Yamin is a 13-year-old girl from Thailand. She lives with her family, and her parents work in a garden as day laborers. Unfortunately, her family cannot afford to send her to school. One morning, Yamin woke up with headache and neck stiffness. After one week, she had the same symptoms again. Since then, her condition has worsened. Her doctor suspects that she has a brain tumor. Doctors want Yamin 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 her condition and formulate an appropriate treatment plan. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $414 to cover the cost of Yamin's CT scan and care, scheduled for December 20. Yamin says, “I like to do make-up to others and sew clothes for my toys. I sometimes try to put make-up on my youngest sister, who always refuses, but my younger brother likes to wear make-up and some of my stuff, such as skirts and dresses. When I grow up, I want to be a make-up artist and fashion designer.”

Rosa is a one-month-old girl from Guatemala. Since her birth, her mother has had difficulty producing breastmilk. As a result, Rosa is not growing and is losing weight. This limited diet is insufficient and has dangerous implications for Rosa’s health. Lactation failure can lead to starvation and dehydration. It can also compromise brain development, putting Rosa at risk of long-term damage. Fortunately, Rosa began treatment for lactation failure on December 20. Rosa lives with her parents and siblings in rural Guatemala. She has one older brother and two twin sisters. Her parents hope that she will study hard in school and become a nurse. Rosa’s father works in agriculture, and her mother manages the household. The family's income is small and inconsistent. They cannot afford this treatment, so our medical partner is requesting $1,107 in funding. Rosa's treatment will be simple and effective. She will receive formula, which will give her the protein, calories, and nutrients she needs to grow and develop. Her mother will receive in-home nutrition education, so she will learn low-cost ways to prevent future cases of malnutrition. Rosa's immune system will strengthen, and she will grow up to be a healthy, energetic baby. "I've been worried since my daughter's birth because I don't have breast milk to give my daughter, and she is losing weight," says Rosa's mother. "I want to see my daughter grow well so she does not get sick."

Neema is a one-month-old girl from Tanzania. Previously, Watsi donors funded [surgery](https://watsi.org/profile/ad80f625dec0-neema) to close the myelomeningocele, a spinal cord defect, on her back. Neema's head was rapidly increasing in size. She was diagnosed with hydrocephalus, a condition in which excess cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the brain. On December 5, she underwent a procedure to release the pressure on her brain. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $775 to fund this procedure. "Please continue to help my little girl get better," says Neema's mother.

Emernica is a two-year-old girl from Haiti. She lives in Port-au-Prince with her mother, father, and grandparents. She likes to play dress-up and to go to church with her family. Emernica was born with a heart condition called valvar pulmonic stenosis, which means that one of her heart's valves is too small to allow enough blood to flow. As a result, her body does not receive enough oxygen, so she is sickly and weak. Emernica flew to the Cayman Islands to receive treatment. On December 7, she underwent cardiac surgery, during which surgeons inserted a balloon into the valve and inflated the balloon to stretch the valve. This $10,000 surgery was subsidized by Have a Heart Cayman Islands. Emernica's family also needs help to fund the costs of surgery prep. The $1,500 bill covers labs, medicines, and checkup and followup appointments. It also supports passport obtainment and the social workers from our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, who accompanied Emernica's family overseas. Emernica's mother shares, "We are very excited to know that there is a way to fix Emernica's heart problem!"