Dominick is a 4-year-old child from Tanzania. He is the firstborn child in a family of three children. Because he has difficulty walking, his mother has been unable to enroll him in school yet. Dominick was diagnosed with bilateral genu varus, or bowleggedness. His legs bow outward when he walks. 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 physically struggles to walk and cannot walk for a long time. However, Dominick's parents cannot afford the cost of the treatment he needs to cure his condition. They are subsistence farmers who make a humble income to support the family, and they appeal for financial help. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $880 to fund corrective surgery for Dominick. The procedure is scheduled to take place on January 22nd. Treatment will hopefully restore Dominick's mobility, allow him to participate in a variety of activities, and greatly decrease his risk of future complications. Dominick's mother shared, "I believe our prayers were answered when we met one of Watsi's colleagues who directed us here. We are not able to afford Dominic's treatment and we had lost hope, but we just thought of taking Dominick for prayers that week and God led us here."

Khaing is a 27-year-old woman from Thailand. She lives with her husband and a three-year-old son in a village in Tak Province. Originally from Karen State, Burma, they moved to their current home three years ago in search of better job opportunities. Her husband is a day laborer and she is homemaker. Ten years ago, Khaing started feeling like her nose was blocked and that she could not breathe well. She also had a runny nose and saw a small mass in her nostril while looking at her reflection in the mirror. At the time, Khaing did not go to see a doctor because she could not afford to pay for treatment, and she thought that she would feel better over time. However, four years ago she noticed that the mass had grown. Khaing went to her local hospital in Burma, where the doctor confirmed she had a mass in her nostril and gave her medication for a week. She did not go back to her follow-up appointment as she had run out of money. She then tried to treat herself with traditional medicine unsuccessfully as the mass continued to increase in size. In the beginning of May 2020, Khaing developed a severe headache and pain in her nose. The area around her nose also became swollen. She went to Mae Tao Clinic for treatment, where the medic found large masses in both of her nasal cavities. She was then taken to Mae Sot Hospital (MSH) for further investigation. At MSH, she received an x-ray of her nose and the doctor told her that the masses were large and surrounded by a lot of pus. After a CT scan, the doctor diagnosed her with a nasal polyp and scheduled her for surgery on December 28th, 2020. Currently, the area around her nose is swollen and painful. Her nostrils feel itchy, her nose is blocked, and has to breathe through her mouth. She still has a headache, though since she received pain medication from the doctor at MSH, this has been less severe. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner can help. On December 28th, Khaing will undergo an endoscopic sinus surgery. Once recovered, she will be able to breathe normally again and her quality of life will significantly improve. Now, our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund this procedure. Khaing shared, "I really want to have surgery and feel better. I am not scared because I believe that the surgery will help me be free from headaches and breathe well again."

Joshua is a student from Uganda. He is a third born in a family of six children. He is currently in seventh grade, and he hopes to graduate and continue with school. Joshua’s parents are both subsistence farmers. Joshua was diagnosed with bilateral genu valgus, or a condition known as "knock-knees." His legs bow inward, causing his knees to touch. This condition is typically caused by an excessive accumulation of fluoride in the bones, which often stems from contaminated drinking water. As a result, it is difficult for Joshua to walk for long distances because he experiences pain as his knees continue knocking each other. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $880 to fund corrective surgery for Joshua. The procedure is scheduled to take place on November 13th. Treatment will hopefully restore Joshua's mobility, allow him to participate in a variety of activities, and greatly decrease his risk of future complications. Joshua says “My legs are limiting me so much from walking, working, and playing football. I appreciate any help you can provide me.”

Zawadi is an eleven-year-old girl and the firstborn child in a family of three children in Tanzania. She is a friendly and cheerful girl. Zawadi was born healthy but when she was six years old, she was involved in a fire accident that left her with severe burns on her arms, hands, and fingers. On the fateful day, Zawadi and other children were playing cooking games behind their hut. One of the children went and picked a burning piece of wood from the kitchen and was trying to make a fire for them so that they could cook. Zawadi was the one blowing the fire and while doing this her clothes caught fire. She was wearing a sweater and had wrapped herself in Maasai clothing. She was severely burned resulting in five months of hospitalization during her initial treatment. Her wounds healed but have left her unable to straighten her left arm due to the contractures on her axilla. Zawadi has been scheduled for surgery to help release the contracture on her arm so that she is able to wear clothes and make her life a bit easier when trying to use her hands. Her parents are small-scale farmers who have a few cattle that they depend on for milk. Their income is not enough for them to afford Zawadi’s treatment cost and they are asking for help. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is helping Zawadi receive treatment. On October 13th, surgeons at their care center will perform a burn contracture release surgery and skin graft so she will be able to utilize her hand with greater ease. Now, her family needs help to fund this $874 procedure. Zawadi’s father told us, “If my daughter is able to have this surgery she will be able to have more range of motion on her arm making her life easier than now. Please help because we can’t afford the treatment cost.”

Tok is a 53-year-old farmer from Cambodia. Tok got married 35 years ago, her husband recently passed away from an illness. She has one son, four daughters, and four grandchildren. She spends her time cleaning, cooking, and taking care of her chickens. In February 2018, Tok was in a motor accident the injured her left knee. She was taken to a government hospital for a tibia fracture repair surgery but this did not restore her left leg's range of motion. She arrived at our Medical Partner's Hospital unable to extend her left leg fully, which has made walking difficult for her. When Tok learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for five hours seeking treatment. On September 22nd, surgeons at CSC will perform a quadricepsplasty procedure of her left knee to help her walk again. Now, Tok needs help to fund this $430 procedure. Tok told us, "I hope I will be able to walk easily again after this surgery."

Jayden is a baby from Kenya. He is a twin child. Jayden’s father unfortunately suffered a stroke and is currently hospitalized. His mother owns a small shop, but due to their difficult financial state, they are unable to afford Jayden's medical care. Jayden was born with hypospadias, a congenital abnormality that causes urinary dysfunction. Without treatment, he will continue to experience uncomfortable symptoms and will be at risk of infertility. Fortunately, Jayden is scheduled to undergo corrective surgery on August 18th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $735 to cover the total cost of his procedure and care. Jayden’s mother says, “I will be relieved and happy when my son gets treated.”

Rehema is a child from Uganda who started school last year. She is the last born of four children to her mother. But her father has a total of eight children. Her parents are small-scale farmers and are not able to afford the treatment cost thus they are asking for help. Rehema was diagnosed with genu varus. Her legs bow so that her knees do not touch. This condition is typically caused by an excessive accumulation of fluoride in the bones, which often stems from contaminated drinking water. As a result, the walks to and from school were becoming difficult for her. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $880 to fund corrective surgery for Rehema. The procedure is scheduled to take place on July 23rd. Treatment will hopefully restore Rehema's mobility, allow her to participate in a variety of activities, and greatly decrease her risk of future complications. Rehema’s mother says, “I would like to see my daughter walking like her other siblings but the treatment cost is expensive and I can’t come up with the money, please help.”

Win is a 46-year-old man from Burma. He lives with his wife and two sons in a village in Karen State. His elder daughter is a health worker where she works at a clinic in a rural village. His two youngest sons are students. Both he and his wife are a subsidence farmers. In his free time, he sometimes helps his community with building bridges or roads as much as he can. In January 2020, Win began experiencing painful urination and other troubling symptoms. Sometimes he also feels stomach pain in his right side. Watsi donors have helped to fund a CT scan and doctors have now been able to diagnose his kidney stones, which are hard deposits of minerals that form in the kidneys and are often very painful to pass. He has been advised to undergo surgery to remove his kidney stones. If left untreated, Win's symptoms will continue to worsen and will put him at risk for further health complications in the future. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund Win's kidney stone removal surgery. The procedure is scheduled to take place on June 17th. Win said, "I am very excited to receive surgery soon and I cannot wait to recover from my condition."

12-year-old Joy Nyagathu is in the hospital. Joy came accompanied by her father. She is a polite girl and likes playing with other friends at school. She shared that reading storybooks is her favorite hobby. Joy is the oldest in a family of 3 children and a seventh grader at Ol Donyo Sabuk Academy. Her family hails from Mountain View, near Thika Town in Kiambu County, Kenya. Joy was born with clubfoot which was corrected when she was an infant. She has lived well until last year when the parents noticed an unusual curve on her back developing. Her father heard about Watsi's Medical Partner Care Center CURE Hospital and came for a consultation. Joy was diagnosed with congenital scoliosis and was scheduled to undergo an instrumented spine fusion surgery. Currently, Joy experiences a lot of pain and discomfort while at school. She sometimes needs to skip her studies as a result of pain. Surgery will be of great help to her as she will be able to continue with her studies and her life without any difficulty. Joy's father is a businessman as a greengrocer, while her mother is a housewife. The surgery is expensive for their family and they cannot raise the amount needed. “I would like to be assisted because I am not able to raise the funds on my own. My desire is to see my daughter walking and pursuing her studies like other girls without any hardship. God bless Watsi for what they are doing,” Joy’s father expressed with gratitude.

Vy is a 74-year-old vegetable seller from Cambodia. She has five children, thirteen grandchildren, and enjoys listening to the monks pray on the radio in her spare time. Five months ago, Vy developed a cataract in her left eye, causing her blurry vision. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, recognizing faces, and going anywhere outside. When Vy learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for two hours seeking treatment. On November 05, doctors will perform a small incision cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in her left eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Now, she needs help to fund this $211 procedure. Vy said, "I hope that I will be able to see clearly again so I can return to the pagoda and so I can recognize my relatives's faces."

Ivan is a baby boy from Tanzania. He is a healthy and jovial little baby, the only child to his parents. His father denied Ivan's pregnancy when his mother informed him and since then, offers no support to Ivan's mom. Upon delivery, Ivan's mother was informed of a congenital condition of her son. Through a Facebook post of Plaster House, his mother decided to bring him for review and Ivan was diagnosed with bilateral clubfoot. Doctors recommend a treatment plan of clubfoot manipulation and casting.  Ivan's mother is a small business operator selling bananas near her village to make a living. Without financial assistance, Ivan's mother will not be able to pay for her son's surgery. She appeals for financial support. Ivan has clubfoot of both feet. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. This causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Fortunately, Ivan traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre. There, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on March 13th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $890 to fund Ivan's clubfoot repair. After treatment, Ivan will be able to walk easily. Ivan’s mother says, “I would love to see my son walk like other normal children and not have to go through difficulty in walking or discriminated due to disability. Please help treat my him since the cost is too high for me to afford."

John is a farmer from Kenya. John was born and raised in a small village called Sabot in the Southern region of Kenya. In this area many villagers work in farms or in other small, not very stable jobs. John is married with seven children age between 31 and 15 years old. On 20th January, John fell on a hard surface while walking and sustained injury on his left side. He is in pain and is not able to walk on his own. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner can help. On February 3rd, John will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation. This procedure will help him walk on his own again and no longer suffer pain. Now, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $771 to fund this procedure. His son says, “My father is in pain, we have nothing as a family to pay for his surgery. Just wishing well for my father.”