Aye is a 48-year-old woman from Thailand. She lives with her family, and recently stepped away from work due to health concerns. In her free time, Aye enjoys making traditional Burmese food. Since March, Aye has been experiencing bloating, a sense of fullness in her stomach, fatigue, and weakness. After seeking out medical care, Aye was diagnosed with a right ovarian tumor. Doctors recommended she undergo a total abdominal hysterectomy, a procedure wherein surgeons will remove her uterus. If left untreated, Aye's symptoms will continue to worsen and put her at risk for future health complications. Fortunately, our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF), can help. Aye is scheduled to undergo her hysterectomy on June 13th at BCMF's care center. Now, BCMF is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of her procedure and care. Once recovered, Aye will no longer experience discomfort and can live more confidently. Aye said, "Since I was diagnosed with this condition, I cannot work. So, I have no income. I feel sorry that my niece's family has to support me despite their financial problems. However, I now feel relieved that this organization [BCMF] will support my treatment."

Aida is a 36-year-old mother and wife living in Malawi. She likes chatting with her children and enjoys eating rice served with beef as well as vegetables prepared with groundnut flour. Aida was well until seven years ago when, she noted a small swelling toward the left side of her neck that was not painful. She did not visit the hospital since she thought it was going to clear on its own; however, the mass has increased in size. Recently, she has been experiencing frequent coughs and sometimes chokes at night, which has affected her daily activities. About two weeks ago, Aida met another beneficiary of surgery who guided her to visit Partners in Hope Medical Center (PIH) for support. On November 29th, Aida's surgeon confirmed the diagnosis of a goiter and recommended a surgical intervention called thyroidectomy, which is the removal of part of the thyroid gland. A goiter is a swelling of the neck resulting from enlargement of the thyroid gland that causes pain and breathlessness that may be life-threatening if not treated. Due to her financial challenges, Aida was sent to our medical partner's office to learn about the Watsi program, where she learned she was eligible to receive assistance in funding the $1,015 surgery from donors around the world. Aida was finally very happy to hear about the surgery and talked to her husband, who promised to support the treatment with $29.79 from his business. Aida is hoping to get better after surgery so she can continue supporting her children and loving family, saying, “Kindly help me, I believe surgery will help me get back to normal to continue caring for my children.”

Xavena is a young woman from Haiti. She lives with her older sister and her sister's family in a small farming village in central Haiti. She previously worked tailoring clothes but has been unable to work in recent years due to her cardiac illness. Xavena has a heart condition called severe rheumatic aortic regurgitation. One of the four valves in her heart was severely damaged by an infection she suffered earlier in her life. The cardiac surgery Xavena needs is not available in her country so she will need to fly to the United States to receive treatment. On October 18, Xavena will undergo cardiac surgery, during which surgeons will surgically remove her damaged heart valve and implant an artificial replacement. Another organization, Baylor Scott and White Heart Hospital, is contributing $25,000 to pay for surgery. Xavena's family also needs help to fund the costs of surgery prep and follow-up medical care. The $1,500 bill covers labs, medicines, checkups, and follow-up appointments. Xavena shaed: "I am hopeful that after this surgery I will have the energy and strength to return to work and pursue my goals in life."

Anastasia is a 12-month-old baby girl from Haiti. She lives with her parents and three older siblings in a small village in eastern Haiti where her parents are both farmers. Anastasia has a cardiac condition called ventricular septal defect, meaning that a hole exists between the two lower chambers of her heart. Blood leaks through this hole without passing through her lungs to obtain oxygen, leaving her weak and short of breath. Anastasia also has Down syndrome. Our medical partner Haiti Cardiac Alliance (HCA) is helping Anastasia which is especially challenging as the treatment she needs is not available within Haiti. On August 2nd, she will fly to the Dominican Republic to undergo cardiac surgery, during which surgeons will close the hole with a patch so that blood can no longer leak through it. HCA is subsidizing $8,000 of the cost of transportation and treatment, and Anastasia's family is asking for $1,500 to help to fund the costs of surgery prep, labs, medicines, and check-up and follow-up appointments. It will support passport obtainment and the social workers from HCA who will accompany Anastasia's family overseas. Anastasia's mother shared, "Our family would like to say thank you to everyone who is helping to fix our daughter's heart."

Nan lives with her mother, father, sister, and brother. Nan and her sister run a food stall, and her brother is a teacher. Her parents are both subsistence farmers who raise pigs and sell them yearly. During her free time, Nan enjoys spending quality time with her family. At the age of six, Nan experienced a period of whole-body swelling, which thankfully subsided after a few days. Similarly, when she turned 14, she experienced rapid heartbeat and occasional difficulty breathing, but these symptoms alleviated over time. Without comprehensive examination or treatment for 15 years, her breathing difficulties and fatigue severely returned in January 2022. She then underwent an echo and was diagnosed with atrial septal disorder (ASD). The doctor scheduled to perform an ASD closure procedure on her heart on August 24th. Facing financial constraints, she sought treatment through Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF), a partner organization of Watsi, with the hope of securing financial support to facilitate her access to essential treatment. Nan mentioned, “I feel sad that I am so tired and cannot work. I am also worried about my parents because I cannot support them right now. I was concerned with the cost of treatment but now, I am happy that I will receive help with my treatment. Thank you to the donors.”

David is a 24-year-old male from Kenya. He is the last born in a family of four children raised by his mother. He works at a timber workshop near his home. In June 2020, David was involved in an accident where he was hit from the side by a motorbike. He was taken to the nearest public hospital and received emergency care. An x-ray revealed that he had an open right tibia fracture that needed surgery. Following his initial surgery, he has since had several additional surgeries due to the severity of the injury. In October 2022, he was referred to the care center, AIC Kijabe Hospital, run by our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), for specialized review and care. His doctors quickly realized that he still walks with a limp, and his ankle is stiff with bloody discharge from the incision site. His doctors determined that a deeper examination was needed, and he ended up having a hardware removal surgery. However, the region where the fracture occurred is still severely infected, and he risks losing his right leg due to the infection. The doctors have recommended an additional procedure to remedy the remaining issues and clean the infection. Fortunately, AMH has scheduled David for a second-stage bone transport in hopes of avoiding amputation and helping him walk again. AMH is requesting $1,500 to fund the procedure and provide for David's post-operative care. David says, “I feel exhausted and worried. I am unable to walk despite having several surgeries. I hope this surgery [helps] to save my leg.”

Jul is a homemaker from Thailand. She lives with her husband, toddler son, and sister-in-law. Her husband is also a homemaker, and her sister-in-law is a student. During her free time, she enjoys looking after her son and doing household chores. She is currently expecting her second child. Her doctors recommend that she deliver via a Caesarean section because she previously gave birth through an emergency C-section. Delivering via C-section ensures the safety of both the mother and the child. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is helping Jul undergo a C-Section on January 30th. This procedure will cost $1500, and Jul and her family need your support. “I want to have a girl this time because I already have a son,” Jul said.

Juanita is a 75-year-old woman from Philippines. She manages a small business for a living, and she lives with her daughter who works as a house helper. In August 2022, Juanita began experiencing troubling symptoms, including shortness of breath, fatigue, excessive sweating, and sudden weight loss. She underwent a series of tests and was diagnosed with follicular thyroid carcinoma. This is the second most common cancer of the thyroid, characterized by an encapsulated tumor on the thyroid gland. She requires surgery to prevent her symptoms from worsening. Fortunately, our medical partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines (WSFP), is helping Juanita receive treatment. On January 7th, she will undergo a thyroidectomy at WSFP's care center, where surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. A portion of the cost of her treatment is being supported by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation. Juanita needs help raising the remaining $935 to cover the full cost of her procedure and care. Juanita shared, "this surgery is a big relief to me and my family. Though our relatives are extending financial assistance, still it wasn't enough to pay for my treatment. We don't know where else to ask for help, so thank you WATSI and World Surgical Foundation Philippines!"

23-year-old Josephine and her two siblings live with their mother in Kenya and participate in small-scale farming for home consumption. Josephine has no source of income but is hoping to pursue a course in hairdressing. On April 16th, 2022, while planting corn on their farm, Josephine slipped and plunged into a hole she hadn't seen. She sustained a fracture in her right leg and surgery was performed to stabilize the bone and help the fracture heal. Two months after the surgery, Josephine started noticing pus accumulating in the affected area. She returned to the hospital and was treated, but her condition did not improve. In October 2022, doctors noted that the hardware that had been placed in Josephine's leg to stabilize the bone had actually caused an infection. Despite the removal of the hardware, the infection has persisted. Josephine has a large mid-diaphyseal sequestrum. This means that her femur bone is infected. As a result, she is unable to use her right leg to walk. If left untreated, the infection can spread, and potentially result in an amputation. With the assistance of our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, Josephine has been scheduled for a Right Femur Sequestrectomy and Exfix to clear the infection and strengthen the bone, allowing it to heal completely. The surgery, which will take place at AIC Kijabe Hospital on April 17th, will enable Josephine to walk easily again so that she can farm and pursue the course in hairdressing. She and her family need your help to raise the $1,500 to fund her treatment. Josephine says, “I want to go to college and do a course in hairdressing. I am unable to pursue this dream since I have a broken bone that needs to be attended to.”