Saw Moo is a seven-year-old boy who lives with his parents and older sister in a refugee camp on the Thai-Burma border. Saw Moo is a student in kindergarten and his sister goes to primary school. In his free time, Saw Moo enjoys playing hide and seek outside. Around mid-May 2020, Saw Moo began to experience blurry vision in his right eye, making it increasingly difficult to for him to see clearly. Saw Moo was diagnosed with retinal detachment, a condition in which the retina pulls away from the supportive tissue in the eye, resulting in vision loss. If left untreated, he could lose vision completely. Saw Moo is scheduled to undergo surgery to reattach his retina and our medical partner Burma Children Medical Fund is raising $1,500 for his treatment. After his surgery, there is hope for Saw Moo's vision to be restored so that he is able to resume his daily activities comfortably. Saw Moo's aunt shared, “My nephew is a hard-working student. You do not need to tell him to read [or study] because he loves to do it. He is amongst the top 10 students in his class. I want him to regain vision in his right eye and to continue his studies so that he can become a medic. His mother is ill and cannot accompany him [during his treatment]. If my nephew becomes a medic or health worker, he can look after his mother and his community.”

Baby of Magdalena is a 1-month-old baby girl and the only child to her young parents. Both of her parents are small-scale farmers of maize and vegetables. Her father also seeks casual labour jobs on construction sites to help supplement their family's income. Baby of Magdalena was brought in as an emergency case seeking treatment at ALMC Hospital after being born with spina bifida and congenital malformation of her lower limbs. When she was delivered, the clinic doctors covered the spina bifida area with saline gauze, which led to wound contamination and put her at risk of infection. Once she arrived at ALMC Hospital, Baby of Magdalena was scheduled for spina bifida repair to help save her life and ability to use her lower limbs. Given the urgency of her situation, she was able to get funding to cover this surgery, and it was successful in preventing infection. However, Baby of Magdalena has now developed hydrocephalus, a condition in which excess cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the brain and increases intracranial pressure. This could potentially cause brain damage and cause physical and developmental delays. Now, she needs to have ETV surgery, but her parents cannot afford the treatment cost due to financial challenges. They appeal for financial assistance. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,300 to cover the cost of surgery for Baby of Magdalena that will treat her hydrocephalus. The procedure is scheduled to take place on February 15th and will drain the excess fluid from Baby of Magdalena's brain. This will reduce intracranial pressure and greatly improve her quality of life. With proper treatment, Baby of Magdalena will hopefully develop into a strong, healthy young girl. Baby of Magdalena's mother shared, "My baby’s head is increasing in size and she needs surgery, but we cannot get that amount of money. Please help us.”

Than is a 42-year-old woman from Thailand. She lives with her husband, three daughters, three sons, son-in-law and granddaughter. Than and her family moved from Burma to Thailand ten years ago in search of better job opportunities. Her husband, her oldest daughter, one son, and her son-in-law work as day labourers on their employer’s farm, growing and harvesting tapioca, corn, and cabbage. Her two other sons go to school, while her youngest daughter and her granddaughter are too young to go to school. Than and her second oldest daughter are homemakers. On November 7th, 2020, Than discovered that she had an incisional hernia. Currently, Than experiences abdominal pain throughout the week and has to take pain medication to decrease her pain. She feels uncomfortable when she sits, and when she is in pain, she has to walk or lie down for the pain to ease. Fortunately, on January 28th, she 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 Than's hernia repair surgery. The procedure is scheduled to take place on January 28th and, once completed, will hopefully allow her to live more comfortably and go about her daily activities normally. Than shared, “I was so happy when I learned that I was to go to Mae Tao Clinic [and later Mae Sot Hospital] for treatment. My children are also happy that I will receive treatment with help from donors.”

Faith is a talkative four-year-old girl from Kenya. She is the second born child in a family of three. On December 24th, Faith was brought to Watsi's Medical Partner Care Center Kapsowar Hospital by her mother. She had a bad fall two days prior while playing with her friends. Faith sustained an injury on her left hand and is unable to flex her elbow. Upon arrival to the hospital, they conducted an x-ray which confirmed that she had a displaced supracondylar fracture. Doctors recommend that her fracture be fixed quickly so as to avoid improper healing. Faith has been admitted in the pediatrics ward and is waiting to undergo a fracture repair procedure. She is currently experiencing pain and discomfort. Though Faith's surgery has been scheduled, her family is still uncertain on how her care will be funded. Faith's father is a small shopkeeper and her mother is a housewife. Her father earns an average of US$52 in a month, and shared that his income is too little to meet all the needs of his children. Their family said it feels impossible to raise funds for Faith’s surgery. They are requesting any well-wisher to support them so that their daughter can have this operation. Fortunately, on December 28th Faith will undergo a type of fracture repair procedure called an open reduction and external fixation. Once recovered, her quality of life will significantly improve and she be able to use her hand normally again. Now, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $801 to fund this procedure. Her mother shared, “Nothing worries me like watching my child cry in pain. It has been a nightmare to me and a difficult time in our family. We are looking forward to seeing her in good spirits again."

Pamela is wheeled into the consultation room wincing in pain. She briefly smiles but gets back to a serious face. Pamela is a widow whose husband passed away in 1993. After his passing, family conflicts forced her to move from their home village in Migori and settle in a crowded, more run-down neighborhood near Eastleigh. She used to work as a tailor but, after she needed a wheelchair in 2011, she has been unable to work. Pamela lives in a single room tin-roofed house and the local church helps to support her rent. She doesn’t have an ID so it has been hard for her to access local services such as medical support. Pamela told us that she has been relying on well-wishers and their local church for survival and her closest relatives live in Migori and rarely are able to offer her support. Pamela arrived to the hospital with bladder calculus with recurrent UTI that requires an urgent cystolithotomy, a curative laparotomy procedure, to aid relieve her stomach pains that have been recurrent for many years now. According to her neighbors who brought her to the facility, she had been in severe pain the whole night, and the medicine that she received from a nearby dispensary were not helping her. Pamela has been through a lot medically and socially. In late 2011, she suffered from TB of her spine and underwent spinal surgery. She has been using a wheelchair since then. In mid-2017, her stomach pains started and in November 2019, she underwent several tests and was booked for surgery at a hospital. She didn’t have funds so she went back home and continued managing her pains with pain medication. Upon hearing about Watsi's Medical Partner Kijabe Hospital, she came hoping for treatment. On November 7th this year, she was reviewed by the doctors and several tests were done which revealed her condition and need for surgery. She was discharged home and booked for a follow up appointment and possible surgery next week (November 23rd) but because of the pains, she was rushed back to the hospital. Pamela shared with us, “This is my only option to get rid of the pains. I have tried several medications but they are not working. I really need assistance to get this surgery. “

Wai is a 33-year-old homemaker from Thailand. She lives with her husband, son, and daughter on the border of Thailand. She is a homemaker, and her husband is a day laborer. Since Wai injured her left eye, her husband had to stop working to look after their children, since her son has a heart condition and her daughter has asthma. Since a young boy accidentally shot her in the left eye with a slingshot, Wai's left eye has been in pain. Her left pupil is covered by a white spot, and she also cannot see clearly. Wai feels stressed and depressed about her eye, and she has lost her appetite. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund a lens replacement surgery for Wai. On October 27th, doctors will perform a lens replacement, during which they will remove Wai's natural lenses and replace them with an intraocular lens implant. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Now, she needs help to fund this $1,500 procedure. Wai shared, “I will try to be a good mother and make sure my children receive an education because I do not want my children to be uneducated like me. If I get better, I will always bring and pick up my children from school. I will look after them full time so that my husband can go back to work and save money.”

Sara is a 27-year-old construction worker from Cambodia. Sara and his wife were married five years ago and they have one two-year-old son. Sara and his wife are both construction workers. He enjoys taking care of his son, doing housework, and listening to the radio. Earlier this month, Sara was shocked by electricity when working on the rooftop of a house. It caused electricity burns on both of his hands. He first went to a provincial government hospital for treatment but left when the only option they presented to him was to amputate both hands. He is now unable to use his hands. When Sara learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, he traveled for four and a half hours seeking treatment. On September 29th, surgeons at CSC will perform a debridement procedure to to help him preserve and heal both hands. Now, he needs help to fund this $787 procedure. Sara said, "I hope I can regain the use of my hands as soon as possible. My wife and I are worried so much about the loss of my hands because I will not be able to support my family without them."

Ezekiel is a 7-month-old baby from Tanzania. His parents are both subsistence farmers and they keep a few goats. They depend on their small harvests to meet their day-to-day basic needs. Ezekiel was born at a hospital, a healthy happy baby, but when Ezekiel reached one month old he started crying most nights, was taken to a local near by hospital and was immediately referred to a regional referral hospital where this stayed for three weeks on antibiotics and seizure control medications. Their family was then referred to Watsi's Medical Partner Care Center ALMC for further neurological consultation. At ALMC they were told that Ezekiel has a brain abscess that needs draining immediately, but Ezekiel’s parents could not afford surgery. They had already sold their land as they were being moved from hospital to hospital and on medication and tests done to diagnose him. Watsi's partner ALMC-The Plaster House paid for Ezekiel’s first emergency surgery and he healed well and was discharged home. A few weeks later Ezekiel started crying a lot, vomiting and experiencing seizures. Ezekiel’s mother rushed him to a near by local dispensary where they were told he needed to be seen by specialist doctors for further investigations. She brought him back to ALMC and he was diagnosed with acquired hydrocephalus, which is a result of inflammation of the ventricles in the brain secondary to the infection he had. This caused him to have obstructive hydrocephalus. Through Watsi donors support, he was able to have hydrocephalus surgery of ETV, which helped save him from having headaches, vomiting, and seizures that could have resulted in death. His earlier treatment relieved the built up pressure on Ezekiel’s brain and prevented further brain damage. But now the ETV surgery need to be supplemented. He was rushed to hospital and has been schedule to have a VPS shunt insertion. Ezekiel has been diagnosed with hydrocephalus, a condition in which excess cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the brain and increases intracranial pressure. Without treatment, Ezekiel will experience severe physical and developmental delays. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $765 to cover the cost of surgery for Ezekiel that will treat his hydrocephalus. The procedure is scheduled to take place on August 26th and will drain the excess fluid from Ezekiel's brain. This will reduce intracranial pressure and greatly improve his quality of life. With proper treatment, Ezekiel will hopefully develop into a strong, healthy young boy. Ezekiel’s mother says, “All I wish is to see my son well and not going through all this suffering and pain he is going through. Please help my son.”

Rathana is a 19-year-old taxi driver from Cambodia. He lives with his parents and three younger siblings. His parents are farmers. He usually helps his parents with the farm work, but since he was injured he cannot do that right now. Normally, he enjoys playing soccer with his friends and going out to restaurants. In February, he was in motor accident that caused a fracture in his right femur. His parents took him to a traditional Khmer healer but his bone did not heal properly and he is now unable to walk without severe pain. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, can help. On July 8th, Rathana will undergo a fracture repair procedure, which will cost $465. This procedure will repair his fracture through the fixation of a nail, allowing him to heal effectively and walk again. Rathana said, "I hope this surgery fixes my fracture quickly so I can work again and help support my parents well."

Thoeun is a 37-year-old monk from Cambodia. He is the oldest of eight siblings who are all married and live elsewhere. He normally lives with other monks, but his parents are taking care of him while he is injured. He reads books every day, prays and does house work. Two months ago, Thoeun fell from a hammock, resulting in a compression of his spine. He soon began to feel weakness and numbness in his legs. Now he cannot stand or walk, and occasionally feels acute pain in his lower back. Fortunately, our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), can help. Doctors will perform a laminectomy, a surgical procedure that removes a portion of the vertebral bone called the lamina in order to relieve pressure on his spine. Once he has recovered from the procedure, his nerves will function normally and he will be able to walk. Our medical partner is now asking for $1,500 to help cover the cost of his surgery. Thoeun shared, "I hope that I can soon return to my duties as a monk. I can't stay with my parents and make them take care of me anymore. When I get better I want to thank them and take care of them in return."

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.

Tola is a 28-year-old construction worker from Cambodia. He lives with his parents in the Takeo province. He has two sisters and four brothers. His favorite sport is football and after work he helps his parents at home. When he was a child, he began experiencing ear pain, discharge, and discomfort. When he tried cleaning the ear discharge himself with cotton at home it only made his condition worse. Tola had a serious ear infection, which caused a cholesteatoma, or an abnormal skin growth, to develop in the middle ear behind the ear drum. For this reason, Tola experiences hearing loss, tinnitus, and ear discharge. He has difficulty hearing clearly at work and throughout his day. Tola traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On April 29th, he will undergo a mastoidectomy procedure in his right ear. During this procedure, ENT surgeons will remove the cholesteatoma. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $925 to fund this procedure. This covers medications, supplies, and inpatient care. "I hope that after surgery I can hear everything better, my ear infection will stop, and especially that the discharge will go away. I want to go back to working at the construction site to support my parents and family," Tola said.