Kelvin is a student from Kenya and the eldest of 4 children. He is a student at Kitui School for the mentally challenged. His mother told us that he likes listening to music, playing football and operating a phone. Our partners in AIC Cure International met him at their Matuu clinic accompanied by his mother Petronilla who works as a peasant farmer. Kelvin has clubfoot of his right foot, a condition that was noted by the mother when he was 1 year old. His foot is twisted out of shape, which causes difficulty walking and wearing shoes. This condition formed because he used to convulse. He started medication and experienced delayed milestones. At the age of 3, Kelvin began to exhibit an unusual walking style and was diagnosed with hemiplegia, a type of unilateral cerebral palsy that causes paralysis on only one side of the body. Fortunately, our medical partner African Mission Healthcare (AMH) can help. AMH is requesting $1,286 to fund Kelvin's clubfoot repair. The treatment will be impactful to him because he will be able to walk without falling and play football with his friends. Kelvin’s mother shared, “I would love to see my son’s condition corrected so he can be independent. I will appreciate any support from AMH, and God bless you.”

Phillip, a charming 3-year-old, lives with his parents and eight siblings in a remote village in Tanzania. His parents work as farmers; their daily life revolves around the cultivation of maize and finger millet, which sustains their meals and provides a modest income for their family’s necessities. Phillip was born with clubfoot in his right foot, and three of his siblings and his father were also born with this condition. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape, which causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Phillips’s father, who is aging and experiences clubfoot like Phillip, cannot work extended hours, so Phillip’s mother works diligently on the farm to ensure abundant harvests. Due to limited knowledge about this condition, his family did not previously seek treatment; however, one day, a glimmer of hope emerged when Phillip’s father met a boy who had the same condition but has now fully recovered. Upon learning about our medical partner’s care center, Phillip’s father was filled with hope and optimism and hurried home to share the information with his wife. Together, they decided to bring their son, Phillip, and three of his siblings to our medical partner’s care center. Happily, on October 6th, Phillip will begin clubfoot treatment. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is requesting $935 to fund Phillip’s surgery. After treatment, Phillip will experience improved mobility now and in the future. Phillip’s mother said, “I am glad there is a chance for my child to get treatment. I hope he doesn’t get to live with this disability for the rest of his life.”

Rebecca is a young woman from Haiti. She lives with her parents and younger sister in a neighborhood of Port-au-Prince; she graduated from a local college with a business degree but has been unable to work for the past ten years because of her heart condition. She enjoys cooking and listening to Haitian music. Rebecca has a cardiac condition called rheumatic mitral regurgitation. One of the four valves of Rebecca's heart was severely damaged due to an infection she suffered as a teenager; her heart could not adequately pump blood through her body, leaving her weak and short of breath. The surgery that she needs is not available anywhere in Haiti. Rebecca need to fly to the United States to receive treatment. She will undergo cardiac surgery, and doctors will remove Rebecca's damaged valve and implant an artificial replacement. Another organization, Baylor Scott and White Heart Hospital, will contribute $26,000 to pay for surgery. Rebecca's family also needs help to fund the costs of surgery prep and follow-up care. The $1,500 bill covers labs, medicines, checkups, and follow-up appointments. Rebecca shared with us: "Once I am fully healthy, I would like to return to Haiti and adopt a child to start my own family."

Nan lives with her mother, father, sister, and brother. Nan and her sister run a food stall, and her brother is a teacher. Her parents are both subsistence farmers who raise pigs and sell them yearly. During her free time, Nan enjoys spending quality time with her family. At the age of six, Nan experienced a period of whole-body swelling, which thankfully subsided after a few days. Similarly, when she turned 14, she experienced rapid heartbeat and occasional difficulty breathing, but these symptoms alleviated over time. Without comprehensive examination or treatment for 15 years, her breathing difficulties and fatigue severely returned in January 2022. She then underwent an echo and was diagnosed with atrial septal disorder (ASD). The doctor scheduled to perform an ASD closure procedure on her heart on August 24th. Facing financial constraints, she sought treatment through Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF), a partner organization of Watsi, with the hope of securing financial support to facilitate her access to essential treatment. Nan mentioned, “I feel sad that I am so tired and cannot work. I am also worried about my parents because I cannot support them right now. I was concerned with the cost of treatment but now, I am happy that I will receive help with my treatment. Thank you to the donors.”

Abril is smiling, beautiful 8-year-old from Colombia. She lives in Santa Rosa de Osos, a little town near Medellín. She loves going to school and watching videos about animals. Her favorite movie is The Little Mermaid, and she dreams of becoming a firefighter or a vet in the future. Abril has clubfoot of her right foot, which means that the foot is twisted out of shape. This causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Fortunately, Abril's family traveled to visit our medical partner Clínica Noel where they can offer life-changing treatment. There, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on July 20th. Clinica Noel is requesting $1,422 to fund Abril's clubfoot repair. After treatment, she will be able to walk and run without pain. Her mother said, "I really appreciate your support for my little princess. She means everything to me and I would do anything to see her following her dreams."

Gerry is a 48-year-old man from the Philippines. He is a dedicated husband and father who works hard as an on-call driver to support his family. For more than 20 years, Gerry has experienced mild abdominal pain. He visited a hospital for medical attention and was supposed to receive surgical treatment. However, due to the hospital's limited capacity and high influx of emergency cases, Gerry's surgery was deferred. As time passed, Gerry's symptoms worsened and he experienced intense pain more frequently. It became increasingly difficult for him to carry out his daily activities, work, and provide for his family. Now, Gerry is once again seeking medical attention. Fortunately, our medical partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines (WSFP), can help. Gerry visited WSFP's care center where he had another medical checkup. Doctors advised that Gerry undergo a cholecystectomy, the surgical removal of the gallbladder. Now, Gerry is scheduled to undergo a cholecystectomy on June 24th. Philippine Health Insurance Corporation is covering a portion of the cost of the procedure, and WSFP is raising the remaining $1128 to cover the cost of Gerry's surgery and care. Gerry shared, "This free surgery is truly beneficial to us because we are really struggling financially. We have no money to spend for my needed treatment, so I'm so grateful to WATSI and the World Surgical Foundation Philippines!"

Helen is a young student from Haiti. She lives with her parents in a neighborhood of Port-au-Prince; she is in first grade and likes her math and reading classes. Helen has a cardiac condition called ventricular septal defect. A hole exists between the two lower chambers of her heart. Blood leaks through this hole without passing through her lungs to be oxygenated, leaving her weak and short of breath. The surgery that Helen needs is not available anywhere in Haiti, so she will fly to the United States to receive treatment. On May 22, she will undergo cardiac surgery, during which surgeons will sew a patch over the hole in her heart to close it. Another organization, HeartGift Foundation, is contributing $14,000 to pay for surgery. Helen's family also needs help to fund the costs of surgery prep and travel. 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 Helen's family overseas. Helen's father said: "Our family is all very excited and hopeful to know that our daughter's heart can be fixed soon!"

Ancheline is a 20-year-old single mother from Kenya. She has two children, aged six and two years old. To support her family, she works as a casual laborer washing clothes for individuals and families. She lives in a one-room home with her two children. Two months ago, Ancheline began to experience troubling symptoms, including swelling in her throat, which has caused difficulty swallowing. Her friends helped her raise funds so that she could travel to the hospital outside of her village. Eventually, after a number of tests, she was diagnosed with a goiter, an abnormal enlargement of the thyroid gland. She needs surgery to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. Unfortunately, she does not have medical coverage and is unable to afford the procedure on her own. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is helping Ancheline receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on April 20th at AMH's care center. During the procedure, surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. AMH is requesting $949 to help fund the procedure. Ancheline says, “My neck is swelling and it is very uncomfortable. I have been at home hoping it will reduce but it keeps increasing. I hope to get treatment and reduce the swelling.”

Hser is a 30-year-old midwife from Burma. She lives with her husband and eight other colleagues in the staff housing of the clinic she works at. Hser is a midwife, and her husband is a medic. In her free time, she enjoys going fishing with her husband and friends, weaving Karen clothes, and visiting the villagers nearby. Around June 2020, Hser felt she had a mass. Thinking it was not serious, she did not go to a hospital for treatment until April 2022. At the hospital, a doctor gave her medication for three months, but the mass did not decrease in size. Currently, Hser's experiences uncomfortable symptoms from the mass. Hser sought treatment through our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund. She is now scheduled to undergo mass removal surgery on March 8th. Hser needs help raising $1,500 to cover the total cost of her procedure and care. Hser said, "I am married, but I don’t plan to have children yet because my husband and I are both busy working as health workers for our community. So, I am very worried that I won't be able to have children anymore because of my condition. However, I have a loving and kind husband who understands me in every way, and he told me not to worry and feel sad. We cannot help but stay strong, helping and encouraging each other."

Nicholas is a 40-year-old from Kenya and a dad to two daughters. Nicholas works a variety of labor jobs, and his wife is a homemaker. They also have a small piece of land where they plant maize. Their oldest daughter is in high school, while their youngest is in primary school. Nicolas was recently injured while working with a team preparing animal feeds. He was carrying a hay machine when one of the screws broke, causing Nicolas to receive a deep cut on his left hand and a broken radius (wrist). He was rushed to a nearby hospital, where the wound was sutured and dressed, and Nicolas returned home with an arm sling and medication to help with the pain. When he returned a few days later, the doctors confirmed that he needs an implant to stabilize the fracture. As this facility does not have a surgeon, Nicolas visited our medical partner’s care center for further treatment. The medical team stabilized the fracture with a splint and arm sling. Nicholas also spoke with the orthopedic surgeon, who told him that he must undergo surgery to align the broken bone. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), can help. After the swelling subsides, Nicholas will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation, on February 27th. This procedure will relieve his pain and allow his fracture to heal properly so he can return to work and care for his family. AMH is requesting $1,145 to fund this procedure. Nicholas said: “I have always worked hard in order to ensure that my family doesn’t lack. My hand is now injured, and I cannot work to earn a living. It is sad, but I am grateful to God for the gift of life. Kindly help me so that I may continue providing for my family.”

Olosirian is a 13-month-old baby boy from Tanzania and the youngest child in a family of four children. His parents are from a small remote town. They breed and sell cattle to make a living, but unfortunately drought conditions have made their work difficult and they have lost most of their cattle. Olosirian has clubfoot of both feet, a condition in which his feet are twisted out of shape. In the future, this may cause him difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is helping Olosirian receive treatment. On January 20th, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery at AMH's care center. After treatment, he will be able to walk easily. Now, he and his family need help raising $935 to fund his procedure and care. Olosirian’s mother shared, "our lack of knowledge is what kept us from seeking treatment. I hope it is not too late."