Loemheang is a mechanic from Cambodia. He has three daughters. He likes to read the news and watch sports in his free time. One year ago, he developed avascular necrosis of both hips and experienced a lot of hip pain. He cannot walk and cannot work. Fortunately, Loemheang learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre. At CSC, surgeons can perform a total hip replacement to relieve Loemheang of his pain and allow him to walk easily. Treatment is scheduled for October 18, and Loemheang needs help raising $1,025 to pay for this procedure. He says, "I hope I can walk again after the operation."

Meshack is a baby from Kenya. He is a very energetic child who likes playing. Meshack is the youngest in a family of two children. Meshack has clubfoot of both his feet. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. This causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Fortunately, Meshack traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, AIC Cure International Hospital. There, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on October 3. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,224 to fund Meshack's clubfoot repair. After treatment, he will be able to walk easily. “I will greatly appreciate any help aimed at making my son walk well,” Meshack’s mother says.

Damaclin is an infant from Kenya. Her mother sells groceries, while her father is a security guard. Damaclin was born with spina bifida, a type of neural tube defect in which the spine does not properly close around the spinal cord. Without treatment, Damaclin is at risk of lower-limb paralysis, infection of the exposed nervous tissue, development of tethered cord syndrome, and possible developmental delays. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,097 to cover the cost of Damaclin's spina bifida closure surgery. The procedure is scheduled to take place on July 11. This procedure will hopefully spare Damaclin from the risks associated with her condition, instead allowing her to grow and develop along a healthy trajectory.

San is a 55-year-old woman who was born and raised in Thae Phyu village in Yangon Division, Burma. She lives with her husband, son, two daughters, son-in-law, and two-year-old grandson. She and her family are all subsistence farmers on their own land, which has pigs, chickens, and produce. In her free time, San likes to watch TV. When she was 14 or 15 years old, San first noticed a small growth on her neck—the start of the goiter. It was the size of the tip of her pinky finger. Her parents suggested she go to the clinic to investigate it and get surgery, but because it did not cause her pain or any other problems, she did not do anything about it. Gradually, as she aged, and with each of her four pregnancies, the goiter grew in size. Over the years, many people told her she could get treatment. In the last year, the goiter has started to make eating and drinking uncomfortable. Fortunately, she visited our medical partner and is scheduled to undergo thyroid surgery on June 18. She needs help funding this $1,500 procedure. She hopes that the surgery will make her neck better and allow her to continue to do her farm work long into the future.

Raymond is a loving husband and father of five children from Tanzania. He used to work as a farmer. In the last few years, Raymond has been experiencing pain in both knees. He visited an orthopedic specialist and was told he would need a total knee replacement in both knees. Previously, Raymond underwent a [left knee replacement](https://watsi.org/profile/3a8334e32942-raymond), and now he needs to undergo the same procedure on his right side. Raymond visited our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). At AMHF's care center, surgeons can perform a total knee replacement to relieve Raymond of his pain and allow him to walk easily. Treatment is scheduled for April 18, and Raymond needs help raising $822 to pay for this procedure. Raymond says, “I am grateful for the help I had received last year, I am asking again for help so that I may totally be able to walk and go back to fully work on my farm so that I may be able to look after my children.”

Martha is a young girl from Kenya. She lives with her aunt and two siblings. Martha completed her primary education in 2012 but could not attend high school as her aunt could not afford the school fees. Instead, she helps her aunt sell vegetables. Two years ago, Martha was in her house reading a book when a pressure lamp exploded. She suffered burns and later developed burn contractures. The burn contractures have significantly disfigured her abdomen and distorted her gait. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is helping Martha receive treatment. On April 23, surgeons at their care center will perform a burn contracture release surgery to help Martha regain her posture. Now, she needs help to fund this $1,176 procedure. Martha says, “I would want to be treated and trust God that a well-wisher will come and educate me. I want to help my aunt and siblings have a good life that past life has robbed us."

Irene is a hair dresser from Kenya. She is a mother of two and lives with her mother and sister in a two-roomed house in Ngara, Nairobi. Irene has been diagnosed with breast cancer. 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. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $816 to cover the cost of a mastectomy for Irene. The procedure is scheduled to take place on March 14. After treatment, Irene will hopefully return to a cancer-free life. Irene says, “My wish is to be treated and lead a normal life. I want to see my children grow and mature and I want to one day join other cancer survivors to share my experiences."

Nwet (BB) is a 23-day-old boy from Burma. He lives with his family in a village in Karen State, Burma. When he was born, the nurses noticed a protrusion on back of his skull, a neurological condition called encephalocele. The protrusion is very sensitive. Doctors want Nwet (BB) to undergo a CT scan, a procedure in which x-ray images taken from several angles are combined to produce cross-sectional images of the body. This scan will hopefully help doctors diagnose his condition and formulate an appropriate treatment plan. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $469 to cover the cost of Nwet (BB)'s CT scan and care, scheduled for January 13. “We would like our son to become a doctor when he grows up,” says Nwet Yee, his mother.

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.

Nyunt is a 67-years-old woman from Burma. She lives with her children and used to work as a subsistence farmer. She also raises some chickens and pigs. In her free time, she enjoys going to the temple and listening to the monks’ sermons. Nyunt started to feel unwell in 2015, when she experienced pain in her lower abdomen. She stopped working because of her symptoms. She has been diagnosed with a uterine prolapse. She has been advised to undergo a total abdominal hysterectomy, the surgical removal of her uterus and cervix. If left untreated, Nyunt's symptoms will continue to worsen and put her at risk for further health complications in the future. Fortunately, Nyunt is scheduled to undergo her hysterectomy on December 14. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of her procedure and care. After surgery, Nyunt will no longer experience abdominal pain. She says, "“After I recover, I would like to look after my chickens and pig, and go to the temple to meditate.”

Marie-Guerda is a 39-year-old woman who is the mother of two girls. Marie-Guerda lives with her husband and children in the southern province of Haiti. She used to be a kindergarten teacher, but she isn’t currently working. She was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. After four sessions of chemotherapy, a treatment that decreases cancerous cells, Marie-Guerda will have a mastectomy. She is relieved that she will have surgery soon, for she wants to regain her independence and return to work. She wants to be able to take care of her children and be fully present in their lives as they grow up. Marie-Guerda will have her operation on July 28. Our medical partner, Innovating Health International, is requesting $1,285 to fund this operation to remove the malignant tumor in Marie-Guerda's breast.

Emmanuel is an eleven-year-old boy from Tanzania. He is the second-to-youngest, with three older siblings and one younger sibling. Emmanuel’s father is a plumber and his mother sells vegetables from her garden. He enjoys studying Swahili, English, and science when he is able to attend school. One of Emanuel's favorite things to do is play football with his friends. When Emmanuel began third grade, he developed an abscess on his left hip. His parents thought it was a boil and so they emptied it. The wound healed well, but Emmanuel soon began experiencing pain in his left leg. Within a short time, he was unable to walk to school and his entire leg began to swell. An operation to drain excess fluid left him unable to move his ankle and produced two openings on his foot that continuously drain pus. His parents brought him to the hospital, where he was diagnosed with severe, chronic osteomyelitis—a serious bone infection—which unfortunately cannot be treated with a simple operation and antibiotics. In order to save the rest of his leg, Emmanuel's foot will need to be amputated. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,035 to fund Emmanuel's operation. He is scheduled for surgery on October 20 at our medical partner's care center, Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre. After treatment, Emmanuel will be able to heal and eventually regain use of his leg with a foot prosthetic. He will be able to return to playing football on foot instead of in a wheelchair and will be able to walk to school with ease. "I would like to become a pastor like my uncle when I grow up," Emmanuel says.