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.”

Eh is a one-year-old boy from Burma. He lives with his mother, father, and grandmother. His parents work as farmers on a villager’s farm, and receive a share of the crop as payment. When he was one month old, Eh’s mother noticed his left eye was tearing up more than usual. At ten months old, both his pupils became white. Eh suffers from severe discomfort from bright lights and when the wind blows into his eye. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund lens replacement surgery for Eh. On March 23, doctors will perform a lens replacement, during which they will remove Eh's natural lenses and replace them with an intraocular lens implant in each eye. After recovery, he will be able to see clearly. Now, he needs help to fund this $1,500 procedure. "I want him to become a medic as there are many patients in my village and I want him to return home to help them when he is grow up," says his mother.

Jean Marc is a teacher from Haiti. He lives in Port-au-Prince, where he is a high school math teacher. Jean Marc has a cardiac condition called rheumatic mitral regurgitation. One of the four valves of Jean Marc's heart was severely damaged as a result of a rheumatic fever he suffered as a teenager, and it can no longer adequately pump blood through his body, leading to heart failure. Jean Marc will fly to Dominican Republic to receive treatment. On February 19, he will undergo cardiac surgery, during which doctors will remove the damaged valve and insert a mechanical replacement. University of Virginia is contributing $8,000 to pay for surgery. Jean Marc'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 will accompany Jean Marc's family overseas. He says, "I am so thankful to everyone for giving me this chance to recover my health!"

Mirriam is a baby from Kenya. Her father is a motorcycle taxi operator, while her mother practices small-scale farming. The family is from a small village in the Rift Valley region of Kenya. Mirriam has been diagnosed with encephalocoele, a type of neural tube defect in which brain tissues and overlying membranes protrude through openings in the skull. Encephalocoele usually results from a failure of the neural tube to completely close during fetal development. Without treatment, Mirriam is at risk of developmental delays, brain damage, or premature death. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $929 to fund encephalocoele repair surgery for Mirriam. The procedure is scheduled to take place on January 26. Hopefully, the repair of this condition will allow Mirriam to grow up healthy.

Mosses is a student from Tanzania. He is the second born in a family of seven children. Mosses has just completed his primary school education. Mosses started getting sick almost a year ago when he noticed a bump on his upper right thigh that kept growing gradually. It was painful for him to walk to school, and he could not play or help at home with chores. He was expecting to enroll in secondary school this year, but the pain got worse, to the point where he could not sleep and would complain of pain throughout the night. Mosses traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On January 11, surgeons will remove the mass. Now, Mosses needs help to raise $689 to fund this procedure. Mosses says, “I hope I will be able to walk, play, and attend school. Thank you for helping me get this treatment.”

48-year-old Juana lives in rural Guatemala. Juana takes care of her three children and household while her husband works abroad. A recent pap smear revealed abnormal results, which is a possible indicator of cervical cancer. Juana now requires a more thorough diagnostic procedure called a colposcopy to examine the abnormal cells. The $218 procedure will be performed on August 1 and results will indicate if Juana needs further treatment. Juana shares with our medical partner, Wuqu' Kawoq, that she is looking forward getting back to her normal life and taking care of her children. She says, "Thank you so much for the help that you given me. I hope to God to be well."

Saroem is a ninth grader from Cambodia. She has three siblings and enjoys spending time with her family around the house. In the future, she would like to be an English teacher. She has a congenital disease called neurofibromatosis and has developed a large mass near her jaw. Luckily, the mass is painless, but it can become bigger, and she would like it removed. Saroem traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On December 6, surgeons at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), will remove the mass. Now, Saroem needs help to raise $220 to fund this procedure. We are also fundraising for her [contracture release procedure](https://watsi.org/profile/2d6e3ae7fbd9-saroem). She says, "I hope to be able to eat and drink better."

Tha is a 10-year-old girl from Burma. She lives with her parents and two younger brothers. She takes care of her brothers while her parents work as day laborers. She is in second grade. On November 6, Tha was playing and wrestling with her friends. She lost her footing and fell to the ground. Before hitting the floor, her left arm was twisted backward, and it landed in a bad position. Now, she cannot lift her arm and she is in pain. With the help of our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, Tha will undergo surgery to reset her fractured bones and ensure proper healing. The procedure is scheduled for November 9 and will cost $1,500. She will no longer be in pain and will regain use of her arm. Tha says, "I will continue my studies for the coming year, and I want to be a teacher when I grow up."

“All I wish is to be able walk with ease,” shares Titus, a 76-year-old man from eastern Kenya. “This will allow me to work again." Although he has four children, Titus has lived alone since his wife passed away 17 years ago. This has made it especially hard for him to deal with an injury that he sustained over a year ago. In May 2016, a motorcycle accident left Titus with a broken left ankle. He was taken to the local hospital, where he received basic care and was scheduled for surgery. However, he was ultimately not able to receive his surgery due to a medics' strike. As a result, for over a year now, Titus has experienced substantial pain and numbness when walking. He has had to stop tending his livestock, which used to be his livelihood. Because of the resulting dip in his finances over the past year, Titus is unable to pay for the surgery that would repair his ankle. His children have been able to collect $51 for the procedure, but they need your help raising an additional $742. This sum will pay for Titus’s operation on December 8, as well as his lab tests and five-day hospital stay. Let’s make sure Titus can return to the self-sufficient life he once knew: raising livestock and walking without pain.

Patricia is a 58-year-old woman from Malawi who works with her three grown children to farm the family land. When Patricia is not working and caring for her home, she likes to just spend time with her kids. Patricia has been suffering from uterine fibroids, which are benign tumors that grow in the uterus. They have caused her to be unable to work properly, and it has been suggested that she undergo a hysterectomy, or a removal of her uterus. Our medical partner, World Altering Medicine, is requesting $650 to cover the cost of Patricia's surgery. The procedure is scheduled to take place on July 4 and, once completed, will hopefully allow Patricia to live more comfortably again. "Thank you for the support," says Patricia.