Margaret is a farmer from Kenya. She is a mother of seven. She lives with her son. In June, Margaret was hit by a speeding motorcycle while she was crossing the road. The rider of the motorcycle left her unconscious and fled the scene. Margaret was brought to the hospital by witnesses of the accident. She was diagnosed with a femur fracture. Currently, Margaret is not able to walk due to her broken femur. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner can help. On June 22, Margaret will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation. This procedure will help her walk again. Now, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $968 to fund this procedure. “I hope that I will get well soon. I am missing my home," says Margaret.

Ray is a five-year-old boy from Burma. He lives with his parents and eleven-year-old brother. Ray will start school this year. He loves to play with toy crane with his older brother. Since he was a month old, Ray has had right inguinal hernia. He experiences pain. Fortunately, on June 4, he 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 Ray's hernia repair surgery. The procedure is scheduled to take place on June 4 and, once completed, will hopefully allow him to live more comfortably. Ray’s mother says, “I hope that my son will get better soon and be able to play with his favorite toy crane again.”

Upendo is a young girl from Tanzania. She is an only child in her small family. Upendo is currently in kindergarten, and she hopes to enroll to primary school next year. Upendo is a happy child who loves her friends and enjoys singing. Her mother sells cloths, and her father is drives a motorcycle. For three years, Upendo has been experiencing difficulty breathing and frequent fever. This has caused her to miss school often. Upendo was recently diagnosed with enlarged tonsils, which, if not treated, will cause her symptoms to persist and possibly intensify over time. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $633 to fund a tonsillectomy for Upendo, which is scheduled to take place on May 3. Surgeons will remove her tonsils, hopefully relieving Upendo of her symptoms and helping her live more comfortably. Upendo says, “Please help me get treatment so that I can be able to breath okay.”

Nyo is a 16-year-old student from Burma. Her parents are farmers. Two of Nyo's older sisters work in Bangkok, and they send money to help pay for Nyo's school fees. Nyo was diagnosed with a heart condition that involves a malformation of the mitral valve, the valve between the left atrium and left ventricle. This valve controls the flow of blood, but certain conditions may cause blood to flow backward or the valve to narrow. Nyo experiences chest pain, difficulty breathing, fatigue, and discoloration of her lips. Her symptoms have caused her to miss school, and to frequently be late. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund a mitral valve replacement for Nyo. The treatment is scheduled to take place on April 2 and, once completed, will hopefully allow her to live more comfortably. "I would like to become a doctor someday, and help low-income patients in need," said Nyo.

Lwin is a 61-year-old housewife from Burma. She used to rent a patch of land for farming, but a recent medical condition has forced her to stop working. Lwin's husband passed away and she has six adult children. Now Lwin lives with one of her daughters and son-in-law. Lwin experiences back pain if she sits for long periods, and she feels a tightness and discomfort in her upper abdomen. Eventually she went to Mae Tao Clinic, our medical partner's care center, to have her symptoms checked. The doctor diagnosed her with a large kidney stone and told her that she requires surgery to remove the stone. Lwin will undergo a shockwave lithotripsy on March 8. Now, she needs help raising $1,500 to fund this procedure. She says, "Now I have a small garden where I plant vegetables. When I was away for my treatment, I didn’t get to water my garden and when I returned home, I saw that the plants were all dry. It’s costly to visit the hospital very often and I have no time to look after my garden. I just want to have the treatment and fully recover from my symptoms so that I can work in my garden again."

Yofethe is a child from Ethiopia. He loves riding a bicycle and wrestling with his father. Yofethe is an only child. His father is a merchant, and his mother is a stay-at-home mom. Yofethe was born with hypospadias, a congenital abnormality that causes urinary dysfunction. Without treatment, he will continue to experience uncomfortable symptoms and will be at risk of infertility. Yofethe’s father says, “This condition worries us a lot." Fortunately, Yofethe is scheduled to undergo corrective surgery on January 26. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,231 to cover the total cost of his procedure and care.

Esther is a casual laborer from Kenya. She is a mother of eight children. Esther is not employed and unable to tend to her small plot of land due to a leg wound. Esther has a diabetic wound on her left foot. She is not able to walk well or work on her farm. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is helping Esther receive treatment. On January 9, surgeons will perform a debridement and skin graft procedure to eliminate the risk of amputation and enable the wound to heal. This will allow Esther to walk and work freely again. Now, Esther needs help to fund this $1,129 procedure. Esther says, “I wish I can be able to ambulate with ease so that I can work on my own rather than relying on my son."

Shay is a six-month-old baby boy from Burma. He lives with his parents and four siblings. His parents are farmers. Shay was recently diagnosed with hydrocephalus, which has caused fluid to build up in his brain. Without immediate surgery to alleviate the intracranial pressure that the excess fluid is causing, he is at risk of developing severe, potentially fatal medical complications. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund the insertion of a ventriculoperitoneal shunt for Shay, which will drain the fluid that has accumulated in his brain. The procedure is scheduled to take place on November 20, and, once completed, will greatly improve Shay's quality of life. Shay's mother says, “I am unable to sleep because I have to take care of him and carry him day and night. I worry if he will get well.”

Melisa is a two-year-old living in Tanzania with her mother, father, and two siblings. She is currently in nursery school and loves to sing and play with her friends. Melissa's mother works as a tailor, and her father works in construction. When Melissa turned one and began to take her first steps, her mother noticed that her legs were bent at an odd angle. Her parents took her to the local hospital for medical attention, where she was diagnosed with genu varus. Genu varus is a congenital musculoskeletal condition in which the knees angle towards one another and touch when the legs are straightened. If left untreated, the condition can cause pain and result in difficultly walking. Doctors have suggested that Melisa undergo surgery to correct her condition so that her legs grow and develop normally. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $835 to fund her operation, which will be performed on August 18. Melisa's family is concerned about her condition but hopeful that with treatment she will have a bright future.

Meet Thidar, a 23-year-old woman from Burma. Thidar has worked as a housemaid in Chiang Mai and Bangkok. Thidar now lives with her parents and younger brother. When Thidar was two years old, she was diagnosed with a cardiac condition that could not be treated at her young age. When she was 13 years old, Thidar left home to become a housemaid for four years. Thidar is fatigued and often dizzy, which makes it difficult for her to work. She is scheduled for heart surgery to repair the condition. The procedure is scheduled for July 24 and will cost $1,500. Thidar hopes to return to work with renewed health following the surgery. "My condition has caused a lot of distress. My parents have had to borrow large sums of money in order to cover the costs of my condition. I want to get better for them, and I want a healthy life, and I want to walk like a strong woman," says Thidar.

Andy is a 12-year-old boy from Dominican Republic. He lives with his parents. His mother works as an office administrator, and his father works as a chef to support their family. Andy enjoys going to school and watching baseball on TV. Andy was born with a series of complex congenital heart defects, including one where his heart valve does not open and close properly, causing blood to back up into his heart. Andy has had several heart surgeries throughout his life to repair each defect and is embarking on his final surgery to replace his mitral valve. On August 31, Andy will be flown to our medical partner's care center, Health City Cayman Islands. Our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, is asking for $1,343 to cover the cost of Andy's transportation from Dominican Republic to Cayman Islands where he will receive heart surgery. Although Andy is not from Haiti, Haiti Cardiac Alliance is collaborating with partners to make his surgery possible. "I would like to share my entire family's gratitude to everyone who is helping my son become healthy!" says Andy's mother.

Augustino is a 66-year-old man from Malawi. Augustino works as a small scale farmer and lives with his wife, and they have four grown children and ten grandchildren. In addition to his farm, Augustino also raises chickens and goats. When he has free time, Augustino likes to go to his local parish with his family. For three years, Augustino has had a bilateral inguinal hernia. This condition causes Augustino a variety of problems; it is painful and difficult for him to go to the bathroom, and he is in pain almost all of the time. Because the family does not have the money for surgery, Augustino was thrilled to be introduced to Watsi, and he is so happy to know that he will have his hernia repaired. With the help of our medical partner, World Altering Medicine, Augustino is scheduled to receive his treatment on May 18. He says, "I wish to be well and I thank you for helping me."