Rebecca is a 1-year-old girl from Tanzania. She is the last born in a family of two children and has started to grow into a strong and beautiful girl. Both of her parents depend on small scale farming to support their family. Rebecca was initially brought to the hospital by her parents seeking treatment to help correct her spina bifida condition. Spina bifida is a birth defect that occurs when the spine and spinal cord fail to form properly. This puts a child in danger of limb paralyses or death in case of a severe infection. At the time, Rebecca's parents could not afford the proposed surgery. Luckily, one of their friends advised them to seek help at our medical partner's care center, ALMC Plaster House. Through Watsi funding, Rebecca’s life was saved and she has been growing well since then. However, a few weeks ago, Rebecca's mother noticed her daughter's head was increasing in size at a very fast rate and she was complaining of headaches. Her parents had worked hard to save some money and got a health insurance card for their baby, so they decided to take her to the hospital to seek treatment. There, Rebecca was diagnosed with hydrocephalus, a condition in which excess cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the brain and increases intracranial pressure. She needs to have an ETV surgery that will help relieve her of the pressure build-up, which would otherwise lead to brain damage. Unfortunately, their insurance has not matured enough to cover this kind of major surgery, so Rebecca's parents are appealing for financial support to help her. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,300 to cover the cost of surgery for Rebecca that will treat her hydrocephalus. The procedure is scheduled to take place on January 25th and will drain the excess fluid from Rebecca's brain. This will reduce intracranial pressure and greatly improve her quality of life. With proper treatment, Rebecca will hopefully develop into a strong, healthy young girl. Rebecca’s mother shared, “My daughter’s head is increasing in size and it is making her sick. She needs surgery but the insurance we got for her cannot cover the cost. Please help once more if it is possible because we don’t know where to run to for help besides all of you.”

Josephine shared that she has been struggling with chronic lower back pains for 7 years. She has been under medication and physiotherapy, but without improvement. Doctors recommend a Lumbar Discectomy Surgery to avert the possible advance effects of the condition, which could affect her backbone and the spinal cord. If not treated, Josephine risks having prolonged pains, numbness, and loss of muscle strength that can result in paralysis. Josephine's back problems started in November 2012 while she was doing her laundry. She felt clicking sound on her lower back accompanied by sharp pains. She visited a nearby hospital for treatment. Josephine was put on physiotherapy and pain medication. For the last 7 years, she has been visiting different health facilities but her condition keeps deteriorating. Josephine was referred to Watsi's Medical Partner Care Center Kijabe Hospital by a friend who had received the same treatment in the facility. Josephine doesn’t have a source of income. She is a full time housewife who has dedicated all her time to raising their three children aged between 4-13 years, and taking care of her family. They live in a two-roomed house that costs $30 per month. Her husband is a lorry driver and their family depends on his sole source of income to pay rent, school fees, medical expenses, and for survival. Josephine depends on her husband’s medical cover where she is listed as a beneficiary. Several trips to different hospital has depleted their coverage and family’s little resources. They have been also been relying in the the national health insurance fund which can cover only part of the total cost of the surgery and treatment. She is appealing for financial aid to support the remaining cost of $1,500. Josephine says, “I have lived with this pain for long but it’s now becoming unbearable. I need this surgery and treatment to get my life back to normal again."

William is a mini-bus driver from Kenya. He is his family’s sole breadwinner since his wife is a stay-at-home mom. He started experiencing abdominal pains and continual weakness in his joints in April 2019. The stomach aches have since became so severe that he is not able to go to work or perform his day-to-day activities. His doctors have diagnosed him with a right inguinal hernia. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, can help. On July 20th he will undergo hernia repair surgery at our medical partner's care center. He needs your help to raise $425 to cover the cost of his surgery. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully allow him to live more comfortably and confidently. William shared, “I am unable to work due to the persistent pains and I have a young family that depends on me for everything. This surgery will enable my life to get back to normal."

Elimlim is the oldest in a family of three children. He and his siblings depend on their mother because their father passed away in 2019. They live together in a single traditional Masai house made of mud, sticks, and grass. He is currently a full-time student and his healthcare would normally be covered by his university, but due to COVID-19 he is no longer receiving those benefits. In 2017, Elilim was hit by a stray bullet during a school shooting. Since then, he has undergone a series of surgeries to repair his fractured leg. Now, Elimlim has to undergo another bone transport surgery in order for him to walk again. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, can help. They are requesting $1,500 to help fund the cost of his surgery and care. We need your help to cover the cost of his treatment. This life-changing surgery will significantly improve Elimlim's quality of life. "I will be happy to get well so that my whole family does not have to take care of me anymore," shared Elimlim.

Ree is a 44-year-old man who lives with his wife, two sons, and his daughter in Mae Ra Ma Laung Refugee Camp in Thailand. Ree and his family used to live in a village in Hpa-pun Township in Karen State, Burma. However, due to conflict between armed groups in his area, they fled to the refugee camp in 2006. Every month Ree’s family receives 1,244 baht (approx. 42 USD) from The Border Consortium (TBC), an organization that provides support to refugees in camps. He also works as a caregiver for the elderly in the camp, for the organization Catholic Office for Emergency Relief and Refugees. He earns 1,100 baht (approx. 37 USD) each month for this. All of his children go to school in the camp while his wife works as a cook at one of the schools. On March 14, 2020, Ree slipped and fell on his right forearm while he was carrying a heavy load. When he got up, he was not able to move his right hand and he thought he had broken his forearm. Ree did not seek help at the camp’s medical centre and instead wrapped traditional herbal medicine onto his right forearm. As time passed, Ree could still not use his right arm and the pain in his arm did not go away. Eventually, on May 10th, he went to the camp’s hospital, run by Malteser International Thailand (MI). At the hospital, he was diagnosed with a fractured right forearm that had not healed properly. He was referred to the local Mae Sariang Hospital and received an x-ray on May 12th. The result indicated that he had fractured one of the two bones in his forearm. The doctor at the hospital then referred Ree to Watsi's Medical Partner Care Center Chiang Mai Hospital (CMH) for further management and treatment. The following day, MI staff brought Ree to CMH. Once he met with the doctor, the doctor told him that he will need to receive surgery for his arm to heal properly. Currently, Ree is still in pain and his right arm is sore and not in use. With the help of our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, Ree will undergo surgery to reset his fractured bones and ensure proper healing. The procedure is scheduled for May 21st and will cost $1,500. His arm will no longer be in pain and he hopes he will be able to go back to his old job helping the elderly in the refugee camp. While smiling he said, “I have been struggling to do tasks for the past month without using my right hand which is hard as I am right handed. I cannot wait to use my right arm again!”

Bravel Paul is an 8-year-old student from Kenya. He likes playing football and watching cartoons. His family hails from Kajiado County. He is a class 1 pupil and likes reading books and other hobbies. His father is a caretaker for some houses, while his mother is a housewife. The family lives in a one-roomed rental house in Kitengela. Bravel has clubfoot of his right foot. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. This causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Fortunately, Bravel traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, AIC Cure International Hospital. There, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on February 24th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,224 to fund Bravel's clubfoot repair. After treatment, he will be able to walk easily and wear shoes. "I would like to see my son walking comfortably and therefore any assistance accorded to us will be highly appreciated," Bravel’s father told us.

Agatha is a peasant farmer from Kenya. She is a mother of five children. Together with her husband, they tend to their small ancestral land to provide for their children. She noted a small lump on her left breast in January 2020. The lump did not go away and she thought of visiting the hospital. She went to two facilities where she had mammogram and FNA tests done. That was followed up with a biopsy and she had a cancer diagnosis. Agatha decided to come to Watsi's Medical Partner's Kijabe Hospital where doctors have advised that she needs a mastectomy. With the right and timely treatment, Agatha will be out of risk of cancer metastasis. Without treatment, the cancer may spread to other organs. A mastectomy, a surgery to remove breast tissue, has been suggested to rid her body of breast cancer and to prevent the cancer from metastasizing. Agatha has now registered for the national insurance scheme, but it is not yet available. Their monthly income is negligible to meet the cost of surgery. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $816 to cover the cost of a mastectomy for Agatha. The procedure is scheduled to take place on March 30th. After treatment, Agatha will hopefully return to a cancer-free life. Agatha says, “My prayer is to be free from this cancer problem. I am hopeful that the treatment will be a success.”

Sandar is is a 48-year-old pastor from Burma. She lives with her husband, daughter, and seven children who she is sheltering. In her free time, Sandar likes to prepare for her sermons, read the Bible, and pray for others in need. Since 2017, Sandar has been experiencing high blood pressure and heavy abnormal vaginal bleeding. She has been diagnosed with pelvic mass and has been advised to undergo a total abdominal hysterectomy, the surgical removal of her uterus and cervix. If left untreated, Sandar's symptoms will continue to worsen and put her at risk for further health complications in the future. Fortunately, Sandar is scheduled to undergo her hysterectomy on February 24th. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of her procedure and care. Once recovered, she will no longer experience abnormal bleeding or discomfort. "I worry about the children I shelter," said Sandar. "Currently, I have to buy a lot of sanitary pads and my daughter borrowed 500,000 kyat (approx. 500 USD) from her boss to support me, which she will pay back in installments.”

Dalin is a third grade student from Cambodia. She enjoys reading books and playing with her two sisters. When she was five years old, Dalin had an ear infection. This infection caused a cholesteatoma, or an abnormal skin growth, to develop in the middle ear behind the ear drum. For this reason, Dalin experiences hearing loss, discharge, infection, and headaches. She frequently has difficulty focusing in class and has trouble communicating with others. She has undergone five days of antibiotic injections in her ear to attempt to clear the infection prior to operation, and now requires surgery. Dalin traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On January 13th, she will undergo a mastoidectomy procedure in her left ear. During this procedure, ENT surgeons will remove the cholesteatoma. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $925 to fund this procedure. This covers medications, supplies, and inpatient care. "I hope that my daughter's ear issue will be resolved and that I won't have to worry about her anymore." -Dalin's Mother

Zipporah is a young girl aged eight and a half years from the Kenyan capital, Nairobi. She is the last born in a family of four children. Her mother is a single mother who does casual work as a waitress in a small hotel near their home. Zipporah has been a very jolly and active child, until about one month ago when she reported to her mother that she was having abdominal pains and her abdomen was swelling. The condition was making it difficult for Zipporah to play with other children. She was even brought to our office in a wheelchair as she feels pain when standing. She came to our partner, Nazareth Hospital, and an ultrasound scan was done which showed a well-defined liver mass. The family was sent for a CT scan and it also showed a cystic liver mass. The surgeon recommends a laparotomy, but her mother was not in a position to meet the bill for this surgery. If not treated Zipporah will continue to experience pain.

Paw is a 62-year-old widow from Thailand. She lives with her older brother in Thaw Lae Hta Village, Mae Sariang Town, Mae Hong Son Province. Paw has works as a homemaker taking care of her brother who cannot work due to congenital mental and physical disabilities. Paw has a younger sister in the same town who supports her financially and is her main source of income. Since 2014, Paw has been experiencing some abnormal pain in her right lower abdomen. She has been diagnosed with a myoma. She has been advised to undergo a total abdominal hysterectomy, the surgical removal of her uterus and cervix. If left untreated, Paw's symptoms will continue to worsen and put her at risk for further health complications in the future. Fortunately, Paw is scheduled to undergo her hysterectomy on November 19th. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of her procedure and care. Once recovered, Paw will no longer abdominal pain and she will be able to take care of her brother. Paw said, "Since 2019, I have been experiencing increased levels of pain in my right lower abdomen, increased back pain, and difficulty sleeping. Riding a motorbike aggravates the pain even more. I also experience dysuria and sometimes it takes me longer to use the bathroom. My appetite is good, but I cannot eat as much as I want because I experiences abdominal tightness, difficulty breathing, and fullness in my stomach when I eat too much."

Daniel is car wash attendant from Kenya. Daniel’s wife left with their two children in 2002 when he developed the leg ulcer and could barely provide for the family. He now stays alone in a one-room rental house in Central Kenya. In 2017, Daniel was diagnosed with venous leg ulcer at Kijabe hospital after struggling for over 15 years to find the cause for the leg swelling. Daniel walks with a limp and is in pain and discomfort. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is helping Daniel receive treatment. On October 08, surgeons will perform a debridement and skin graft procedure to help him walk easily again. Now, Daniel needs help to fund this $1,129 procedure. “I at times wonder whether God forgot about me. Please help me get an admission,” says Daniel.