Majooma is a 72-year-old farmer and a married father to two daughters, who are both married and are small scale farmers. He also has six sons; two are teachers, one is a mechanic, and three are small scale farmers. He earns a living from his banana and coffee plantation and operates the farm with his wife. For two years, Majooma has had an inguinal hernia. He feels pain whenever he sits or stands for too long and whenever he coughs. Fortunately, on April 1st, he will undergo hernia repair surgery at our medical partner's care center. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $230 to fund Majooma's surgery. Once complete, this procedure will hopefully allow him to live more comfortably and confidently. Majooma shared, “I ask you to kindly enable me to undergo my surgery because it’s the only way I can regain my health. I will continue with farming.”

Cheng has two sons, one daughter, and enjoys listening to the radio and watching television in his free time. In 2007, Cheng fell twenty meters from a palm tree, causing injuries to his spine and later resulting in a loss of sensation in his right foot. He was treated for his spinal issues at a local hospital, but now he is unable to walk without support and experiences swelling and discharge in his right foot. Attempts to reconstruct his foot have failed, and he no longer has the resources to seek alternative treatment options. Cheng is ready for surgery that will remove his lower leg. Amputating his lower leg will make sure that Cheng doesn't suffer anymore pain, and will intend to allow him to be fitted with a prosthetic leg in the future. "I hope that I will not have any more pain after my surgery, and that I will be able to walk again even without my foot," Cheng shared.

Busingye is a farmer from Uganda. She is a married mother to seven children. Three of her children are primary school teachers, three boys are motorbike taxi drivers. Her husband is a small scale farmer and she also earns a living through practicing small scale farming. Busingye has had a painful neck swelling for over ten years now. Busingye began to experience troubling symptoms, including difficulty swallowing and breathing. She was diagnosed with a goiter, an abnormal enlargement of the thyroid gland. She needs surgery to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is helping Busingye receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on February 4th at our medical partner's care center. Surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. This procedure will cost $240, and she and her family need help raising money. Busingye says, “I hope to feel fine after my surgery.”

Angelo, a 9-year-old boy, is the fifth of eight siblings. He enjoys playing with his younger sister. Angelo was born with an abnormal condition in a sensitive area. He underwent surgery when he was seven days old, but his family's financial limitations prevented doctors from completing treatment. For this reason, his activities are limited, and he often experiences indigestion and weight loss. Though Angelo finished preschool, his condition has prevented him from enrolling in first grade because school is too far from home. Angelo flew from his rural home to the city of Bacolod to receive treatment. On November 24, Angelo underwent corrective surgery. He will be monitored for two weeks and will undergo a followup surgery several months from now. Angelo's father works as a tenant on a farm, and his mother is a housewife. They cannot afford this $1,500 procedure, and they need our help. "I am so thankful for this opportunity that has come to us," says Angelo's mother. "I never thought that Angelo would be treated because of our financial situation...This has given us hope for Angelo and for his future. I am looking forward to Angelo being fully well, going to school, and fulfilling whatever dreams he has. I know he will have a better future."

Htun is a 28-year-old graphic designer from Burma who came to our medical partner, Burma Border Projects (BBP), seeking treatment for serious heart conditions. “Htun first noticed his symptoms when he was 25,” BBP tells us. “They included persistent chest pain and heart palpitations, forcing him to visit a hospital.” At the hospital, Htun was diagnosed with congenital heart defects, rheumatic heart disease, and an abdominal aortic aneurysm. Rheumatic heart disease—the most common acquired heart disease in children in developing countries—results from a streptococcal (strep) infection that leads to rheumatic fever and, ultimately, to damaged heart valves. The combination of the valve damage in Htun’s heart and his congenital heart defects compromises the flow of blood through his heart and to his body’s organs. Further complicating Htun’s health is an abdominal aortic aneurysm, a balloon-like, blood-filled bulge in the lower aorta. Because the aorta is the primary supplier of blood to the body, rupture of the aneurysm can cause life-threatening bleeding. Htun, unable to afford medical care to address these conditions, continued working until he contracted a malarial-like fever. He was hospitalized for a month and ultimately returned to his parents home. Htun’s current symptoms—shortness of breath, chest pain, cough, and fatigue—prevent him from working. As a result, he is no longer able to provide financial support for his parents, who work as subsistence farmers, or pay for the care that he urgently needs. With $1,500 from Watsi and an additional $13,525 from Burma Children Medical Fund, Htun will receive a complete diagnostic workup to assess his heart function and undergo surgery to replace the damaged heart valves. Funding also covers the cost of 12 pre- and post-operative consultations, transportation to and from the hospital, and three weeks of hospital care during assessment and recovery. “After Htun recovers from surgery,” says BBP, “he will be able to look for a new job, support his parents, and continue to plan for his future.” “I want a family, I want to go back to work, I want to help my parents, and I want to be healthy again,” shares Htun.