Blessing is a baby from Kenya. She is the youngest in a family of six children. Both of her parents are casual laborers. Blessing has been diagnosed with hydrocephalus, a condition in which excess cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the brain and increases intracranial pressure. As a result of her condition, Blessing has been experiencing an increasing head circumference. Without treatment, Blessing will experience severe physical and developmental delays. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $685 to cover the cost of surgery for Blessing that will treat her hydrocephalus. The procedure is scheduled to take place on August 29 and will drain the excess fluid from Blessing's brain. This will reduce intracranial pressure and greatly improve her quality of life. With proper treatment, Blessing will hopefully develop into a strong, healthy young girl. “I am glad Watsi could come through for the first surgery and hopefully they can help us again," Blessing’s mother says.

Dao is a 35-year-old man who lives in Mae Sot with his family. Before a motorcycle accident in May, he used to be a banker in Yangon. However, he is currently unemployed due to an ankle fracture obtained during the accident. Dao underwent an internal fixation surgery at Yangon General Hospital and was discharged. Currently, he can walk, but not for long distances. Now, he requires a rod removal surgery to be able to walk properly again. He visited our medical partner and is scheduled for surgery on June 19. The procedure will cost $1,500. Dao hopes that after surgery, he will be able to work at the bank in Yangon again.

Day is a four-year-old boy from Karen State, Burma. He lives with his mother, two brothers, and sister. He does not yet attend school, but his sister is in grade one. His older brothers both work as agricultural day laborers and get paid in rice on an annual basis. When Day was a year old, his mother noticed a small, swollen area on his left buttock. The area was about the size of a quarter, but did not cause Day any pain. Over the next three years, the swollen area, or cyst, grew significantly. The cyst had some redness and was soft. Day’s mother did not take him to any healthcare facilities for investigation or treatment because the mass was not actively bothering him and they do not have enough money to do so. However, Day's mother started to worry about Day's condition as the cyst gradually grew bigger. In May 2018, someone in Day’s village told his mother about Mae Tao Clinic (MTC), a free clinic in Mae Sot, Thailand. They finally came to MTC and were referred to Mae Sot Hospital (MSH), our medical partner's care center, for surgery. The doctor at MSH scheduled Day for surgery on May 30. Now, his family needs help funding this $1,500 cyst removal procedure. Day’s mother says, “I really want him to have treatment, but we have never had enough money.”

Lewis is a student from Kenya. He is the second child in the family. His father is a cobbler, while his mother is a vendor in town. Lewis 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, Lewis traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, AIC Cure International Hospital. There, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on May 14. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,224 to fund Lewis's clubfoot repair. After treatment, Lewis will be free from pain. “I will be happy to see my son walking," says his father.

Sorn is a rice farmer from Cambodia. She has a son, four daughters, and fifteen grandchildren. She enjoys listening to monks pray on the radio. One year ago, Sorn developed a cataract in each eye, causing her clouded vision and photophobia. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, recognizing faces, and going anywhere outside. When Sorn learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for four and a half hours seeking treatment. On April 3, doctors will perform a small incision cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in each eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Now, she needs help to fund this $398 procedure. She says, "I hope can see clearly so that I can go to the pagoda and be able to join in ceremonies."

Khaing is a 19-year-old farmer who lives his parents, two siblings, and cousin. In Khaing’s free time, he enjoys playing football and volleyball with friends. In the summer of 2017, Khaing noticed that he had difficulty breathing and was constantly having a runny nose. He visited the hospital, where the doctor diagnosed him with a nasal polyp. Khaing is now scheduled to undergo sinus surgery on March 5 to treat the condition. He needs help raising $1,500 to fund the procedure. Khaing said, “I feel self-conscience because it is not easy to go out, travel or visit others. I don’t feel happy so I would rather stay at home. I hope to get better so I can continue working as a farmer and pay back my family’s debt."

Stanley is a student from Haiti. He lives in the outskirts of Port-au-Prince with his mother, father, and brothers. He is in the third grade and likes listening to soccer games on the radio and playing with his friends. Stanley has a cardiac condition called severe valvar pulmonic stenosis. One of the four valves in his heart is too narrow, preventing enough blood from passing through it and leading to heart failure. Stanley will fly to Cayman Islands to receive treatment. On January 10, he will undergo cardiac surgery. During surgery, the team will insert a catheter with a balloon at the end into his heart, and inflate the balloon to stretch his valve open. Another organization, Have a Heart Cayman, is contributing $14,000 to pay for surgery. Stanley'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 Stanley's family overseas. His mother says, "I am happy my son can have this surgery so that I don't have to be scared about his health."

Ivonne is a child from Kenya. Her mother is a housewife, while her father is a farmer. Ivonne has clubfoot of her left foot. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. This causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Fortunately, Ivonne traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, AIC Cure International Hospital. There, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on January 22. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,224 to fund Ivonne's clubfoot repair. After treatment, she will able to walk and attend school when the time comes. “I will be happy if you help my daughter undergo for surgery. God bless Cure and Watsi," her mother says.

Jack is eight years old and lives in Kenya with his family. Jack is the youngest in a family of six children. His mother is a housewife, while his father is a farmer. Jack is a quadriplegic cerebral palsy patient. He cannot walk, stand, or even feed himself. Unfortunately, he recently injured his hip. “Jack started to complain of hip pain two months ago," says his mother. "We thought it wasn’t that serious until he started crying and we ended up spending many sleepless nights as a result of his hip." Jack and his family visited our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, where an x-ray was conducted. The x-ray indicated that Jack has a hip dislocation. If not treated, the hip will swell and the muscle will weaken. He is at risk of a nerve injury or a permanent shortening of the muscle. He may also continue experiencing pain. Thankfully, his corrective surgery is scheduled for December 7. Now, his family needs help raising $1,231. "We are pleading for financial help because currently we have nothing, the rest of the children are in school and much is needed from us. We will appreciate your help," say his parents.

Kim Horng is a 22-year-old student from Cambodia. She enjoys watching Thai drama movies and doing her homework. For the last ten years, she has had a noticeable curve in her spine, and has been diagnosed with scoliosis, a sideways curvature of the spine. The curve in her back has worsened and causes Kim Horng discomfort. Seeking treatment, Kim Horng visited our medical partner’s care center, Kien Khleang National Rehabilitation Centre, where she was told she would undergo a spinal fusion to treat her condition on September 5. The surgery with help correct the position of the bones, and prevent further curving of the spine. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is asking for $1,500 to cover the cost of Kim Horng's surgery. Kim Horng's sister says,"I hope my sister gets help so she can continue her studies."

Sialu is a four-year-old girl from Sierra Leone. She lives with her parents and large extended family. Sialu is always smiling and making new friends in her neighborhood. Sialu was born with a heart condition called Tetralogy of Fallot, where there exists a hole between two chambers of her heart and a muscular blockage in one of her valves. On August 10, Sialu will be traveling from her home in Sierra Leone to our medical partner's care center, Narayana Institute Of Cardiac Sciences, in Bangalore, India. Although Sialu is not from Haiti, our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, is collaborating with other partners to make her surgery possible, and so is asking for $1,500 to help cover the cost of Sialu's surgery prep. Another organization, Have a Heart Cayman, has contributed $12,000 towards her treatment. We are also fundraising for her [transportation costs](https://watsi.org/profile/b11f126fa2d5-sialu). "We feel like our prayers are being answered now that we know our daughter is able to have surgery soon!" says Sialu's mother.

Gritlie is a four-year-old girl who lives with her parents and three siblings in Haiti. Her father is a teacher and her mother works at home. Gritlie goes to preschool and enjoys playing with her friends and watching cartoons. Gritlie was born with ventricular septal defect, a cardiac condition in which a hole exists between the two lower chambers of her heart. Blood leaks through this hole without first passing through her lungs to obtain oxygen, leaving her sick and short of breath. Have a Heart Cayman is contributing $17,000 to the cost of Gritlie's heart surgery. And although Watsi has already funded Gritlie's [transportation](https://watsi.org/profile/08e136f72108-gritlie) to the hospital, she is still in need of $1,500 to cover medications, labs, exams, and surgery preparation. "We are all praying that Gritlie's surgery goes well and that she will become healthy afterward," says Gritlie's mother.