Jane, a self-employed woman, was unfortunate to fall in a latrine in July 2018, severely breaking her leg. Upon the accident, she was rushed to Nakuru Hospital, where she was admitted and had surgery in which a metal plate was inserted. She went for clinics in the same hospital after being discharged, but the leg was not improving at all. Her uncle came to her rescue in June 2019 and brought her to Kijabe Hospital. Jane was admitted, had the metals on her leg replaced with lighter ones, and was discharged. She has been coming for clinics to monitor her leg. An x-ray was done and it was decided that another surgery was needed. Due to lack of funds, Jane went home helpless. Being a divorced woman and self-employed (selling second-hand clothes), Jane is the breadwinner of her family of five children. With her mobility being hindered by her broken leg, she cannot do as much as she would have if she’d be on both feet. This surgery will definitely improve Jane’s and her children’s quality of life.

Sithol is a 28-year-old factory worker from Cambodia. She has one daughter, and she enjoys cooking, listening to music, and looking after her daughter. Five months ago, Sithol fell off her motorcycle and fractured her left arm. She experienced pain and swelling, and cannot move her hand. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, can help. On February 10th, Sithol will undergo a fracture repair procedure, which will cost $465. Surgery will allow Sithol's injuries to heal properly, and relieve her of any pain. "I hope that I will no longer have any pain or swelling after my surgery, and I will be able to return to work," Sithol shared.

Veasna is a 25-year-old construction worker from Cambodia. He is married with two sons, and when he is not looking after his children, he likes to drink coffee, watch boxing on television, help the family around the house, and feed farm animals for extra income. Three years ago, Veasna was in a motorcycle accident and fractured his right elbow and left leg. He was treated at a hospital in Phnom Penh for his injuries, where doctors fixated him with internal hardware to heal his fractures. Now, Veasna no longer experiences severe pain and his fractures have healed properly, and he needs his hardware to be removed. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, can help. On March 6th, Veasna will undergo a hardware removal procedure, which will cost $230. Surgery will remove the internal hardware from both Veasna's elbow and leg. "I hope that after the wires are removed, I will not have any pain and the wounds will heal," said Veasna.

Gideon is 6-year-old playful boy. Five days ago, Gideon came to the hospital with a complaint of pain in his right hand, which looked like an obvious fracture due to the deformed and swollen appearance of his arm. He was unable to lift his hand. Gideon sustained the fracture while he was playing with his friends in school. Accompanied by his mother, they walked over 16 miles to get to our hospital to see a doctor and get treated. After the doctor's assessment, Gideon was admitted for skin traction to limit movement and reduce his pain and swelling. Now he has been scheduled for Open Reduction and External Fixation (OREF) surgery on Friday, March 20th. Gideon is the second born in a family of three children. He was born and raised in a small village called Kipkaner where most of the inhabitants work on farms or perform other low-income jobs. His parents did not attend school, so they don’t speak Swahili nor English. The family lives in a small mud hut with grass as a roof. His family gets sustenance from their small farm and consists mostly of millet, sorghum and seasonal fruits like mangos. Gideon likes to spend his days looking after her grandmother's goats. He feels that his grandmother will find it hard to take care of her goats when he is sick. Gideon is in severe pain. He has a hard time sleeping. The family is requesting for financial support for their child to undergo surgery. Gideon’s father says, “I want my son to get back to his normal life. It is paining to see him lay in bed without help.”

Sokkoeun is a 40-year-old construction worker from Cambodia. He has a seven year old son, and enjoys playing soccer and watching television in his free time. In may 2019, Sokkhoeun was electrocuted and suffered severe electricity burns on his hands, feet, and abdomen. He is unable to use his left hand and he experiences chronic pain. When Sokkoeun learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, he traveled for one hour seeking treatment. On July 10, surgeons at CSC will perform a debridement procedure to Treatment will remove the damaged tissue from the wound, allowing his skin to heal properly over the bone. Now, Sokkoeun needs help to fund this $262 procedure. He says, "I hope that I will be able to use both of my hands after my operation and that I can return to my work."

Vakhim is a tenth grade student from Cambodia. He has two older sisters, and enjoys playing soccer and watching television in his free time. His favorite subjects in school are math and biology, and he hopes to become a teacher when he gets older. When he was eight months old, Vakhim had an ear infection. This infection caused the tympanic membrane, or the ear drum, in his left ear to perforate. For this reason, Vakhim experiences discharge, itchiness, fever, tinnitus, and hearing loss. He has a difficult time focusing in school and cannot communicate well with others. Vakhim traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On August 7, he will undergo a myringoplasty procedure in his left ear. During this procedure, surgeons will close the perforation. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $423 to fund this procedure. This covers medications, supplies, and inpatient care. He says, "I hope that after my operation, I will be able to hear more clearly than before and the infection will go away."

Marthe is a student from Haiti. She lives with her parents and three siblings in a neighborhood of Port-au-Prince. She is in seventh grade and is an excellent student. Marthe has a cardiac condition called atrial septal defect. A hole exists between the two upper chambers of her heart. Blood leaks through this hole, leaving her sick and short of breath. Marthe will fly to the United States to receive treatment. On September 9, she will undergo cardiac surgery, during which surgeons will sew a patch over the hole so that blood can no longer leak through it. Another organization, HeartGift Foundation, is contributing $17,000 to pay for surgery. Marthe's family also needs help to fund the costs of surgery prep. The $1,500 bill covers labs, medicines, and checkup and followup appointments. It also supports passport obtainment and the social workers from our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, who will accompany Marthe's family overseas. She says, "I am looking forward to my surgery so that I can stop worrying about my heart!"

Angela is a 58-year-old homemaker from Guatemala. She has three adult children and lives with her daughter and grandchildren. She helps her daughter by taking care of her two young grandchildren. Angela has struggled with her eyesight for many years now. She has never been able to afford to go to the doctor to get her eyes checked. Recently, Angela got the opportunity to attend a free clinic to get her eyesight tested. At the clinic, the doctors told her that she needs glasses to fix her blurry vision and inability to see faraway objects. Angela is unable to pay the expensive cost of personalized glasses. Our medical partner, Wuqu’ Kawoq, is requesting $552 to fund an eye ultrasound and travel fees and to fit Angela with prescription lens glasses. These glasses will help Angela see better. She will be able to live and work more easily, and she can continue to take care of her family. Angela says, “I am happy and wholly grateful for the support that I am receiving. They did some exams for me and I thought that my eyes could never be fixed. But, the doctor indicated that with glasses my vision could get better. This will help me greatly.”

Josephine and her twin brother are the third and fourth children to their parents. Josephine's mother says she is a happy child who enjoys playing with her siblings. Josephine's feet are turned inward. Because she can walk, her mother never sought treatment for the condition. Recently, our medical partner's community outreach officer traveled to Josephine's village, where he diagnosed her with clubfeet and spoke to her parents about treatment options. Now, she is scheduled to undergo repair surgery on January 24. Josephine's parents are small scale farmers who herd goats and cows. However, their income is limited, and they need help to provide treatment for their daughter. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,160. Josephine's mother says, "I hope that my daughter will be able to walk straight and attend school."

11-month-old Eliezer lives with his parents, four-year-old sister, and grandparents in rural Guatemala. Since his birth, he has had bouts of coughing and fever. When he is sick, he eats and plays little. His mother has tried to help Eliezer with medication, but he is losing weight and continues to get sick. Eliezer is not receiving enough calories, protein, and nutrients to sustain his growth and immune system. He has been diagnosed with malnutrition. Eliezer will begin malnutrition treatment on January 12. His treatment will be simple, involving nutritional supplements and dietary staples, such as eggs and beans. His mother will receive in-home nutrition education, so she will learn low-cost ways to prevent future cases of malnutrition. Our medical partner, Wuqu' Kawoq, is requesting $437 for Eliezer's treatment. Eliezer's mother says, "I would really like to see my son get better and for him to be able to grow well, so that one day he can be a teacher in our community." For now, Eliezer enjoys playing with his toy car, crawling, and walking with the help of his family. Treatment will give Eliezer a chance to grow into a healthy, energetic baby.

Leshan is a handsome six-year-old boy from Kenya. In April this year, Leshan began suffering persistent headaches. A visit to a local hospital had him diagnosed with malaria and pneumonia. Leshan received treatment for two months, but his condition worsened. Leshan, who was always the best in his class, could not keep up, and his performance drastically dropped. Eventually, his vision became blurred and his lower limbs weak. These symptoms forced Leshan to quit school early July 2016. His parents took him to a different hospital where a scan revealed that Leshan has excess fluid on his head and a tumor known as medulloblastoma. Urgent specialized treatment would be required, and Leshan was referred to Bethany Kids Hospital, a Watsi partner. Leshan's parents cannot afford the treatment he needs to remove the tumor. Leshan's father is a pastoralist while his mother is is a stay at home mom. The family lives in a traditional house in Rift Valley Kenya. Leshan is the twenty-second born in a family of twenty-seven children and the last born to his mother who has nine children. If not treated, Leshan faces the risk of increased intracranial pressure, which is likely to cause brain damage or even death. "Leshan is such a bright boy and we would like to see him back to school," his father shared. "He has a bright future ahead of him and that is what we wish for him."

"Three days ago, Joseph was born to his young parents," shares our medical partner in Kenya, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). When welcoming their "new bundle of joy," Joseph's mother noticed a small swelling on his back that the doctors were cautiously observing. "It came as a shock to both parents when the doctors informed them that the swelling was a skin defect that required surgical intervention as soon as possible," AMHF adds. The swelling was diagnosed as spina bifida, a neural tube defect where there is an incomplete closing of the backbone, with leaking fluid causing a bulge in the skin. AMH explains that if left untreated, "Joseph is at a risk of infection, and development of a tethered cord, which can lead to scoliosis and loss of muscle function on his lower limbs." Joseph's father, who works as a driver, is the family’s only source of income. Despite the support from their families, the young couple was only able to afford transportation to the hospital. $805 funds treatment that Joseph needs to thrive and live a healthy life. It covers the cost of a spina bifida closure procedure, anesthesia, a five-day hospital stay, lab work, and medicines. "The surgery will help reduce the risk of infections, developing a tethered cord, and paralysis on his legs," AMHF shares. Joseph's parents inform AMHF that they are hopeful that treatment will help their new baby grow up healthy and achieve all he would ever want in this life. “I want our son to grow up knowing that we tried everything possible to have him treated," Joseph's mother says, "Any help accorded towards his treatment will be highly appreciated."