Peter is a 34-year-old man from Kenya who works as a farmer on his parents' land. "He also earns some money working on other people’s farms," shares our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). In May 2016, Peter was in a motorcycle accident that left him with a fractured mandible. He was hospitalized for two weeks and had plates fitted on his jaws. Peter has had difficulty eating. He is not able to work, and has to rely on his brothers for daily upkeep. After he was discharged from the hospital, Peter was advised to come for surgery to repair the broken jaw. With help from family and friends, he has raised $208 towards associated costs with his care, but needs help from Watsi to cover the treatment fee of $660. "If not treated, Peter will continue experiencing pain and numbness on his mandible. He might also get an infection further compromising his health," AMHF says. “I want to be well and continue working and providing for myself," Peter shared.

One-month-old Dickson is the first child born to his parents. His mother works at a small drug store as a store keeper and his father is a small-scale farmer – he relies on growing maize and beans. Apart from being born with congenital bilateral clubfoot, Dickson is a cute baby, healthy and growing without problems. Bilateral clubfoot is a birth defect in which the foot is twisted out of shape or position. Doctors at Watsi's medical partner recommended surgery so Dickson will be able to walk normally in the future. The cost of treating clubfoot is just too high for Dickson's parents to afford. Treatment, which costs $1,160, will prevent him from using the lateral aspect of his feet for walking when he starts to walk. “We just pray that our son’s feet can be straightened to allow him to walk like other children and later on go to school,” shares Dickson’s mother.

Phanny is a 12-year-old girl in 8th grade, where she enjoys reading English and Khmer books. Phanny has an older brother and an older sister and outside of school enjoys listening to pop songs and watching movies on TV. When Phanny was seven-years-old she fell and dislocated both patellas. Phanny didn't heal properly at that time and had difficulty walking for years. Earlier this year, Phanny had a quadricepsplasty release surgery on her right knee to release the quadriceps and relocate her patella. She has traveled the four hours back to Children's Surgical Centre to have the same surgery on her left knee. After the surgery on her left knee, she will be able to walk properly again. With $378, Phanny will receive her necessary surgery. After this operation her patella will be stabilized so she will no longer experience recurrent left knee dislocations and will be able to walk with ease, and without pain, once again.

Tah is a ten-year old boy who lives with his parents and three siblings in Burma. Tah’s family has lived in Burma for their whole lives, living on a small farm where they grow food for their own consumption. His father, U Kyaw Poe, is the only member of the family who earns an income and works as works as an agricultural day labourer. Of his three siblings, Tah is the only one who attends school. He is currently enrolled in third grade, and enjoys his studies very much. His siblings do not attend school, but rather help their mother with farm work and occasionally accompany their father to his job as an agricultural day labourer. On May 18th, Tah was riding in the back of a vehicle transporting a large water jug through his village when the vehicle hit a bump and Tah tumbled out onto the road. The heavy jug of water that had been in the back of the truck also fell out, landing on top of him. He sustained a serious shoulder injury as a result of the incident, and when the pain did not subside in a matter of days his father decided to travel to Mae Tao Clinic (MTC) to seek medical treatment. Tah and his father had to walk a few hours out of their village in order to catch a car that would take them to Mae Sot. The journey by car then took between 3 and 4 hours, When they arrived at MTC, clinic staff performed an x-ray of Tah’s shoulder, which revealed that it had been broken in two places. The trauma unit at MTC then referred Tah to Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF) in order to receive support for the reparative surgery he will need. Currently, Tah is unable to move his injured arm whatsoever. He is in severe pain at all times, and has had to miss school in order to travel to MTC for treatment. Before his accident, Tah loved to play soccer with his friends and brothers, but he can no longer enjoy this pastime due to his injury. His father wants him to be able to return to school and get a good education so that he can have a career more fulfilling than working as physical labourer. "I want to feel better and return to school without pain," Tah said.

"Sometimes I can't study because the pain is so bad," shares 23-year-old Vy, a young woman from Cambodia. Vy is a university student who is studying marketing in Cambodia with the help of a local NGO. She has one older sister and three older brothers. For the past two years, Vy has experienced hearing loss in her left ear. She has recently experienced discharge and bleeding from that ear. Vy and her brother traveled one hour to reach our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), for care. Doctors at CSC discovered a cholesteatoma in her left ear. A cholestoeatoma is an abnormal skin growth in the middle ear behind the ear drum. Surgeons at CSC will perform a mastoidectomy surgery to remove the cholesteatoma and stop the ear discharge and infection from spreading. The operation and post-operative care will cost $809. "I hope my ear discharge stops and my hearing improves," continues Vy. "Once I am healed I hope to return home and get a good job."

Stella is a 46-year-old mother of three children living in Kenya. She operates a small green grocery, often selling pre-prepared vegetables to earn a living; and her husband is a carpenter and his income is small. Stella has cervical cancer, and she experiences fatigue and lower abdominal pain from time to time. Due to this fatigue, Stella is unable to attend to her business and has to close it most times. Stella went for cervical cancer screening and a LEEP procedure (treatment for abnormal cells on the cervix) in November 2015. Afterwards, the doctor advised for a total abdominal hysterectomy (TAH) procedure for better management of her CIN 3 (severely abnormal cells found on the surface of the cervix). If not treated, her condition may spread. However, a TAH for $800 can reduce the chances of further cancer development and spread. Stella will be relieved from the pain and fatigue and she will be able to work. “I hope to live longer and see my grandchildren," Stella said.

Dan is a nine-year-old boy who lives with his parents and three siblings in a village in the mountains of Uganda. Our medical partner, The Kellermann Foundation, shares: "Dan has been sick for several days with malaria. His symptoms include fever, tiredness, and vomiting and as a result, he has not been going to school." Dan loves to jump rope, play soccer, study science, and help his parents with chores - such as looking after the family's goats. Recently, Dan has been too sick to do much of anything and his parents are eager for their son to recover. Dan's parents are small-scale farmers who grow sweet potatoes, ground nuts, and beans, but they do not have the income to afford Dan's medical treatment. For $130, Dan will receive the medication he needs to alleviate his symptoms and prevent the malaria from progressing into a more serious condition with long-term consequences. Dan’s parents contributed $1 to his treatment. "We are so grateful for the help with our son," shares Dan's mother. "Thank you."

Four-year-old Clarens lives in Haiti with his mother and grandmother. He was born with cerebral palsy and cannot yet walk on his own. However, he is slowly learning to walk with braces and crutches. “He is a very intelligent child and has already learned to read and write well,” says our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance (HCA). HCA continues that in addition to cerebral palsy, Clarens has heart disease. “Clarens was born with a cardiac condition called valvar pulmonic stenosis, in which one of the valves of his heart is too small to allow blood to adequately pass through. As a result, oxygen does not reach his body in sufficient quantities, leaving him sickly and weak.” Heart surgery can correct Clarens' condition. Health City Caymen Islands has raised $5,000 to cover the cost of his surgery, and another $1,500 from Watsi donors will pay for Clarens' surgery preparation, transportation, and travel funds so he can receive the surgery he needs. “Following surgery, normal blood flow should be restored to Clarens's heart and he should not have any further cardiac symptoms,” HCA says. "I am so happy that this surgery will be possible for Clarens, and I thank God and everyone who is helping to fix my son's heart," says Clarens’ mother.

Five-year-old Travis lives in Kenya and is primarily cared for by his grandmother. His grandmother took over guardianship four years ago when Travis’s mother left the family. Travis’s father works long hours as a construction worker, and his earnings are supplemented with what Travis’s grandmother can provide as a subsistence farmer. “Travis is the son to one of my sons,” she says. “I try to offer the best I can.” Travis’s grandmother has many children and grandchildren, and knows what to watch for in developing children. That is why she was quick to catch Travis’s undescended testicle three years ago, and was very keen on getting treatment. An undescended testicle requires surgery to avoid risk of developing a painful hernia or testicular cancer. At such a young age, Travis’s doctor told his family he could not undergo treatment, and for the past three years he has been using painkillers daily to alleviate pain in his groin. Travis is finally old enough to have the surgery, however Travis’s family is unable to afford the treatment, despite their attempt to save. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, tells us that for $540, Travis can receive the single orchidopexy procedure he needs to stop regular use of painkillers and avoid serious complications. The total cost includes the procedure, supplies, and three days of inpatient care and meals. Travis and his grandmother are excited for this procedure, and look forward to the many pain-free years ahead.

“Sometimes I feel depressed about my current situation, and I am worried. I just want to be healthy and happy,” says Su, a 42-year-old woman living in Burma. Our medical partner, Burma Border Projects (BBP), tells us that two years ago, Su began experiencing severe abdominal pain due to a mass in her uterus, called a uterine myoma. The mass was found after a long history of pregnancy complications and vaginal bleeding. Su has sought out medical attention numerous times to no avail. Because of Su’s abdominal pain, she has been forced to stop working as a private teacher, and instead do part-time teaching. This has caused a reduction in her income, forcing her to borrow money for medical expenses. BBP can treat Su through surgeries to remove her uterus and ovaries, known as a hysterectomy and oophorectomy. For $1,500, Su will undergo these two procedures in addition to prolapse surgery to ensure that her lower abdominal organs remain in place. The cost includes a 7-day hospital stay with food, and post-surgical care. “I would like to work more and go to computer training, so that I can learn how to use a computer,” shares Su. “I want to learn new things and work hard.” “With treatment for her myoma, Su should be able to return to her work and commence paying of the debts she has incurred while she has been unwell,” adds BBP. “She can commence computer classes and following her dreams.”

Meet 15-day-old Delia, who lives with her family in a rural village in Guatemala. She is the youngest of her six siblings. Our medical partner, Wuqu’ Kawoq (WK), explains that Delia’s mother has lactation failure, which is when a new mother produces either insufficient or no breast milk at all. “Delia was born with a healthy birth weight of 7 pounds, but after 12 days she had lost weight and made the nurses at the health center very worried,” shares WK. Her mother is not producing enough breast milk, and consequently Delia is not receiving enough calories to survive. “I am eating certain foods and trying to make my milk thicker for my baby but it is just not enough,” she explains. For $1220, Delia’s mother can receive treatment and educational support to help Delia's condition improve. “This treatment will provide the family with lifesaving formula that will provide Delia with the calories and nutrients she needs to grow,” says WK. “Her mother will participate in one on one education classes to help her not only use the formula, but understand when and how to start implementing solid food into her daughter’s diet to prevent malnutrition.” WK explains that lactation failure is easily treatable. “I appreciate that you want to help us,” shares Delia’s mother, “I want to see my daughter grow up and be healthy like other children.”

This is Clinton, a 30-year-old husband and father of two children from Kenya. His family lives on a one acre farm where they grow maize and beans. Clinton broke his right tibia in a motorcycle accident. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF), shares: “Early this year, Clinton was riding his motorcycle when he was involved in an accident with another motorcyclist. Clinton suffered multiple injuries including internal bleeding, a chest injury, and his broken leg.” AMHF continues, “Clinton is not able to walk on his own, which has prevented him from working on his farm. If not treated, Clinton may suffer severe infection, which could result in amputation of his leg.” Clinton's family and friends have already joined together to pay for the many hospital bills that have incurred, but Clinton is now struggling to pay for his next procedure. With $1,500, Clinton can undergo surgery to fill in the gap in his tibia and restore the bony tissue. AMHF reports, “We expect that after the surgery and recovery, Clinton will be able to walk on his own again and go back to working on his farm with his wife.” "I have not been able to work and support my family for a while now. My friends and relatives stepped up and made sure that my family had meals and my children stayed in school," Clinton shares. "I am very grateful for the support that I have received thus far and hope that I will get the next treatment so that I will be well again."