This is Lydia, a 12-year-old girl from Kenya. She lives with her half-brother and parents, who work hard as casual laborers. Lydia’s journey to Watsi began when she started experiencing severe, recurrent headaches and convulsions. She has not been able to go to school this semester because her symptoms worsened during the August school holidays. In addition to the headaches and convulsions, her limbs have weakened and she can no longer sit or stand without support. Lydia was admitted and later discharged from a local hospital, however her mother noticed that there was no improvement in her health. Eventually doctors diagnosed Lydia with a brain tumor and determined that she would need surgery. “If the surgery is not done,” our medical partners share, “Lydia could suffer permanent brain damage or even premature death.” Lydia’s loving mother says, “my daughter is very intelligent, however this sickness has really affected her schooling. My prayer and hope is that she gets well soon, so that she can go back to school. We hope that we will get support for her treatment.” $1,260 will pay for the craniotomy, a surgical procedure that will allow doctors to remove the tumor. After surgery Lydia will be able to resume school and she will no longer suffer from headaches or convulsions. Let’s help Lydia get well!

Silienne is a mother of six, who lives in the Haitian countryside where her husband is a small-scale farmer. "Silienne started noticing that her breast was changing shape and was getting smaller than the normal size, like her breast tissue was getting dehydrated. Then she decided to go see a physician very soon in her locality. When she went there, she was transferred to Port-Au-Prince very fast and she came to our hospital, as she heard that we have cancer treatment programs," shares our partner Project Medishare. "Silienne explains that her breast is very painful and itches much. She cannot sleep enough at night and she is always thinking about what can happen if she doesn't receive appropriate treatments." The doctors have diagnosed Silienne with breast cancer. They say, "Silienne needs surgical intervention to remove the affected breast that can cause the invasion of the cancer to to rest of her body. After the surgery, she will have to come back to the hospital after 30 days in order to complete the treatment; she will receive several chemotherapy sessions.The treatment will save her life and she will be able to go back her activities, but with some restrictions." Surgery is planned in September, and chemotherapy in October. The total cost of the life-saving treatment is $1500.

Meet Eliza! This three-month-old lives in the Haitian countryside with her parents and sibling. Eliza's mother sells secondhand clothing to support her family. Eliza was born with an imperforated anus and is unable to properly pass stool. "Her case is very serious and she may face infection," Watsi's medical partner, Project Medishare, writes about Eliza. "When the mother came to the hospital with the baby, the doctors received the family and started providing treatment to the baby to make her situation better; she has been given medications to prevent infection." We are working to raise $1,500 to fund surgery to completely reconstruct Eliza’s anus and rectum. "The treatment will have a very high and good impact on the baby’s life as she will be able to pass stools normally," the Project Medishare Team tells us. "This will help her to have a healthy life and a good childhood.”

Fredickson is his parents' first child. He lives in the Haitian countryside with his mother, who used to be a street vendor, and his father, who currently works as a physical laborer. Fredickson was born with a cleft lip. "He lives with symptoms such as the flu, fever and sometimes vomiting when he eats," Watsi's medical partner writes. This is worrisome particularly to Fredickson's mother, who has worked very hard to find care for her son but is now unable to afford the surgery he needs to grow up healthy. With $960, we can pay for the surgery Fredickson needs to repair his lip and help him live more comfortably. "This will give him access to a healthy life," his doctors write. "After the surgery he will be able to eat and drink very easy and make the joy of his family."

Meet Mary, a 46-year-old mom from Kenya who needs a hysterectomy to treat cervical cancer. Mary lives with her husband and five children. The money that Mary's husband makes goes toward food and the childrens' education. "Mary was healthy until May 2014 when she started experiencing lower abdominal pains and bleeding," Watsi's medical partner writes. "The bleeding got worse, leading her to seek medical attention. In August, she was diagnosed with cancer of the cervix stage 2. Mary has not had treatment due to financial limitations." Mary is scared about her diagnosis. "The bleeding has greatly affected her social life as she is not free to move around," our medical partner adds. But she still has hope. “I really pray to God that Watsi will support me so that I can live," Mary says. "I wish to see my family grow." For $790 Mary will receive a total abdominal hysterectomy (TAH) to remove her uterus and cervix. "We expect that after a TAH, Mary will be relieved from pain and bleeding and the danger of cancer spread will be reduced," the medical team says.

Meng La broke his elbow while playing with his friends. He says the worst part of his injury is that it prevents him from doing the ‘sampeah’ - the traditional Cambodian greeting to show respect by bending your arms and putting the palms of the hands together in front of the chest. Meng La needs surgery for his arm to fully heal, but his family can't afford it on their own. For $300, we can make sure he receives surgery and physiotherapy to help him regain mobility and properly perform the sampeah, as well as play with his friends, as all 15-year-olds should!