Win is a 46-year-old man from Burma. He lives with his wife and two sons in a village in Karen State. His elder daughter is a health worker where she works at a clinic in a rural village. His two youngest sons are students. Both he and his wife are a subsidence farmers. In his free time, he sometimes helps his community with building bridges or roads as much as he can. In January 2020, Win began experiencing painful urination and other troubling symptoms. Sometimes he also feels stomach pain in his right side. Watsi donors have helped to fund a CT scan and doctors have now been able to diagnose his kidney stones, which are hard deposits of minerals that form in the kidneys and are often very painful to pass. He has been advised to undergo surgery to remove his kidney stones. If left untreated, Win's symptoms will continue to worsen and will put him at risk for further health complications in the future. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund Win's kidney stone removal surgery. The procedure is scheduled to take place on June 17th. Win said, "I am very excited to receive surgery soon and I cannot wait to recover from my condition."

12-year-old Joy Nyagathu is in the hospital. Joy came accompanied by her father. She is a polite girl and likes playing with other friends at school. She shared that reading storybooks is her favorite hobby. Joy is the oldest in a family of 3 children and a seventh grader at Ol Donyo Sabuk Academy. Her family hails from Mountain View, near Thika Town in Kiambu County, Kenya. Joy was born with clubfoot which was corrected when she was an infant. She has lived well until last year when the parents noticed an unusual curve on her back developing. Her father heard about Watsi's Medical Partner Care Center CURE Hospital and came for a consultation. Joy was diagnosed with congenital scoliosis and was scheduled to undergo an instrumented spine fusion surgery. Currently, Joy experiences a lot of pain and discomfort while at school. She sometimes needs to skip her studies as a result of pain. Surgery will be of great help to her as she will be able to continue with her studies and her life without any difficulty. Joy's father is a businessman as a greengrocer, while her mother is a housewife. The surgery is expensive for their family and they cannot raise the amount needed. “I would like to be assisted because I am not able to raise the funds on my own. My desire is to see my daughter walking and pursuing her studies like other girls without any hardship. God bless Watsi for what they are doing,” Joy’s father expressed with gratitude.

Bon is a fifth-grade student from Cambodia. He is ten years old and he has three sisters and five brothers. He loves to play soccer and watch funny videos, and his favorite foods are chicken soup and coconut water. He hopes to become a doctor when he gets older. Eight months ago, Bon 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, Bon experiences ear discharge, itchiness, tinnitus, headache, and hearing loss. He cannot hear others clearly and is frequently distracted at school because of his hearing. Bon traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On March 10th, he will undergo a mastoidectomy procedure in his 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 son's surgery goes well and he will recover without anymore discharge or headaches." -Bon's Mother

Duncan is a 30-year-old man who is the 3rd and last born in his family from Rita Village, Kathiani, Machakos County. Duncan completed his studies last year at Kenya College of Accountancy (KCA). His passion is to become a competent accountant and work in government offices. While on his daily routine and walking through town dropping his CV, he suffered an accident on the road and the vehicle that knocked him sped off. He was taken to Kenyatta National Hospital where he underwent multiple surgeries. Due to financial constraints, he was discharged without further interventions. He currently uses a wheelchair to get around, a condition which I making him live an uncomfortable life--a life he had not even imagined or thought he would have. Duncan came to Watsi Medical Partner's care center CURE Hospital this month and was scheduled to undergo 3 different surgeries: Rt distal femur, Rt proximal tibia, and Orif of Rt distal humerus. The family is in dire need of help for surgery to take place. They have gone to different places seeking for help but they haven’t received any. Watsi's partner met Duncan at a clinic in the Machakos area and he asked for help. “I am pleading for support from well-wishers to help me undergo surgery and resume my normal life,” Duncan told us.

Rachel is a very social and talkative six-year-old from Tanzania. She has not had the chance to join school yet but her grandmother plans to enroll her next year. She is the first born child to her mother who had two children and is currently being raised by her grandmother for the past few years. Her grandmother had to take Rachel and raise her since their mother would spend her money on alcohol and would leave both children at home for hours without food or anyone to look after them. Rachel was diagnosed with genu varus. bilateral bowing of the femur. This condition is typically caused by an excessive accumulation of fluoride in the bones, which often stems from contaminated drinking water. As a result, Rachel has difficulty walking. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $940 to fund corrective surgery for Rachel. The procedure is scheduled to take place on November 14th. Treatment will hopefully restore Rachel's mobility, allow her to participate in a variety of activities, and greatly decrease her risk of future complications. Rachel’s grandmother says, “Please help treat her, her mother has abandoned her and I can’t afford the treatment cost."

Chan is a 36-year-old woman who lives with her husband and father-in-law in Shwepyithar Town, Yangon Division. Chan’s husband works as a day labourer on a construction site, while Chan is a seamstress who works from home. In 2010, Chan started to feel tired, had a rapid heartbeat and developed joint pain. She went to the clinic in Thaton, where she lived at that time, and received an an echocardiogram (echo) and x-ray. The doctor also told her that, if her heart became too enlarged, she would not be able to control her condition with oral medication and she would not be able to have a baby. She then received oral medication for a week which made her feel better for a while. In September 2019, when she went back for her follow-up appointment, she received another echo. Following this, the doctor explained to her that her condition could no longer be stabilized with medication. As he knew that Chan could not afford to pay for her surgery, he referred her to Pinlon Hospital. On 17th September 2019, she met the staff at Pin Long Hospital and who then referred her to Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF). Currently, Chan suffers from chest pain, has difficulty breathing, has a rapid heartbeat and has lost weight. In her free times Chan likes to sew, cook and do housework. “When I’m fully recovered, I will continue to work as a seamstress, save money and live happily with family,” said Chan. “Once I have enough money, my husband and I have decided to adopt one child. And I want to do charity work and help poor people as much as I can.”

Aloyce is a student from Tanzania. He is nineteen years old young man and the last born child in a family of three children. Aloyce only had the chance to study up to class seven. Due to financial challenges, he couldn’t continue with his studies and fulfill his dream of becoming an engineer. He stayed home helping his parents in their small scale farming to make himself productive and support his parents. Eventually a relative came in and offered to take him to Dar es Salaam and teach him welding work so that he could be able to make a living for himself. Aloyce has been diagnosed with hydrocephalus, a condition in which excess cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the brain and increases intracranial pressure. As a result of his condition, Aloyce has been experiencing seizures and fainting. Without treatment, Aloyce will experience severe physical and developmental delays. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,238 to cover the cost of surgery for Aloyce that will treat his hydrocephalus. The procedure is scheduled to take place on October 15th and will drain the excess fluid from Aloyce's brain. This will reduce intracranial pressure and greatly improve his quality of life. With proper treatment, Aloyce will hopefully develop into a strong, healthy young boy. Aloyce says, “People look at me differently now due to this condition please help me get this treatment so that I can be able to resume my training and normal life activities again.”

Thu is a 27-year-old man who lives in Dala Town, Yangon Division, Burma. He lives with his 25-year-old wife, who take care of their five-year-old daughter who goes to kindergarten. Thu works as a security guard in a tower in Yangon. His total income is just enough to cover all their general expenses, such as food and clothing, as well as pay for his daughter’s school fees. Five years ago, Thu started to experience chest pains while he ate lunch. He continued to suffer from chest pains but he worked through the pain until June 1, 2019, when he suddenly developed severe back pain. He was brought to Yangon General Hospital (YGH) and was admitted for 13 days. While he was admitted, he received a blood test, chest X-ray and an injection to help alleviate the pain. When doctor listened to his chest with a stethoscope, Thu was advised to receive an echocardiogram (echo). After he received the echo on June 16th, the result showed that he has aortic regurgitation, a heart condition caused by problems with the aortic valve. Currently, Thu is suffering from chest pains. He has had to temporarily stop working. Thu is looking forward to receiving surgery soon and getting back to work so that he can continue to support his family.

Mwase is a farmer who lives with his wife and two children in Malawi. He spends his days working hard on his farm, so in his free time he enjoys just sitting and relaxing. Since November of last year, Mwase has been experiencing urinary difficulty. These symptoms are caused by an enlarged prostate, a condition called benign prostatic hyperplasia. He needs to undergo a prostate resection surgery, a procedure in which surgeons will remove part of the enlarged gland. Our medical partner, World Altering Medicine, is requesting $733 to fund Mwase's surgery. On March 21, he will undergo prostate surgery at Nkhoma Hospital, our medical partner's care center. The requested money pays for supplies, medications, and two weeks of hospital stay. He says, "This program is helping me very much and I really appreciate this help. Thank you!"

Philipo is baby from Tanzania. He was diagnosed with bilateral genu valgus. his legs bow inward so that his knees touch. 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 a difficult time walking. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $940 to fund corrective surgery for Philipo. The procedure is scheduled to take place on February 14. Treatment will hopefully restore Philipo's mobility, allow him to participate in a variety of activities, and greatly decrease his risk of future complications.

La is a rice farmer from Cambodia. She has two daughters and five sons. She likes to spend time with her family when not working. Ten years ago, La had an ear infection. This infection caused the tympanic membrane, or the ear drum, in her right ear to perforate. For this reason, La experiences hearing loss, ear discharge, pus, tinnitus, and ear pain. She cannot communicate easily with others. La traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On January 2, she will undergo a myringoplasty procedure in her right ear. During this procedure, surgeons will close the perforation. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $423 to fund this procedure. This covers medications, supplies, and inpatient care. She says, "I hope my hearing improves so I can get back home."

Htun Linn is a one-year-old boy from Thailand. He lives with his parents and siblings in Mae La Maung Village, Mae Sot District, Tak Province. When Htun Linn was nine months old, his mother noticed that he has an inguinal hernia. Sometimes, Htun Linn feels pain and can't sleep well. Fortunately, on December 20, he will undergo hernia repair surgery at Mae Sot General Hospital, our medical partner's care center. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund Htun Linn's hernia repair surgery. The procedure is scheduled to take place on December 20 and, once completed, will hopefully allow him to live more comfortably. His mother says, “I feel sad and depressed that we do not have money to treat our son. I sometimes cannot even sleep when I think about Htun Linn and I am worried for him. I hope he will recover with the help of this treatment.”