Noeun is a rice farmer from Cambodia. He has four children and likes being active by walking and fishing. For two years, has has been experiencing bilateral hip pain and difficulty walking. He is not working and can't do his regular activities, such as looking after his house. Fortunately, Noeun learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre. At CSC, surgeons can perform a total hip replacement to relieve Noeun of his pain and allow him to walk easily. Treatment is scheduled for January 8, and Noeun needs help raising $1,025 to pay for this procedure. He says, "I am not able to help my family like I could before."

Htet is a two-year-old girl from Burma. She lives with her parents in the south of the country. Her father works as a driver, and her mother had to give up her job in order to care for Htet. When Htet was born, her head was abnormally shaped and larger than most. As she got older, her head continued to grow larger and larger. Currently, she is unable to hold her head up or turn it from side to side. She is developing slowly in other areas as a result of this condition and, at two years old, remains unable to walk, talk, or even crawl. Doctors have attempted to install a shunt for Htet three times since she was born, all without success. Her family is now in considerable debt from the cost of these procedures. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund Htet's operation. She is scheduled for surgery on October 13 at our medical partner's care center, Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital. "Even throughout all of the hardships, we refuse to give up hope. We believe that our daughter will have a happy and healthy future where she can learn and go on to pursue whatever dreams she may have," Htet's father says.

Cesar is a 50-year-old married father of four who lives in Guatemala's rural highlands. His and his wife's joint sales of small rings provides a source of family income. For years, Cesar worked as an agricultural laborer in the local countryside. Unfortunately, Cesar suffered an accident that resulted in the need for an amputation of his leg at the hip. For many years now, Cesar has struggled to walk, go to work, and complete daily tasks. Our medical partner, Wuqu' Kawoq, is requesting $1,166 to cover the cost of a prosthetic leg for Cesar. The start of Cesar's fitting and molding sessions is scheduled for July 7. Receiving this prosthesis will positively impact Cesar's life, hopefully allowing him to walk more easily, comfortably, and independently. “I hope that by recovering my leg I can do something with my life. With our business we only earn pennies. Hopefully with the new leg I will be able to do something new, something unique,” expresses Cesar.

Thet is a 19-year-old farmer who lives with his family in a village in Mon State, Burma. His family owns a rubber tree farm where they harvest the sticky resin and create rubber sheets to sell. A few months ago, Thet began feeling tired and experiencing chest pain and difficulty breathing. Thet tried oral medication from a local hospital, however his symptoms still failed to improve and ultimately forced him to take leave from farming. A month later, Thet decided to go to a private clinic. Following the administration of an echocardiogram, doctors diagnosed Thet with an atrial septal defect, or a hole in the wall between the two upper chambers of his heart. The cost of surgery was too high, so Thet returned to his home without treatment. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to repair the defect in Thet's heart. The procedure is scheduled to take place on July 10 and, once completed, will greatly improve Thet's quality of life. Thet worries about his family’s finances and hopes to be able to go back to work as soon as possible. He looks forward to being able to save up for his future, saying, “I would like to save some money first, and then later have children."

Sanctus is a beautiful five-month-old baby boy who lives in a rural village in Uganda. His parents, Caroline and Alex, are farmers and grow beans, cassava, maize, millet, and bananas for food. They also work as laborers in the community to provide extra income to support their family. Caroline enjoys weaving mats and visiting with friends and relatives in her spare time. She hopes to one day start a business to support her family and save for Sanctus's school fees. Sanctus was a happy and thriving baby boy until one day when his parents were out working and his siblings found a tin containing acid. They played with it, and Sanctus accidentally was injured and badly burned. Caroline took Sanctus to the nearby clinic but was unable to afford his care. Caroline's close friend had heard about Bwindi Community Hospital, a Watsi care center, and advised her to take Sanctus there to receive treatment. He will need burn treatment relieve his pain and restore his body's ability to heal properly. His family is seeking $530 to fund his medical expenses. He is scheduled to receive treatment on September 10.

Arpadiri is a one-month-old baby from Tanzania. He has three siblings. His father works as a casual laborer. Arpadiri has been diagnosed with hydrocephalus, a condition in which excess cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the brain and increases intracranial pressure. After birth, he underwent a shunt insertion surgery to drain the fluid. Unfortunately, after he was discharged from the hospital, he became unwell and his shunt was removed. He has been recommended for another surgery. His head is swelling, and he experiences vomiting and irritability. Without treatment, Arpadiri will experience severe physical and developmental delays. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $728 to cover the cost of surgery for Arpadiri that will treat his hydrocephalus. The procedure is scheduled to take place on November 16 and will drain the excess fluid from Arpadiri's brain. This will reduce intracranial pressure and greatly improve his quality of life. With proper treatment, Arpadiri will hopefully develop into a strong, healthy young boy. Arpadiri’s mother says, “Please help my son get this treatment. He is not eating well and he is in a lot of pain and discomfort. Please help him.”