Rin is a 43-year-old mother of one. She is a construction worker and divorced from her husband. She has one son who lives with her. In her free time, she likes to listen to Khmer songs and do things around the house. Earlier this month, she was working on a roof near a high-voltage wire and suffered multiple electrical burns on her hands, feet, and head. She was taken to a referral hospital, but only received minimal dressing for her burns. The tissue damage is extensive, and she is in pain and unable to use her hands. When Rin learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for three and a half hours seeking treatment. On September 15th, surgeons at CSC will perform a skin graft surgery to to help regenerate the damaged skin. Now, she needs help to fund this $805 procedure. Rin is hopeful that after surgery her hands will be better and she will be able to work again.

Kwan is a 17-year-old boy who enjoys watching TV and learning Mandarin online during his free time. Although he is originally from Burma, he lives with his parents, two brothers, and both of his grandmothers in a village in Thailand. They moved to Thailand about five years ago in search of safer living conditions. Both of Kwan’s grandmothers are retired, and his father is unable to work due to being ill. His mother and older brother support their family by working as day laborers. Kwan and his younger brother both attend a local migrant school, where Kwan is a 10th grade student. In September of 2017, Kwan broke his left forearm while playing basketball with his friends. He was referred to Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF) for financial assistance accessing treatment, and he underwent surgery to insert a steel rod into his left forearm at their medical care center, Mae Sot Hospital (MSH). Following surgery, doctors told Kwan that the steel rod would need to be removed a year after surgery. However, he was not scheduled for an appointment to remove the rod, and he was not told why it needed to be removed. Initially, this did not seem like an issue since Kwan regained movement in his fingers, was able to move his arm more comfortably, and was able to help his mother with household chores. Since he was not in pain and his family did not have enough money to pay for the procedure, Kwan was not brought back to MSH to have the rod removed. However, he began working as an agricultural day laborer in 2020 when his studies were moved online due to the outbreak of COVID-19. He began to experience pain in the area where the rod was located when carrying anything even slightly heavy. Due to financial constraints and a fear of being arrested for traveling to the clinic without documentation because of an increase in main road checkpoints, Kwan kept his pain a secret. However, he eventually sought medical attention at MSH after the pain progressed. There, a doctor confirmed that his arm had healed well and the rod needed to be removed. Fortunately, our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund is helping Kwan receive treatment. On July 27th, doctors will perform rod removal surgery. This procedure will cost $1,500, and Kwan and his family need your support. He mentions that after he recovers from surgery, he wants to find work as a day laborer. He wants to help his family earn more money so his mother no longer has to do hard labor. His mother says, “I don’t know what to say, but in our heart, we are so thankful to the donors for helping Kwan with his first, as well as this second, surgery. We will never forget this help for the rest of our lives.”

Nada is a 3-year-old girl and the youngest born into a family of three. She is a friendly and playful girl. Nada's parents are farmers of maize, beans, and vegetables. They rely entirely on what they harvest for food and sell off any surplus for income for their family. Nada's father also does small jobs on the side to generate extra income. Nada was diagnosed with acquired bilateral genu varus. Her legs bow inward so that her knees 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, Nada has a hard time walking and complains of pain after a long day of play or when it gets cold. She is sometimes unable to stand due to severe pain in her knees when she wakes up in the morning. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $880 to fund corrective surgery for Nada. The procedure is scheduled to take place on June 21st. Treatment will hopefully restore Nada's mobility, allow her to participate in a variety of activities, and greatly decrease her risk of future complications. Nada’s father says, “My family and I cannot afford to get our daughter treated. We need your help to ensure that she is well and is not in constant pain.”

Kai is an adorable baby boy from the Philippines who loves to listen to nursery rhymes. Kai's mother is a stay-at-home mom, while his father works as a construction worker. Kai's father's income helps to meet their day-to-day basic needs. Kai was born with a birth condition that leads to a complete or partial intestinal blockage. Fortunately, he is scheduled to undergo surgery to help him heal on May 4th. Our medical partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines, is requesting $1,279 to help cover the total cost of Kai's procedure and care. After his recovery, Kai will no longer experience bowel dysfunction or be at risk of developing severe health complications in the future. Kai's mother shared, "This surgery is a big help for our family. The bigger portion of my husband's income goes to Kai's colostomy supplies. Now, we do not have to worry about it anymore. Thank you so much, World Surgical Foundation Philippines and Watsi for helping us."

Cornelius is four-month-old baby boy. He is the youngest in a family of eight children. Cornelius's older siblings are still school ranging from high school to primary school. Cornelius's parents are laborers on a tea farm making enough to meet the essential needs of the family. Without medical insurance, Cornelius's family cannot afford the cost of necessary medical treatments. Cornelius has been diagnosed with hydrocephalus, a condition in which excess fluid accumulates in the brain and increases intracranial pressure. As a result of this condition, Cornelius has experienced swelling in his head. Cornelius's parents took him to a hospital where he was examined and sent for a brain scan. Cornelius's parents could not afford the scan at that time, but soon after, friends of the family referred them to BenthanyKids Hospital. It was there Cornelius was was examined and scheduled to undergo a shunt insertion. This treatment will decompress the excess pressure in Cornelius's head, alleviate the swelling, and give Cornelius a chance at a better life. Without treatment, Cornelius will experience severe physical and developmental delays. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Cornelius and his family raise $720 to cover the cost of the surgery. The procedure is scheduled to take place on March 31st and is expected to greatly improve Cornelius's quality of life. With proper treatment, Cornelius will hopefully develop into a strong, healthy young boy. Cornelius’ mother says, “We have faith that Cornelius will be healed.”

Karen works as a guard at a secondary school in Cavite, Philippines. Her husband is a police officer, but even with their combined income to cost of the surgery she needs is out of reach. Five years ago, Karen began to experience troubling symptoms, including difficulty in swallowing and a swollen neck. She was diagnosed with goiter, an abnormal enlargement of the thyroid gland. She needs surgery to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. Fortunately, our medical partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines, is helping Karen receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on February 4th at Our Lady of Peace Hospital. Surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. This procedure will cost $1,323, and she and her family need help raising money for this life-changing care. "This surgery will greatly improve my well-being, so I can continue working for my future without worry," Karen shared.

Elisante is a three-week old baby and the second born in a family of two children. Elisante’s father is a dressmaker and his mother takes care of their home and family. They do not earn enough to be able to afford Elisante’s needed treatment and need support. Elisante has clubfoot of his left foot. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. This causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Fortunately, Elisante's family traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre. There, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on January 3rd. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $935 to fund Elisante's clubfoot repair. After treatment, he'll will be able to walk easily and wear shoes. Elisante’s mother says, “Please help my son get this treatment so that he may be able to walk. I fear that when people will see his leg they might talk badly of my son.”

Pheak is a 33-year-old construction worker. He is married and has two daughters who are in elementary school. His wife stays at home to take care of them. When Pheak is not working he enjoys watching boxing matches, listening to the news, and telling stories to his daughters. Five years ago, the retina of Pheak's right eye detached, causing him blurred vision and irritation. He has had limited work opportunities due to this condition as well. When Pheak learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, he traveled for three hours seeking treatment. On November 9th, eye surgeons will perform a retinal detachment repair procedure in his right eye. After recovery, he will be able to see clearly. Now, he needs help to fund this $648 procedure. Pheak said, "I am hopeful that when my vision is better I can work more and support my family well."

Edrian is an active and talkative 4-year-old boy. He is the youngest in a family of three children. Both of his parents work as teachers, and one of his parents secured a new job recently which they are feeling optimistic about. A few months after Edrian was born, his mother noticed a birth condition. She consulted with his father, and they decided to raise funds to take Edrian to a local hospital. After examination, Edrian was diagnosed with left undescended testes, and surgery was done to address this condition. However, his surgery was unsuccessful and the doctors referred their family to our medical partner’s care center, BethanyKids Kijabe Hospital (BKKH) for additional care. At BKKH, Edrian was diagnosed with cryptorchidism, a condition in which one or both of the testicles remains undescended. If left untreated, Edrian has an increased risk of developing hernias, testicular cancer, and fertility problems in the future. Fortunately, Edrian will be receiving assistance from our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF), and will undergo corrective surgery on November 1st. AMHF is requesting $646 to cover the total cost of his procedure and care. Edrian’s mother shared, “It has been a long and stressful journey for us since he was diagnosed with the condition, but we are still hopeful that all will be well.”

Phorn is a 31-year-old construction worker. He's married and the proud father of a 10-year-old daughter in fifth grade. His wife works in a clothes factory. In his free time, he likes to fish or play volleyball. In August 2019, Phorn was accidentally cut by a knife. His hand was lacerated and his right metacarpal was fractured. After the accident, he went to a government hospital where hardware was inserted allowing the fracture to heal. Although the bone has healed, he experiences stiffness in his finger and the scar on his right hand is healing poorly. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, can help. On September 16th, Phorn will undergo a hardware removal procedure, which will cost $230. During the procedure, surgeons will remove the hardware from his finger, allowing him to begin physical therapy and full use of his hand as he finally heals. Phorn shared that he is hopeful that he'll be able to hold objects in his hand again.