Hassani is a young student from Tanzania. He is the third-born child in a family of ten children. Hassan is in grade three in his primary school, where he enjoys learning with his friends. Hassan’s parents are both subsistence farmers who depend entirely on farming to meet their day-to-day basic needs. Hassani was diagnosed with bilateral genu varus. His legs bow outward. This condition is typically caused by an excessive accumulation of fluoride in the bones, which often stems from contaminated drinking water. As a result, he cannot walk comfortably. Some days, he is in so much pain that he cannot walk to school without crutches. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $940 to fund corrective surgery for Hassani. The procedure is scheduled to take place on April 13. Treatment will hopefully restore Hassani's mobility, allow him to participate in a variety of activities, and greatly decrease his risk of future complications. Hassan’s father says, “I pray God blesses everyone that is touched to help my son and that they continue helping others also since in the village environment there is no much hope for kids like Hassan.”

Chhoeurn is a rice farmer from Cambodia. She has three children and fourteen grandchildren. She enjoys watching Khmer dramas and Thai films and listening to monks pray on the radio. One year ago, Chhoeurn developed a cataract in each eye, causing her blurred vision and tearing. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, recognizing faces, and going anywhere outside. When Chhoeurn learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for three hours seeking treatment. On March 12, doctors will perform a small incision cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in each eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Now, she needs help to fund this $398 procedure. She says, "I hope I can see everything clearly so I can learn more about Buddha and easily do my housework."

Zar is an 18-year-old from Thailand. He lives with his family in Mae La refugee camp. He likes to play football and cane ball in his free time. Four months ago, Zar began to experience blurry vision. These symptoms have made it increasingly difficult for him to see clearly. Zar was diagnosed with retinal detachment, a condition in which the retina pulls away from the supportive tissue in the eye, resulting in vision loss. If left untreated, he could lose vision completely. Zar is scheduled to undergo surgery to reattach his retina on January 22. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of his procedure and care. After his surgery, Zar's vision will hopefully be restored, and he will resume his daily activities comfortably.

Po is a 44-year-old woman from Burma. She lives with her husband and two children in a rural village. She and her husband are subsistence farmers, growing peanuts and beans. Po was diagnosed with a heart condition that involves a malformation of the mitral valve, the valve between the left atrium and left ventricle. This valve controls the flow of blood, but certain conditions may cause blood to flow backward or the valve to narrow. She began to experience frequent tiredness in 2014, and her symptoms intensified in 2017. She could not walk long distances due to heart palpitations. She often feels dizzy and even loses her appetite during extreme tiredness. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund a mitral valve replacement for Po. The treatment is scheduled to take place on December 13 and, once completed, will hopefully allow her to live more comfortably. Po says, “I hope to continue to work on the farm with my husband. And bring my children back to take care of them. I want to be cured of my condition and I am not worried about having to go through a surgery. I believe in the surgeon who will take care of my condition.”

Victor is a five-year-old boy from Kenya. He likes playing with other children and also loves being in school. Although Victor was born a healthy baby boy, he was diagnosed with acquired clubfoot of his left foot about two years ago. This condition means that over time, his left foot began to curve inward until the sole of his foot is no longer able to stand flat on the ground. Because of this, he experiences pain while walking, standing, and playing. Seeking treatment through our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, Victor is scheduled to undergo surgery to correct his clubfoot on July 3. His family is requesting $1,224 to cover the total cost of his procedure and care. "My joy is to see my son receive treatment and advance in his studies. The help will be a great blessing to our family. May God bless Watsi for the initiative of helping those who are unable to afford for the surgery,” Victor's mother says.

Oriana is a 70-year-old mother of five kids. She lives in a town in the southern province of Haiti. About a year ago, while laying down, Oriana felt something hard in her breast. She went to the hospital, and the doctor sent her to get a mammogram in Port-au-Prince, the capital. She went to the hospital, met with the doctors there, and had a biopsy. The results showed that it was breast cancer. Oriana was referred to our medical partner's care center, St. Luc Family Hospital. She has had four sessions of chemotherapy. Now, our medical partner, Innovating Health International, is requesting $1,085 to fund surgery to remove the tumor in Oriana's breast. The operation is scheduled to take place on July 29. With this surgery, Oriana will likely regain her previous quality of life. She is looking forward to becoming more involved in her church.

Sophy is a 53-year-old man from Cambodia. Two years ago, Sophy began feeling some pain in his lower back. He visited a hospital where he was treated for tuberculosis and diagnosed with spondylodycitis, an infection of the spine. Sophy still feels pain in his lower back, which makes it difficult for him to work and walk. Seeking further treatment, Sophy was referred to our medical partner’s care center, Kien Khleang National Rehabilitation Centre, where he was told he would undergo a spinal fusion and laminectomy procedure to treat his condition. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is asking for $1,500 to cover the cost of Sophy’s surgery.

Than is a 53-year-old Burmese woman. She lives with her husband and parents. Than currently works for a government factory, and her husband works as a security guard there as well. The couple does not have any children, and Than's parents are retired. From birth, Than has experienced frequent nosebleeds and tiredness. At 21, she visited a nearby clinic about her condition and was told that she has a heart problem called mitral stenosis. This causes her to be tired and short of breath. It could potentially develop into more serious symptoms. Than had surgery in 1986 to address this condition. This surgery improved her symptoms, especially reducing her tiredness. Unfortunately, Than's symptoms returned in 2008. When she visited a medical professional again, Than was told that her blood was not flowing through her veins properly, and doctors told her that she would require surgery again. The procedure is expensive, but Than's symptoms have made it necessary. Than heard about our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF), from friends in her village and hoped that they would be able to help. BCMF has scheduled Than's mitral valve replacement procedure for May 24. They are seeking $1,500 in funding.

Joel is a one-month old baby boy from Kenya. He is the youngest of three children and lives with his parents. His mother is a farmer, and his father is a construction worker. When Joel was born, doctors noticed a swelling on his lower back that was leaking fluid. They diagnosed him with spina bifida, a condition in which there is an incomplete formation of the spine and a leaking of cerebrospinal fluid through the gap. If left untreated, this condition can lead to the development of a tethered spinal cord, infections of the exposed tissue, scoliosis, and a rounding of the back. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,097, on top of the $52 subsidized by Joel's family, in order to cover the cost of Joel's spina bifida closure surgery. The procedure is scheduled to take place on June 29 and, once completed, will hopefully allow Joel to grow and develop in a healthy manner. “This was so unexpected and quite devastating," says Joel's mother. "But I am encouraged to know that there is a solution to his condition."

Roeun is a 51-year-old farmer who is married with four sons and three daughters. In his free time, he likes to plant potatoes in his garden, listen to the news on the radio, and go fishing. In January 2017, Roeun fractured his right knee during a fall. He went to a traditional Khmer healer for treatment, but his symptoms did not improve. It is difficult for Roeun to bend his knee, and he is in pain. With his wife, Roeun traveled for eight hours to reach our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, for treatment. On March 20, surgeons will perform an open reduction and internal fixation to realign the fracture back into the normal position. With $411, we can help Roeun walk easily again!

Thwa is a 14-year-old boy from Thailand, diagnosed with spastic quadriplegia and cerebral palsy. He lives at home with parents and siblings. To move around, Thwa mainly crawls or is carried by his family members. As Thwa grows, it is becoming increasingly difficult for his family members to carry him. To help with his mobility, Thwa was referred to our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF), through Stepping Stones, a physiotherapy support service. He needs Achilles tendon lengthening surgery. This procedure will help to alleviate the tightening in his calves and give him more independent movement. On May 4, Thwa will undergo surgery at Mawlamyine Christian Leprosy Hospital, BCMF's care center. BCMF is asking for $1,500 to cover the cost of his surgery. After treatment, Thwa will be able to move around more easily!

Joseph is a 20-year-old man from rural Kenya. He graduated secondary school in 2016 and is currently waiting to join the university. Early in February, Joseph was involved in a motorcycle accident, during which he sustained a hip fracture. If left untreated, he will be at risk of permanent disability and arthritic complications. “I passed my high school exams and am supposed to join university in September," Joseph says. "I pray that I get well and am able to earn some school fees for myself." Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,042 to fund a fracture repair procedure for Joseph. He is scheduled to undergo surgery on March 1 at our medical partner's care center, AIC Kijabe Hospital. After treatment, Joseph is expected to make a full recovery and be able to join the university.