Lae Lae is a 40-year-old woman who lives in Burma. She lives with her husband, 18-year-old daughter, 14 year-old son and 12-year-old daughter. Lae Lae first experienced gynecological symptoms in September of 2014. Her present symptoms include pain in the abdomen, back and lower body. She is unable to work as she is easily overcome with fatigue due to lack of sleep. She also suffers from chronic hypertension and late onset diabetes. In addition, her appetite decreased, resulting in loss of weight. She is concerned about her condition as it is quite painful. She has been confirmed by ultrasound and physical examination to have a uterine mass. Lae Lae is disappointed that she cannot fulfill her chores as a mother and housewife. Her husband has taken on more of the chores such as cleaning, cooking and looking after the children. His salary is not sufficient to meet all of the family’s expenses so he occasionally borrows money from a moneylender at 20% interest. They are unable to save money or meet major medical expenses. In her intake interview, Lae Lae said: “I hope to regain my strength so I can be the mother that my family needs. If I fully recover, I have ambitious plans to buy land and open up a shop selling dry goods."

Jinja is a 75-year-old small-scale farmer from Malawi, and the father of six children. He is a patient with our medical partner, World Altering Medicine. Jinja has an enlarged prostate, which has led to trouble urinating and defecating properly. The symptoms are significantly affecting his daily life. Jinja needs a prostate resection - surgery that removes part of the prostate gland and improves the flow of urine through the urethra. The treatment costs $742 and includes hospitalization, surgical, and travel costs. Jinja is not feeling anxious about the surgery. Rather, he is looking forward to being relieved from his symptoms. Let's help make it possible!

Meet Ana, a 23-month-old girl from Guatemala. Ana and her four siblings live in a one-room adobe house with a tin roof in a rural mountainous community. She loves to play with her doll with her older siblings, and sing to her little brother. Her parents are farmers, and they cultivate cabbage, cauliflower, and green beans which they sell at the market, and eat what does not sell. Although her parents work hard, they do not make enough money to support a healthy diet for Ana and need support to help her get well—they cannot afford to give her even one egg or piece of fruit per day. Ana is not growing like she should because she has acute malnutrition. She is nearly three and a half standard deviations below the normal size for her age. This is because she has not had access to a healthy diet—her body has not gotten the protein, calories and nutrients that it needs to grow normally. Her energy is low, she has little appetite, and she has been getting sick more often than the other kids that live in the neighborhood—in the past two weeks alone she has had a fever and cough. Diarrhea, cough, and fevers can be life-threatening for children like Ana, whose immune systems are weak due to their poor diet. Her mother is worried about her, since she has noticed that she is not growing as well as her older kids. In the long term, Ana could be at risk of stunted neurodevelopment, behavioral problems, and a greater risk of chronic diseases such as hypertension and diabetes. Growth monitoring, micronutrients, food supplementation, and deworming medication will help Ana gain weight and grow taller to catch up with other children her age. All of this can be accomplished with treatment, which costs $512. Treating her now will have a large impact—she will likely be able to reach developmental milestones just like healthy kids her age. This treatment will strengthen her immune system, increase her overall caloric intake, and allow her to have more energy to play and learn. Her parents will receive the support they need to feel empowered to give her the diet she needs to grow and develop--they will receive intense and motivational nutrition classes to learn what, when, and how to feed Ana the best diet possible. This will help her start to develop better both physically and mentally, giving her the chance to live a healthy and productive life, escaping the cycle of malnutrition that is making her sick. "I hope that one day she can graduate and become a teacher," Ana's mother shared.

Two-year-old Luis is a previous Watsi patient who was treated for malnutrition. He's doing much better as a result of formula and supplements, but is still struggling with eating solid foods. "Our medical team thinks that he has a genetic syndrome that might be causing him to have an oral aversion, because every time he tries to eat solid food he spits it out, unable to chew," explains our medical partner, Wuqu' Kawoq (WK). "His development has been further delayed by his lack of solid foods, and his mother cannot afford a blender to liquify his food, so he is limited in what he can eat." Luis is still failing to meet developmental milestones. He is trying to crawl, but is not yet able to, and he can only say the words "mama" and "papa." For $1,385, we can fund a comprehensive series of tests and assessments to determine the underlying cause of Luis' developmental delays, and provide him with a subsequent treatment plan. "I just want my son to walk, and to eat like a normal child," Luis' mother shared in their pre-operative appointment with Wuqu' Kawoq's health workers. Let's help make it happen!

“I want to go back to school and live a normal life,” shares Wesly, a 20-year-old student living in Haiti. Wesly has been diagnosed with a heart defect called mitral and aortic regurgitation. As a result of this condition, two of Wesly’s heart valves cannot pump blood regularly. Wesly's heart is now starting to fail. “Without urgent surgery, this condition would be fatal," says our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance (HCA). Wesly lives with his aunt and grandmother, who have raised him since he was little. He is a junior in high school and he enjoys riding his bike and reading books when he is not working on his dream of becoming a mechanical engineer. HCA has raised $12,000 to cover the cost of Wesly's heart surgery. However, an additional $1,500 is needed to fund surgery preparation and overseas transportation, as this specialized procedure is not readily available in Haiti. During surgery, “one or possibly two artificial valves will be implanted in Wesly’s heart, replacing the damaged ones,” HCA explains. Once he receives surgery, “he should be able to lead a near-normal life although he will require daily blood-thinning medication for the rest of his life, and periodic blood tests.”

"For quite some time, Landia used to feel a little pain in her eye, most of the time itching until it became larger," our medical partner, Project Medishare, tells us about the 11-year-old girl from Haiti. With the onset of pain, Landia's parents immediately took her to the hospital where a lab test was performed. It was not until a group of doctors from the U.S. arrived, though, that Landia's family was informed that she has a medulloepithelioma tumor of the eye. Medulloepitheliomas of the eye typically occur within the first decade of one's life. For Landia, she was able to receive surgery to remove the tumor and her eye, and went through six cycles of chemotherapy. "Now she needs radiotherapy to eradicate the cancer for a complete cure," Project Medishare tells us. $1,500 will cover the cost of transportation, international travel preparation, and the radiation therapy for Landia. Danita's Children has donated $2,500 to help cover additional treatment costs. As the costs and logistical issues for her family became greater, Landia was sent to live at the local orphanage. After receiving radiation therapy, she will be able to return home to live with her family. Landia is expected to have a complete cure, and will be able to go back to school. "She will have to learn how to read and study with one eye, but this is doable for a young girl," Project Medishare tells us.

Lae Lae is a 34-year-old woman from Burma. About a year ago, Lae Lae moved from her village to find a better income and now sells vegetables in the local market. However, Lae Lae’s husband still works as a farmer where she used to live. Our medical partner, Burma Border Project (BBP), tells us that Lae Lae divides her time between her current town and where her husband is located, depending on her health. Recently, Lae Lae was diagnosed with two large cysts in her abdomen. BBP explains, "Lae Lae has back pain, the mass in her abdomen is palpable and painful – she feels like the mass is getting bigger all the time." In addition to the discomfort, Lae Lae’s condition causes her to constantly worry about her symptoms worsening. While she earns enough money to support her everyday needs, Lae Lae’s income is not enough to cover her medical expenses. $1,500 will fund a total abdominal hysterectomy, removing Lae Lae’s uterus, cervix, and painful abdominal masses simultaneously. In addition to relieving her current symptoms, this operation ensures that Lae Lae’s condition will not persist--giving her peace of mind for her future health. Lae Lae shares, "Once I have had surgery I will go back and work as a farmer again with my husband."

Meet Thi Dar, a 43-year-old mother of four from Burma. “Thi Dar lives with her husband, three sons, and one daughter,” shares our medical partner, Burma Border Projects (BBP). “Her husband works as an agricultural day laborer, and she sells fried snacks outside of her house. Her oldest daughter is 12 years old and has had to stop school due to family financial problems. Her other three children are still studying in primary school.” Thi Dar has a uterine myoma, a noncancerous, fibrous growth within the tissue of the uterus. “Currently, Thi Dar has abdomen pain and body aches. She is worried about her condition and also worried about her financial problem,” reports BBP. “She has had to stop working and now depends on her husband’s salary, which isn’t enough to cover their living costs.” For $1500, Thi Dar will receive a total abdominal hysterectomy to remove her uterus and strengthen her pelvic floor, resolving her painful symptoms. This cost includes pre and post-surgical outpatient visits, hospitalization, transportation, and food. “Following treatment, Thi Dar should be able to go back to work selling snacks outside of the house, and she can take care of her children,” continues BBP. “She shouldn’t have any more abdominal pain or worries from her condition.” Thi Dar is eager to regain her strength. She tells us, “I want to get healthy and be able to support my family again.”

Emmanuel is 16 months old and lives in Haiti with his mother and father. He enjoys smiling around his family, listening to music, and eating fresh mangoes. "Emmanuel was born with only three valves in his heart, instead of the normal four," explains our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance (HCA). "The fourth, his tricuspid valve, is completely missing, limiting his heart's ability to pump blood to his body and leaving him sickly and fatigued." Emmanuel's condition requires two surgeries. Health City Cayman Islands has subsidized $10,000 of the total surgery cost, and an additional $1,500 is needed to cover transportation and surgical preparation costs. "Following surgery, Emmanuel should have increased blood circulation to his body, and should be more healthy and stable," HCA adds. "This will allow him to grow, and when he is older and bigger he will undergo a second surgery to complete the repair." "I am very thankful to everyone who is helping my son," his mother shares. "My husband would also like to say thank you so much."

Meet Sera, a 46-year-old mother of five from Kenya. “Sera sells roasted maize and washes clothes to earn a living,” shares our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). “She lives with her two youngest children who are fully dependent on her.” Sera has fibroids, which cause her severe abdominal pain. “The pain is so bad that Sera often has to miss work,” says AMHF. “She started having lower abdominal pain and back aches some time ago. When the pain became too much and over the counter medication no longer helped, Sera sought medical care.” “After a scan showed that she had fibroids and would need surgery, Sera has been working hard to raise the money needed for her treatment, but she is unable to raise enough money needed for this surgery,” says AMHF. With $800, Sera will be able to receive a total abdominal hysterectomy. The surgery will stop the pain and allow Sera to return to work and care for her family. "The pain causes me to miss work and turn down cleaning jobs,” shares Sera. “I want to be able to work well again.”

Meet Carlos, a one-year-old baby from Guatemala and the youngest of four children. “He loves to play with his toy cars and make sound effects when he drives them along the floor of this house,” shares our medical partner, Wuqu’ Kawoq (WK). “Carlos is suffering from malnutrition. His weight and height are far below the average for his age, and he is at for the risk for long-term negative effects of malnutrition,” WK explains. “If left untreated, Carlos will not develop to his full potential physically and mentally, and will hit developmental milestones later than his peers.” WK adds that, without intervention, “Carlos’ energy will decrease, and he will be unable to develop to his full mental potential, thus limiting his ability to concentrate and go far in school. His immune system will weaken, putting him at risk for infections, such as pneumonia, and later in life he will be at higher risk for chronic illness such as diabetes and hypertension.” For $535, we can fund a comprehensive acute malnutrition treatment that will get Carlos back on track. “He will receive micronutrient and food supplementation and his parents will undergo intensive nutrition education so they feel confident continuing his care even after treatment with WK is completed. Carlos’ immune system will strengthen and he will have more energy to play with others and learn from his surroundings,” reports WK. In the words of Carlos’ mother, “I am grateful to God and to the institution for the help that you are bringing to my baby Carlos, so that he can recover. I don’t feel capable of being able to give him all the nutrients necessary for his recovery.” Let’s help Carlos regain his energy and return to a stable course of growth!

“About six months ago, Kidist spontaneously developed a sore on her right leg," shares our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). "After several weeks, the family took her to a health centre and she was given an injection.” The injection, however, was unsuccessful; leaving Kidsit with a serious bone infection that will not heal on its own. Kidist, a 1-year-old baby girl from Ethiopia, lives with her mother, grandparents, and younger brother on a small plot of land. "The family has only one cow and a small garden," shares AMHF. "Since her mother has not been able to get an education, she is unable to work outside the home.” With $535, Kidist will receive a sequestrectomy—a surgery to remove the dead, infected bone from her leg. Funding will also provide for a week of post-surgical hospitalization and physical therapy. Following treatment, Kidist’s leg will be free of infection, allowing her to grow without pain.