Hla is a 35-year-old woman from Thailand. She is originally from Karen State, Burma but moved to Thailand when she was 12 years old. She lives with her 11-year-old son. She sells vegetables, which she picks on different farms around Mae Sot. In June, Hla had an accident while she was riding a bicycle with her son from school. She is now suffering with pain in her arm. Her left forearm and fingers are swollen, and she is unable to move and use them properly. With the help of our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, Hla will undergo surgery to reset her fractured bones and ensure proper healing. The procedure is scheduled for June 8 and will cost $1,500. After surgery, Hla will be able to return home. She says, “I am worried that soon I might not be able to pay rent for our house anymore. Also, I am worried about my arm. I hope that I will be able to use it again in the future, so that I can go back to work and support me and my son.”

Ann is a wife and mother of five children from Kenya. Her husband is a cobbler in Nakuru, and some of her children are in high school. Ann cares for her mother, who was diagnosed with breast cancer three years ago and is recovering from treatment. Ann has been diagnosed with breast cancer. Without treatment, the cancer may spread to other organs. A mastectomy, a surgery to remove breast tissue, has been suggested to rid her body of breast cancer and to prevent the cancer from metastasizing. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $816 to cover the cost of a mastectomy for Ann. The procedure is scheduled to take place on May 9. After treatment, Ann will hopefully return to a cancer-free life. Ann says, “My hope is that soon I will be treated and fight cancer with the resilience with which my mother has fought it."

Joseph is a toddler from Haiti. He lives in a neighborhood of Port-au-Prince with his parents and older sisters. He is a friendly and outgoing child and likes drawing and music. Joseph has a cardiac condition called patent ductus arteriosus. A hole exists between two major blood vessels near the heart, and blood leaks through this hole without first passing through the lungs to obtain oxygen. This leaves him sick and short of breath. Joseph will fly to Cayman Islands to receive treatment. On April 11, he will undergo cardiac surgery, during which surgeons will use a catheter to insert a device into the hole, sealing it off. Another organization, Have a Heart Cayman, is contributing $15,000 to pay for surgery. Joseph'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 Joseph's family overseas. His mother says, "Our family would like to say thank you to everyone who is helping Joseph become healthy!"

Dah is a 46-year-old woman who lives with her husband, one son, and two daughters in Karen State, Burma. Dah has been unable to work since 2015 due to her poor health. Her oldest son works as day laborer on someone else's farm and supports their family. Both of her daughters are currently studying at school. Four years ago, Dah started experiencing back pain and had difficulty walking or standing for long periods of time. She went to see the doctor in a Burmese hospital, where she was diagnosed with a kidney stone. At that time, she was unable to afford the cost of treatment. Eventually, she went to Mae Tao Clinic, our medical partner's care center, for further treatment and the doctor sent her to Mae Sot Hospital for further investigation. At the hospital she was again diagnosed with a kidney stone and was told she would require surgery to remove the stone. She was referred to Burma Children Medical Fund, our medical partner, for assistance in receiving treatment. Now, Dah is scheduled for a procedure called shockwave lithotripsy on March 8. She needs help raising $1,500 to pay for this treatment. Dah said, “I want to recover quickly so I can return to work. I want to be able to support my daughters so that they can continue with their studies.”

Nengai is a young student from Tanzania. She loves school and enjoys playing football. Her mother passed away when she was only eight years old. Nengai lives withe her brother, who works as a welder. Since she was two years old, Nengai has been experiencing difficulty breathing. Frequent illness causes Nengai to miss school. Nengai was recently diagnosed with enlarged tonsils, which, if not treated, will cause her symptoms to persist and possibly intensify over time. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $633 to fund a tonsillectomy for Nengai, which is scheduled to take place on February 8. Surgeons will remove her tonsils, hopefully relieving Nengai of her symptoms and helping her live more comfortably. Nengai says, “I will be glad if I will no longer be sick regularly. Thank you for helping me get this treatment.”

Sophan is a 54-year-old government worker from Cambodia. He loves to read text books and watch TV, especially boxing channels. He has had severe pain in his left hip for over a year, and he is now limping. He has difficulty walking. He can no longer work. His wife is worried about his pain. Fortunately, Sophan learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre. At CSC, surgeons can perform a total hip replacement to relieve Sophan of his pain and allow him to walk easily. Treatment is scheduled for January 9, and Sophan needs help raising $1,025 to pay for this procedure. He says, "After surgery, I hope I can walk pain-free."

Linah is a happy and gentle two-month-old baby. She lives with her parents and four siblings in Tanzania. Linah’s father is an entrepreneur, and her mother is a secondary school teacher. Linah was born with a left clubfoot. The foot looks like it is turned inwards at the ankle and upwards. This may cause Linah difficulty when attending school or engaging in life activities when she grows up. Doctors have recommended clubfoot repair surgery, scheduled for October 17. Her parents have contributed $45 towards her treatment. However, her father is the only one working at this time, so her parents cannot afford to pay the full treatment cost. She still needs $890 to fully fund her treatment. Linah’s father says, “I will be very grateful to see Linah get treatment and I promise to take Linah to school up to a university graduate level one day when she grows up”. When treated, Linah will be able to walk without difficulty, and she will be able to attend school..

Talusha is a student from Haiti. She lives with her parents, brothers, and sisters in a small coastal town in northern Haiti. She is in fourth grade and enjoys going to school, especially studying math and science. Talusha has a cardiac condition called atrial septal defect. A hole exists between the two upper chambers of her heart. Blood leaks through this hole, leaving her sickly and weak. Talusha will fly to Cayman Islands to receive treatment. She will undergo cardiac surgery, during which surgeons will use a catheter to close the hole in her heart with a device. Another organization, Have a Heart Cayman, is contributing $12,000 to pay for surgery. Talusha's family also needs help to fund the costs of travel, scheduled for November 3. The $1,343 bill covers her flight to the hospital. Our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, will also provide support to the family as they travel overseas. We are also fundraising for her [surgical prep costs](https://watsi.org/profile/abb173404d69-talusha). She says, "I am excited to get on a plane for the first time and see another country!"

Esther, a 12-month-old girl, was born with a cardiac condition called complete atrioventricular canal defect, in which a large hole exists between all four chambers of the heart, allowing blood to mix freely between them. This prevents her body from receiving enough oxygen, and leaves her sick and weak. This condition is especially common in children like Esther who have Down syndrome. Esther lives in Port-au-Prince with her mother, father, and two older brothers. Her parents both sell products in a local market. Esther is a very curious and friendly child and enjoys spending time with her brothers. Esther will fly to the Cayman Islands to receive treatment. On August 9, she will undergo cardiac surgery. Her family needs help to fund the cost of travel. Our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, is requesting $1,343. Her mother shares, "I would like to say thank you to everyone who is helping my daughter have this chance at surgery!"

Years ago, while working as a day laborer in the local countryside, Rodolfo suffered an accident that caused him the loss of his leg. Now Rodolfo struggles every day with his walking and general mobility. Rodolfo lives with his wife and children in Guatemala’s rural highlands. He and his wife have eight children, four boys and four girls. After he lost his leg, Rodolfo has been unable to work and spends his time taking care of the animals that he and his wife keep. Rodolfo’s wife generates a small income by producing artisan items, such as weaving traditional Mayan textiles. Because of their small income, Rodolfo and his wife are unable to afford a prosthetic. With Watsi funding, Rodolfo will receive a specially molded leg fit just for him on June 9. Receiving this prosthesis will change Rodolfo’s life. He hopes that he will be able to walk again and move freely so that he can be able to support his wife and family. Rodolfo says, “I wish to open my own business once I have my prosthetic. With your help I will be able to move easily again. I thank God for helping me to find you all.”

Baby Lesly lives in rural Guatemala with her family. She loves playing with her doll and rattle. Lesly's parents work hard as tomato farmers to support their family. Lesly has severe stunting as a result of malnutrition. Lesly has little energy to grow and is unable to put on weight. Her weakened immune system puts her at risk of contracting an infection. While malnutrition can have devastating effects, it is also very treatable. Our medical partner, Wuqu’ Kawoq (WK), has enrolled Lesly into a treatment program that is set to begin on March 16. Lesly will be given medication and micronutrient supplements to help her recover. Her condition will be monitored by a nutritionist, and community care workers will teach her parents how to prepare nutrient-rich meals for their daughter. Lesly's parents wish for their daughter to grow up healthy and strong, but they cannot afford to pay for her treatment. WK is requesting $492 in donations to help support Lesly's recovery.

Chisomo is an 11-year-old boy from the Central Region of Malawi. He lives with his mother, father, and four brothers and sisters. He loves going to school and excels in math. When not doing his school work, he likes to play football with his friends. In February, Chisomo developed a painful hernia in his lower abdominal region. The pain has kept him from attending school regularly and playing with his friends. His parents are very concerned for their son's health, but do not have the money to pay for the corrective surgery. They were very excited to hear about the opportunity to receive funding. Our medical partner, World Altering Medicine, is requesting $334 to cover the cost of Chisomo's hernia surgery. He is scheduled to undergo treatment on March 23 at our medical partner's care center, Nkhoma Hospital. Chisomo and his family are very excited for him to have his operation.