Lov is a rice farmer from Cambodia. She has two sisters and four brothers. She likes to clean and relax at home. In infancy, Lov had an ear infection. This infection caused a cholesteatoma, or an abnormal skin growth, to develop in the middle ear behind the ear drum. For this reason, Lov experiences ear discharge, hearing loss, and recurrent infection. It is difficult for her to hear, and she has painful infections often. Lov traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On February 12, she will undergo a mastoidectomy procedure in her left ear. During this procedure, ENT surgeons will remove the cholesteatoma. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $842 to fund this procedure. This covers medications, supplies, and inpatient care. She says, "I hope my ear heals and I can go home and spend time with my family."

Bariki is a student from Tanzania. He recently excelled in his primary school education and is looking forward to starting his secondary school this year. Bariki has been diagnosed with genu valgus. His legs bow inwards so that his 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, he cannot walk for long distances without pain. This affects his school attendance. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $940 to fund corrective surgery for Bariki. The procedure is scheduled to take place on January 11. Treatment will hopefully restore Bariki's mobility, allow him to participate in a variety of activities, and greatly decrease his risk of future complications. Bariki says, “I just want to be able to play football, run, and play with friends without being in pain.”

Baw is a 40-year-old woman who lives with her family in Umpeim Mai refugee camp in Thailand. Baw works as a treasurer of a community-based organization in the camp. Her husband works as a security guard at the same organization. All of her three children are students. Baw learned about her heart condition twelve years ago after she gave birth to her youngest son. After giving birth, the doctor informed her that she would no longer be able to have children due to her weak heart. Until 2016, Baw did not experience any symptoms relating to her heart condition. It was only in May 2016 that she started to feel extremely tired after strenuous activities. She gradually lost her appetite, had problems sleeping, and lost weight. Eventually, Baw went to the camp’s clinic. Finally, Baw was brought to Mae Sot Hospital where she received an echocardiogram and was diagnosed with atrial septal defect and severe mitral regurgitation. She was told that she would require surgery and was then referred to BCMF for financial assistance in undergoing the surgery. Baw's surgery is scheduled for October 30. She needs help raising $1,500.

Carlos is a two-year-old boy who lives with his family in rural Guatemala. He was born with Down's Syndrome and is a caring and playful boy. In school, his teacher says he is an intelligent child, and Carlos's parents do everything they can so he can grow and develop well. Carlos was also born with cryptorchidism, meaning he has an undescended testicle. This condition is frequently found in young boys who were born prematurely, as Carlos was. In order to treat this condition, Carlos will need to undergo surgery. If left untreated, Carlos could be at risk of a variety of reproductive illnesses in the future, including inguinal hernia, infertility, and testicular cancer. With Watsi support, Carlos will undergo a procedure called orchidopexy, which is a surgery to move an undescended testicle into the scrotum and permanently fix it there. He will need $1,500 to fund laboratory testing, medication, and travel to and from the hospital. His procedure is scheduled for September 8. After treatment, Carlos will be much less likely to suffer from cryptorchidism-related complications later in life, and his parents will have peace of mind. Carlos’s mother says, “Thank you all for your great hearts, thank you for donating so that our son can have this surgery."

Cesar is a 50-year-old married father of four who lives in Guatemala's rural highlands. His and his wife's joint sales of small rings provides a source of family income. For years, Cesar worked as an agricultural laborer in the local countryside. Unfortunately, Cesar suffered an accident that resulted in the need for an amputation of his leg at the hip. For many years now, Cesar has struggled to walk, go to work, and complete daily tasks. Our medical partner, Wuqu' Kawoq, is requesting $1,166 to cover the cost of a prosthetic leg for Cesar. The start of Cesar's fitting and molding sessions is scheduled for July 7. Receiving this prosthesis will positively impact Cesar's life, hopefully allowing him to walk more easily, comfortably, and independently. “I hope that by recovering my leg I can do something with my life. With our business we only earn pennies. Hopefully with the new leg I will be able to do something new, something unique,” expresses Cesar.

Marie-Litane is a 61-year-old woman from Port-au-Prince, Haiti. She has one daughter and three grandchildren, all of whom she adores. Before the development of her condition, Marie-Litane operated a small beauty salon from within her home. She also cooks, loves to bake, and farms a little as well. Upon feeling a potential mass in her breast, Marie-Litane had a mammogram and multiple exams conducted at a nearby health center. Results confirmed a diagnosis of breast cancer. Marie-Litane has since undergone four sessions of chemotherapy. Our medical partner, Innovating Health International, is requesting $1,085 to fund a mastectomy for Marie-Litane, which is scheduled to take place on July 29. The procedure will greatly decrease the risk of cancer metastasis and will hopefully allow her to return to the activities that she greatly enjoys. Marie-Litane has not felt like herself in a long time; following surgery, she is looking forward to being healthy and more independent.

Pisey is a 21-year-old construction worker. He has two sisters and two brothers. He likes to watch TV and listen to music in his free time. In June of 2014, Pisey was in a motor vehicle accident that caused a fracture in his left femur and left tibia. He went to a Khmer traditional healer for treatment, but his symptoms did not improve. It was difficult for Pisey to walk, and he could not work to support his family. Pisey first visited our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), in early December of 2016. Surgeons performed an osteotomy procedure on his left femur to align his bones. Recently, he returned to CSC to further treatment. On December 20, surgeons performed an open reduction internal fixation procedure on Pisey's left femur. After recovery, he should be able to walk easily again. CSC is requesting $411 to fund this treatment.

Egner is a 12-month-old boy from Guatemala. His parents have had trouble affording foods rich in calories, protein, and nutrients. He has been diagnosed with acute malnutrition. This means he has little energy to grow, and his immune system is weak and vulnerable to illness. He is also at risk of chronic disease and delayed development. Fortunately, Egner began malnutrition treatment on November 24, 2016. Egner is a calm and friendly boy who loves to play soccer with his older brother, Cristian. He lives with his family in a one-room adobe house with a tin roof. His father works as a day laborer on a local plantation, working hard to support the whole family. He cannot afford Egner's $512 treatment. While malnutrition can have devastating effects, it is also very treatable. Growth monitoring, micronutrients, and food supplementation will help Egner recover. He will gain weight and grow taller to catch up with other children his age, and his immune system will grow stronger. Community health workers will teach his mother about creating a nutrient-rich diet from limited resources. Treatment will give Egner a chance to grow healthy and strong. "I am happy because I know that this is going to help my son a lot," says Egner's mother.

Margaret is an elderly woman and a farmer on her small plot of land. She is 65 years old and a mother to eleven children. In April of 2016, Margaret had a painful feeling on her left breast. She came to our facility and was asked to undergo a mammogram. She was diagnosed with breast cancer and now requires a mastectomy. A mastectomy will remove the breast tissue to prevent further spread of the cancer. Margaret will be in the hospital for six days to ensure the surgery's success, and will receive the medication needed to recover. All of Margaret's children work as casual laborers and have limited social economic means to provide for their mother’s treatment. Margaret's husband had his leg amputated in September of 2015, and he completely relies on Margaret to provide for him. Due to the recent financial burden of her husband’s medical bill, she is not able to access the medical treatment she needs. The surgery will cost $740. “I pray to God to heal me so that I may enjoy my old age and help my husband as well," Margaret shares with us.

Cho The is a 35-year-old woman from Burma. She lives with her husband, her eight-year-old son, and her father. She and her husband were both born and raised in the village where they live. While Cho The used to work alongside her husband on a rubber farm, she has been unable to work for the past three years due to the symptoms she experiences from her condition. Cho The has uterine fibroids, or benign tumors that develop in the uterus and cervix. As a result, her husband has been the only member supporting the family for three years. Her husband can usually only find between two to three days of work per week. The family does not make enough money to pay for their basic needs, including food. They have been forced to take out multiple loans and to borrow money from friends. Cho The's condition has affected the whole family, because not only does she have to worry about taking care of her son, but her father is also partially paralyzed and the family must care for him. Since her symptoms have arisen, she has experienced leg pains, difficulty walking, and an inability to lie down comfortably, which has been affecting her sleep. It has always been Cho The's dream to have many children. Cho The traveled six hours with a friend to Watsi's medical partner, Burma Border Projects, where she will have surgery to remove her fibroids. The $1,500 procedure, along with a seven day hospital stay, will enable her to recover and live free of the pain and other symptoms that hold her back from work. In her free time, Cho The enjoys studying the English language and reading her holy book. She really wants to start working again in order to be able to support her family better. "I hope that I will be able to have more children after surgery and to support my son through his education," said Cho The.

Meet Boniface, a 26-year-old who lives in Kenya with his mother and five siblings. His father and brother passed away a few years ago, so Boniface works in a vehicles' spare shop to help support his mother's income working on their small farm. Last year, Boniface began experiencing painful head migraines. He took over-the-counter medicines to try and alleviate the pain, but when he recently went to the doctor he was diagnosed with both hydrocephalus and a brain tumor. Hydrocephalus is an accumulation of water in the brain that causes increased pressure in the skull. In conjunction to this condition, the tumor has made it difficult for Boniface to see, and he needs assistance with walking because he cannot keep his balance very well. He also had to stop going to work. Boniface already received surgical treatment to drain the accumulated fluids and reduce the cranial pressure, but now surgeons recommend a crainiotomy to remove his tumor. If not treated, Boniface will continue experiencing migraines and risk complete blindness. Furthermore, he will be at risk of the tumor growing and causing more severe complications, even resulting in death. After his operation, Boniface will be able to return home to his family and continue supporting his mother and siblings. "I want to be free from the migraines and continue helping my mother," Boniface shares.

Meet Rin! This two-year-old lives in Cambodia with her parents and two siblings. Children of her age often love to explore the world around them with their sense of touch, learning to pick up objects, play with toys, and eat on their own. But Rin is only able to do that tactile exploring with one of her hands. “When Rin was 6 months old, three fingers of her left hand were burned by hot water,” explains our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC). “The burn contracture that developed prevents full movement of that hand.” Contractures are the tightening and thickening of the skin or muscle surrounding a serious burn scar, and cannot heal without treatment. Rin needs to regain use of her hand so that she can eventually learn the many skills she will need to operate in the world independently. Fortunately, there is an operation that can make this possible. “Rin requires a release and skin graft surgery,” CSC says. In this two-part procedure, doctors will remove scar tissue from Rin’s burned hand, and replace the damaged skin with healthy skin from elsewhere on Rin’s body. “After the surgery she will regain the use of her left hand,” CSC reports. For $280, we can make this crucial operation happen for Rin. This sum will also cover the two-week hospital stay and ten days of physical therapy that the toddler will need to recover from her procedure. “I hope after surgery my daughter can use her hand properly again,” Rin’s mother shares. Let’s make that hope a reality.