Mary Ann is a mother of three from the Philippines. Mary Ann and her common law partner, Florence, work as massage therapists. Their combined incomes are just enough to sustain their family's daily needs and monthly bills. One year ago, Mary Ann began to experience troubling symptoms, including unbearable abdominal pain. At times, the pain was so severe that Mary Ann was unable to work or care for her young children. In November, due to the persistent pain, Mary Ann sought medical assistance and was diagnosed with cholelithiasis. Mary Ann has been advised to undergo a cholecystectomy, the surgical removal of the gallbladder. If left untreated, her symptoms will continue to worsen and put her at risk for further health complications in the future. Fortunately, after seeking treatment through our medical partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines (WSFP), Mary Ann is scheduled to undergo a cholecystectomy on January 14th. A portion of the cost of the procedure is being supported by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation. WSFP is raising the remaining $1,031 to cover the cost of Mary Ann's surgery and care. Mary Ann shared: "Thank you to Watsi and its donors for helping a mother like me. I know I will never be able to repay your generosity, but we will always keep you in our prayers. I pray that God blesses you more and that you continue to share your blessings with people in need. Thank you very much."

Moe is a 16-year-old girl from Burma who lives with her elder sister, aunt, uncle, and four cousins in Karen state. Her parents live in Bangkok, Thailand where her father works as a mason. Moe’s aunt and her family run an online shop. Moe’s elder sister is currently suffering from heart disease and undertook treatments at the hospital in Karen State. Moe attended school but had to pause her studies due to her ongoing health problems. Moe experiences abdominal pain and is taking oral painkillers. Moe was diagnosed with kidney stones and physicians at Mae Sot General Hospital determined that Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy (ESWL) could resolve his symptoms. ESWL is a procedure that can break up the stones in the urinary system and the fragments will exit in the urine. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund this procedure. The treatment is scheduled to take place on January 7th and, once completed, will hopefully allow her to live more comfortably. After her surgery, Moe plans to work at a beauty salon to have a regular and support her family with their medical expenses. Moe's aunt said, "Without donors, Moe’s surgery would not have been possible. We even thought to find donors for her surgery through online post but when we learned that BCMF and its donors would cover the costs of my niece’s treatment, our family was very happy." Moe added, “Thank you so much to BCMF and the donors for helping me and I hope you can help more people like me in the future.”

70-year-old Ye lives in Kandal province with her daughter, who runs a small coffee shop at home, and her grandson, who is in grade 12. In her free time, Ye enjoys listening to prayers on Buddhist radio. In July this year, Ye was in a road traffic accident that caused fractures to her right shinbone and left hip. She was initially treated for the right leg injury at a referral hospital. However, over the past few months, she has been experiencing pain in her hip. She is now unable to walk and relies on a wheelchair. Ye and her family traveled for one and a half hours to reach our medical center, Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC), for treatment. She will undergo left hip hemiarthroplasty surgery on December 5th, 2024, where surgeons will repair her hip fracture to restore mobility and alleviate her pain. Ye and her family are able to contribute $100 but need help raising $444 more to fund the procedure and post-operative care, including physiotherapy. Ye's daughter says, "I hope that my mother will no longer experience pain, and can live a healthier, more comfortable life."

Brian is a 16-year-old boy and the youngest of two children. He is in secondary school and enjoys playing football. His parents are both small-scale farmers and depend on farming to support their family. Three months ago, Brian was playing football and was hit by a friend on the right side of the lower abdomen. Since then he has had in and off swelling. He informed his parents who took him to a nearby clinic for a medical consult. A scan was done and showed that Brian had a reducible inguinal hernia, a condition where abdominal tissue pushes into the abdominal wall. If not treated, Brian may have interruptions in his education, and he may have complications like strangulation. On December 10th, Brian will undergo corrective surgery and our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $517 to fund this procedure. Brian's father shared, "We are worried something could be wrong with my son after that kick. We hope he can get help to be operated on and get well so that he can continue with his education and also avoid any complications."

Hadija is a 10-year-old girl who lives with her grandmother and aunt in Ungalimited, Arusha City. Hadija’s grandmother supports her family by selling fried fish by the roadside. Though her income is small, she remains hopeful that Hadija can receive the treatment she needs to lead a better life. Hadija has clubfoot on her left foot. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. The tissues connecting the muscle to the bones are shorter than usual and this causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Fortunately, Hadija's family traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, Kafika House. Surgeons will begin clubfoot treatment on December 13th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,119 to fund Hadija's clubfoot repair. After treatment, she will be able to walk easily and walk well. Hadija's grandmother said, "I wish for her to get treatment and continue to lead a good life. Please help my granddaughter."

Joyce is a 46-year-old mother from Malawi. She works as a clerk at a tobacco company. Her husband is a taxi driver and together, they have two adult children. Joyce likes singing and enjoys eating nsima, a rice porridge, served with fish. For nine years, Joyce has been experiencing abdominal pains, backache, bleeding, nausea, vomiting, weakness, and weight loss. She has been diagnosed with uterine fibroids and needs to undergo a hysterectomy, a procedure in which surgeons will remove her uterus. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,363 to fund Joyce's surgery. On December 13th, she will undergo gynecological surgery that will help Joyce resume her daily activities free of pain. Joyce sadly said, “I am ready for this surgery. I ask for your support. I am tired of having these symptoms.”

Naw Be is a 55-year-old woman from Burma. She lives with her husband in Tak Province, Thailand after they fled from Burma because of fighting and airstrikes in their village. Her husband works as a gardener on a plantain. The owner of the plantain is their friend who gives them shelter to live in and provides food for them, but not a salary. In July 2023, Naw Be visited her son’s family and had an accident. She fell from a hammock and injured her hip. The doctor diagnosed her with a femoral fracture in her left hip. Currently, Naw Be needs crutches to walk. She has difficulty bending her leg, sitting, or standing. She cannot help with household chores like cooking and cleaning and has to depend on her husband to take care of her. Fortunately, Naw Be learned about our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF). Surgeons will perform a total hip replacement to relieve Naw Be of her pain and allow her to walk easily. Treatment is scheduled for December 20th, and Naw Be needs help raising $1,500 to pay for this procedure. Aside from her symptoms, Naw Be said that she feels very sad and does not know how to speak out. She said, “It was hard to come and stay in Thailand as I do not have any legal documents and now face the problem with my hip. Now I cannot do anything and have to depend on my husband, and my son's family for financial support. I feel sorry for them, and I feel like I am a burden. I also cannot return home to my home country because of the airstrikes. All the villagers fled. I try to smile when I encounter people but sometimes, I feel a burning pain inside because of my condition and my bad experiences."

Damaris is 52 years old and the mother of three daughters from Kenya. Her husband is a truck driver. Damaris has been living with diabetes and high blood pressure for more than 20 years, managing these conditions with medication. However, in the last three years, her health has significantly declined, requiring ongoing medical attention. In 2021, she developed a pimple on the middle toe of her left foot, which led to the amputation of the toe to prevent the infection from spreading to her leg. In October 2024, a similar pimple appeared on her right palm. When she sought treatment at our facility, tests confirmed that an infection was spreading through her hand. Damaris has undergone three surgeries to control the infection, but she still needs one more debridement and skin graft surgery to fully address the issue. Unfortunately, her insurance coverage has been exhausted, and she can no longer support the remaining surgery costs. She has been in pain and distress due to prolonged hospitalization. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Damaris receive treatment. On December 4th, surgeons will perform a debridement and skin graft procedure to help relieve her pain and allow her to return to a more active life. Damaris needs help to fund this procedure which will cost $1,185. Damaris says, “I struggle to sleep because I can’t find a comfortable position due to the pain in my hand.”

Shalo is a 12-year-old boy from Ethiopia. At home, he helps his mother wash clothes and collect firewood. He also helps his father with farming. Shalo’s father is a farmer, while his mother runs a small business selling vegetables on the street. Shalo’s eldest sibling started working as a fisherman to help support the family Shalo was born with hypospadias, a congenital condition that causes urinary dysfunction. They advised the family to wait until he was older before pursuing treatment. Over the years, his parents traveled long distances to seek help at various hospitals, selling a portion of their land and exhausting their savings in the process. Unable to find a solution, they eventually gave up hope. Shalo was finally referred to our medical partner's care center, Bethany Kids Myungsung Christian Medical Centre, and is scheduled to undergo corrective surgery for hypospadias on December 10th. This procedure will address his symptoms, improve his urinary function, and reduce the risk of infertility in the future. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,231 to cover the total cost of Shalo’s procedure and care. “I am hopeful that once we get to this hospital, my child will receive the surgery and heal from it,” shared Shalo’s father.

Ligitina is a 55-year-old widow from Malawi who earns a living through farm work and piecework. She has three independent adult children. She enjoys chatting with her children. For two years, Ligitina has been experiencing bleeding, abdominal pains, nausea, vomiting, and anemia. She was diagnosed with uterine fibroids and needs a hysterectomy, a procedure where surgeons will remove her uterus, to relieve her of her symptoms. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,363 to fund Ligitina's surgery. On December 13th, she will undergo gynecological surgery at our medical partner's care center, Partners in Hope Medical Center. Once recovered, Ligitina will be able to resume her daily activities free of pain. Ligitina said,” I have faith that I will get better after surgery because my life is getting bad on a daily basis. Kindly help me.”

Meet Yart, a 67-year-old woman from Cambodia. Our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC), tells us, “Yart is married with a daughter and four grandchildren. She enjoys watching Thai dramas in the afternoon.” This hobby is made more difficult by Yart’s cataracts—marked by clouding of the normally clear lenses of the eyes. “She is really worried that she will go blind because her vision is so bad,” CSC explains. “Yart cannot work at the farm and has trouble going anywhere by herself.” With $225 in funding, Yart will receive surgery to replace her current lenses with artificial ones. This procedure will restore her vision and make her life more enjoyable. CSC shares, “After surgery, Yart looks forward to going back and working on the farm, baking Khmer cakes, taking care of her grandchildren and regaining some of her independence.”

Six months ago, Rors Han was playing at home when he tripped and fell into a cooking fire, severely burning his hand. Rors Han’s burns are now covered in a post-burn scar contracture, limiting the function of his fingers. If left untreated, doctors at Children’s Surgical Centre say Rors Han will never have full use of his hand. Fortunately, surgeons at CSC can perform a contracture release surgery and skin grafting to restore function to Rors Han’s hand. Rors comes from a very poor family of farm laborers. His parents work such long hours that they sent Rors Han to live with his grandmother, who brought him to CSC to seek treatment. Rors Han’s grandmother says her grandson loves toy cars and playing with his friends. She hopes he can get the treatment he needs to live a normal life.