casting, which will help correct his feet. If Patrick does not get this treatment, his learning-to-walk process will be very challenging. It will take a long time for him to be able to stand and walk, and it may be painful. He will not be able to wear normal shoes like other children, and could potentially experience discrimination due to his disability. Fortunately, Patrick traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre. There, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery and begin his treatment on January 15th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $935 to fund Patrick's clubfoot repair. After treatment as he grows, he will be able to walk and play with ease. Patrick’s mother shared, "We wish our son to have his feet corrected but the treatment cost is too high for us to afford. Please help our son.”

John is a motorcycle taxi operator from Kenya. He's a 31-year-old man from an area called Zimmerman in Nairobi County and the second born in a family of four. John went to school up through high school, but since his family could not afford to send him to college, he learnt how to ride a motorbike and started hustling in Zimmerman to sustain himself. John told us that he was just planning for his future and to get married when the worst happened. On Saturday Dec. 12th, when a client sent him to carry some luggage, on the way he was hit by a vehicle. He sustained an open fracture of his right femur. Luckily he was brought to Nazareth Hospital and was admitted for care. He is not able to move his leg and the surgeon recommends an open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) surgery to heal his fracture. Since John had to borrow funds for his admission fee, he does not have a way to pay for the surgery he needs. He has requested support and is concerned if he is not treated soon he could develop a bone infection which will delay healing and cause him more complications. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner can help. On December 15th, John will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation. The surgery will help him walk easily again. Now, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,049 to fund this procedure. “My family members are not able to support me for this surgery and am afraid to see my bones. I kindly ask for help so that I can be able to walk again, go back to my job, and start planning for my future family,” said John.

Lenox is a 1-month-old baby boy from Tanzania. He is the second-born child in a family of two children. Lenox’s father works as a guard and earns limited income, so he is not able to cover the cost of Lenox's treatment. Lenox has clubfoot in both his feet. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. This causes him difficulty with walking and wearing shoes. Fortunately, Lenox's family traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre. There, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on November 13th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $935 to fund Lenox's clubfoot repair. After treatment, as he grows, he will be able to walk well and wear shoes when he grows up. He will be able to run and play just like all the other kids. Lenox’s mother shared, “We have tried to seek treatment for our son’s feet with no success, but we were referred to this hospital with the hope he could get proper treatment, but the cost has turned out to be expensive for us. Please help support us if possible.”

Kupha is a 45-year-old woman from Kenya and has six children. In 2014, Kupha started experiencing some pain in her upper jaw. After some time, her jaw started to swell and the pain worsened. Both cold and hot food triggered pain that would last day and night. She went to a nearby facility in Kwale County to seek care, and was given some pain medication that worked for a while. She later returned for a surgery to remove the swollen tissue. Though she recovered well, the following year, Kupha started experiencing pain and swelling again. Upon returning to the same facility for a checkup, the doctor told her that no further treatment could be done. A few years later, Kupha heard about Kijabe Hospital and came for an examination in January 2020. The doctors diagnosed her with a benign maxillary mass and scheduled her for an excision surgery. During the surgery, they will put in a plate and screws to hold together her maxillar. However, Kupha and her family are not able to raise funds needed for the surgery. After the death of her husband a few years ago, Kupha has been struggling to provide for her six children. Her firstborn son is the main breadwinner of the family and also attends college, partially sponsored by the county government of Kwale. He does some casual jobs when he is not in class to feed the family, and also facilitates his mother's hospital visits. Kupha was able to raise some money for her treatment, but she does not have enough financial support and appeals for help. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,500 to cover the cost of Kupha's surgery. The procedure is scheduled to take place on October 15th and will be a ten hour long surgery. Hopefully, this treatment will alleviate her of further severe pain and swelling. Kupha shared, “With the pain that I have endured over the years, it has made it difficult for me to look for work and provide for my family. I will be happy when I receive the required treatment for my condition.”

Jackson is an 8-year-old student from Tanzania. He has been living with his grandmother since he was 2 years old as his mother and father separated and neither could care for him. His aunt describes Jackson as a very friendly and playful boy. He used to be a very active boy, always friendly, and hardworking. He would help his grandmother with home chores when he was not at school. He was in class one at school but unfortunately, his studies had to stop after he started losing consciousness and falling most of the time when at school. Jackson has been diagnosed with hydrocephalus, a condition in which excess cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the brain and increases intracranial pressure. As a result of his condition, Jackson has been experiencing dizziness and he would lose consciousness and fall at school. He now cannot walk or stand and is often asleep. Without treatment, Jackson will experience severe physical and developmental delays. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $765 to cover the cost of surgery for Jackson that will treat his hydrocephalus. The procedure is scheduled to take place on September 16th and will drain the excess fluid from Jackson's brain. This will reduce intracranial pressure and greatly improve his quality of life. With proper treatment, Jackson will hopefully continue to develop into a strong, healthy young boy. Jackson’s aunt told us, “We all wish Jackson to get this needed treatment so that he can get back to his old normal self and hopeful resume school again.”

Htun is a 15-year-old student from Thailand. He lives with his aunt, uncle, three cousins, and a cousin-in-law in a town in Tak Province. Htun is in eighth grade and goes to a Burmese migrant school. Htun has two older brothers who work in a factory in Bangkok. They support Htun occasionally by sending money to Htun's aunt. His aunt, his older pregnant cousin, and his cousin-in-law are homemakers. His two other cousins are students at a Thai school, while his uncle is a farmer who grows rice and corn. Htun's uncle earns a living as a farmer and delivery driver. In his free time, Htun likes to draw cartoons and play cane ball with his friends. On June 8th 2020, Htun was driving back home on his motorbike after visiting his friend. While driving home it began to rain and he fell, landing on his left wrist. Currently, Htun cannot move his wrist and it is swollen and painful. Although he took pain medication, it has not helped him. At night, he feels uncomfortable and cannot sleep well because of the pain. With the help of our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, Htun will undergo surgery to reset his fractured bones and ensure proper healing. The procedure is scheduled for July 3 and will cost $1,500. After surgery, Htun will be able to move his wrist and will no longer be in pain. Htun and his family need your help to fund the cost of this surgery. Htun shared, “I am very sad and worry that my hand will not be normal after surgery. In the future, I want to become a famous can ball player."

Shedrack is an infant from Tanzania. He is the fourth born child to his mother and one of sixteen children to his father. Shedrack’s mother keeps cows and goats and his father works as a guard. Since birth, Shedrack has had a bilateral inguinal hernia. The hernia may result in intestinal obstruction resulting in tissue damage or death. Fortunately, on July 16th, he will undergo hernia repair surgery at our medical partner's care center. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $566 to fund Shedrack's surgery. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully allow him to live more comfortably and confidently. Shedrack’s mother shared, “Please help my son get this treatment so that he is no longer in pain and he is able to eat and feed well.”

Angel is a funny and jovial boy. Like his brother, Gilbert, he has a condition known as Bilateral Genu Valgus, or knock knees, that makes it difficult for him to walk. Angel is the second youngest of four siblings and is in the first grade at a local primary school. His mother works part-time cleaning houses, washing clothes, and performing other household work she may find. Gibert’s father is a street pastor and also works as a street vendor. The family lives in a one-bedroom rental house in Nairobi and they shared with us that they feel life is hard because they do not have the resources to buy everything they need. Angel's condition began when he was just two years old. He experienced pain and could not walk long distances. Since then, his condition has worsened and he cannot run or play with his friends at school. In June of 2019, he and his brother underwent a Derotational Femoral Osteotom, a surgery that realigns their bones so that they can resume walking comfortably. The surgery was successful for both brothers and Angel has been walking well with his right leg. He now needs support for the surgery on his left knee. With both knees healed, Angel will be able to walk comfortably. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,282 to fund this procedure. Angel's mother shared, “I am pleading for more support for their second surgery. God bless you."