Meet Joshua: a playful and social seven year old boy who is also the third born in a family of five. He is currently a first-grade student and takes great pleasure in reading, both in school and at home. Joshua and his family live in Odure, a charming village situated near the Kenya-Tanzania border. His father runs a small shop right in Odure, while his mother devotes her time as a dedicated housewife. Joshua, having undergone a healthy birth, was okay until the age of five when his mother noticed his unusual walking style. Not long ago, they became aware of the Cure Hospital Mobile Clinic, which was set to take place in Oloitoktok, conveniently close to their village. Upon visiting the clinic, the doctors determined that Joshua would require knee repair surgery to help him walk. This treatment holds great promise as it would enable him to walk without limping and, more importantly, allow him to attend school like his fellow classmates. Currently, due to his walking difficulty, it is hard for him to go to school. The surgery presents a life-changing opportunity for Joshua to lead a more active and fulfilling life. Joshua's mom told us: “I would request support for my son to undergo surgery and resume his normal life.”

Wideline is a 27 year old woman from Haiti. She lives in Port-au-Prince with her sister and her sister's family. She has not been working because of her illness, but would like to return to school to study business once she is able. Wideline has a cardiac condition called atrial septal defect and ventricular septal defect. Wideline was born with two holes in her heart, one between the upper chambers and another between the lower chambers. Blood leaks through these holes without passing through the lungs to obtain oxygen, leaving her weak and short of breath. It is extremely rare for someone to live to Wideline's age with this untreated condition. Because the care that she needs is not available in Haiti, Wideline will fly to the United States to receive treatment. On March 1st, she will undergo cardiac surgery, during which doctors will use patches to close the holes so that blood can no longer leak through them. Another organization, Baylor Scott and White Heart Hospital, is contributing $15,000 to help pay for surgery. Wideline's family also needs help to fund the costs of surgery prep and travel. 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 will accompany Wideline overseas. Wideline shared: "I am so excited to finally be able to live a more normal life!"

Meet Clerize: a beautiful and bright 4-year-old. She is the 1st born in a family of two and her family hails from a small village in rural Kenya. We met her at our Nyandarua medical camp outreach accompanied by her grandmother. Clerize's grandmother is a farmer while her father, who is separated with his wife, works as a boda boda (motorcycle taxi) driver. Clerize was born healthy however at the age of three, her grandmother noticed an unusual walking style. She stared tiptoeing and would fall every time she tried to walk. For lack of information and because of the distance, they didn’t take her to the hospital. Later their family heard about CURE hospital medical camp in Nyandarua and brought her to be seen by the doctors. The medical team diagnosed Clerize with clubfoot. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. This causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Fortunately, Clerize's family has now traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, AIC Cure International Hospital. There, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on February 26th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,286 to fund Clerize's clubfoot repair. After treatment, she will be able to walk more easily and is looking forward to attending school. “I am pleading for help to help my granddaughter undergo surgery so that she can resume with her normal life and walking,” Clerize's grandmother told us.

Ciara is a 10-month-old infant from Haiti. Her family enjoys playing with her and watching her smile. Ciara has been diagnosed with hydrocephalus, a condition in which excess cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the brain, and increases intracranial pressure. As a result of her condition, Ciara has been experiencing an increasing head circumference. Without treatment, Ciara will have severe physical and developmental delays. Our medical partner, Project Medishare, is requesting $897 to cover the cost of surgery for Ciara that will treat her hydrocephalus at Hospital Bernard Mevs. This is the only site in the country where this care is currently available and the procedure is scheduled to take place on February 2nd. This critical treatment will drain the excess fluid from Ciara's brain to reduce intracranial pressure and greatly improve her quality of life. With proper treatment, Ciara will hopefully develop into a strong, healthy young girl. The family is looking forward to having their baby girl grow up healthy and happy.

Boniface is a 9-year-old student with two siblings. He started school late and enjoys taking part in science classes. Boniface likes to play soccer with his peers, but it is hard for him to play for long because of his leg condition. Boniface was diagnosed with genu valgus. His right knee knocks on his left knee. 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 has difficulty walking. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $880 to fund corrective surgery for Boniface. The procedure is scheduled to take place on December 8th. Treatment will hopefully restore Boniface's mobility, allow him to participate in a variety of activities, and greatly decrease his risk of future complications. Boniface’s mother says, “It has been hard for him with his leg condition. He wishes to do more, but he is limited."

Vichea is a 37-year-old soft drink seller from Cambodia. He is married and has two daughters and one son. When he is not working, Vichea enjoys playing with his small son and helping his wife at home. When he was six, Vichea had an ear infection. This infection caused a cholesteatoma, or an abnormal skin growth, to develop in the middle ear behind the ear drum. Because of this, Vichea experiences hearing loss, discharge, and pain. It is difficult for him to communicate with others, and the pain and discharge disrupts his sleep. The medications to alleviate his symptoms are expensive and have not treated the problem. Fortunately, our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), is helping Vichea receive treatment. He traveled to CSC's care center where, on November 16th, he will undergo a mastoidectomy procedure in his right ear. During the procedure, ENT surgeons will remove the cholesteatoma. Now, he needs help raising $926 to fund his procedure and care. Vichea shared, "I hope my hearing improves and my ear heals."

Grace is a 50-year-old living in the Nairobi area of Kenya. She is a mother of three children, but shared that she has separated from their father. Her youngest child is in school, and the older children are a 31-year-old handy worker and a 29-year-old preacher trainee. Before the Covid-19 pandemic, Grace was doing well financially. She used to sell secondhand clothes at Gikomba market and was able to earn a living and support her children. The Covid outbreak and the subsequent lock downs have made her life and that of her children very difficult, and she is now struggling to pay off a loan. Her condition started back in 2014. She started having abdominal pains and discomfort. The condition became worse about three years ago when pain became severe with a lot of sweating. She has been going to different hospitals and getting treatment without much help. A scan showed that she has cholelithiasis. She has now come to our medical partner's care center Nazareth Hospital and the surgeon recommended a cholecystectomy. Unfortunately, Grace cannot afford the fee for this surgery and needs help to raise the $788 required for it. If not treated, she will continue to have the pain and risks serious complications. Grace says, “I am desperate because the pain is too much, I can’t do my housework well and even my work. I have no one to turn to so I kindly request for support to have this surgery so that my life can be normal again.”

Alexia is a first-year student nurse from the Philippines. Alexia's mother is a stay-at-home mom, and her father works as a ride operator abroad. Despite working hard, her father's income is only enough for the family's basic needs. In March, Alexia began to experience troubling symptoms, including severe abdominal pain radiating to her back. Alexia was brought to a nearby hospital to be treated. Upon having her ultrasound test, it showed that she was suffering from a gallstone. Alexia has been advised to undergo a cholecystectomy, the surgical removal of the gallbladder. If left untreated, her symptoms will continue to worsen and put him at risk for further health complications in the future. After seeking treatment through our medical partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines (WSFP), Alexia is scheduled to undergo a cholecystectomy on September 5th. A portion of the cost of the procedure is being supported by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and WSFP is raising the remaining $820 to cover the cost of Alexia's surgery make her care possible. Alexia's mother shared, "We are financially incapable to pay for her medical bills. With this surgery, we don't have to worry about it anymore. I'd like to thank WATSI and World Surgical Foundation Philippines! We're so fortunate to be one of your beneficiaries."