Edeau, who is 13 years old, lives in a farming community in southwest Haiti, with his godmother and his godmother's family. He is in the seventh grade. Earlier in his childhood, Edeau suffered from rheumatic fever, which severely damaged one of the four valves of his heart, making it difficult for his heart to pump blood through his body. Edeau requires surgery to correct his condition. On February 6th, surgeons at Welcare Hospital will replace Edeau's damaged valve with an artificial one, a $6,000 procedure, which is being subsidized by Gift of Life International. Our medical partner, International Cardiac Alliance, is seeking $1,500 to cover the costs associated with the pre-operative and post-operative care that Edeau will need, and the travel expenses for Edeau and his family. From Edeau: "I would like to say thank you to everyone who is helping me to get this surgery."

Naw Aye is a 28-year-old woman who lives with her husband, son, sister-in-law, brother, two nephews, and two nieces in a refugee camp in Mae Hong Son Province, Thailand. Originally from across the Burmese border in a conflict-area called Karen State, she fled to the refugee camp with her family in February 2023 due to airstrikes on her village. Her husband and her brother are unemployed, while her son, nieces, and nephews go to school. She and her sister-in-law are homemakers. During her free time, she loves to play with her son and enjoys planting vegetables in her small garden. She is currently expecting her second child. Her doctors recommended that she deliver via cesarean section because In January 2020, when Naw Aye was pregnant with her first child, her water broke prematurely which put her baby's life at risk. She was brought to a hospital in Burma, where she gave birth to her son through a caesarean section (C-section). In February, after they had fled to the refugee camp, Naw Aye became pregnant. She went to the hospital in the refugee camp regularly for antenatal care. She was told during one of her visits that although her pregnancy was going well, she would need to give birth through a C-section to ensure the safety of both mother and child. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, will help ensure a safe C-section on November 3rd. This procedure costs $1500, and Naw Aye needs your support. “I want to sell sacks or Mohinga (Burmese soup) for extra income soon. But I don’t have enough cash to start doing that, and I am pregnant. I hope I can do that after I give birth,” Naw Aye said.

Lin is a 24-year-old day laborer who lives with his mother - who is a seamstress - in Thailand. During his free time, Lin enjoys playing cane ball with his friends. In June, Lin was involved in a motorbike accident that caused the fracture of his right femur shaft. He underwent emergency surgery, but in September 2023, he slipped and fell, causing the internal fixator attached to his fractured femur to dislodge. As a result, he experiences pain and swelling in his right leg, particularly in his thigh, and he is unable to walk. With the help of our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, Lin will undergo surgery to reset his fractured bones and to ensure that everything heals properly. This procedure is scheduled for October 6th at Mae Sot General Hospital, and will cost $1,500. Lin needs your help to fund this surgery, which will alleviate his pain and enable him to walk easily again. Lin said: "I want to thank you Watsi and all the donors for helping me receive this expensive surgery. After this surgery, I will certainly be more cautious. Once I recover, I want to work again to support my mother. I want to repay your kindness. I will always remember your help."

Baraka is a 15-year-old boy who is in fifth grade, and resides with his uncle in Arusha. Seven of Baraka's ten siblings have passed away, as has his mother, after a prolonged bout of ill health. Baraka's father lives in a different region of the country, and has entrusted his care to the uncle, who has six children of his own. When Baraka was a young child, he fell onto a lighted stack of firewood while playing. He sustained severe burns - which were successfully treated - but which have left him with residual scar contractures around his mouth, and on and under his arm. Baraka lived with these contractures for a long time, until he met a neighbor, who told Baraka and his uncle about Plaster House. Baraka's uncle was unable to bring Baraka to Plaster House, so their neighbor, Charles, undertook to do so. Baraka is looking forward to treatment, as the contractures have negatively affected his confidence when he is interacting with other people. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Baraka receive the care that he needs. On August 16th, surgeons will perform burn contracture release surgery, which will enable Baraka to have improved mobility, functionality and appearance. Now, he needs your help to fund this $874 procedure. Baraka says: “I desire an improvement in my facial appearance. Right now, I lack confidence in how I look. I hold the hope that this treatment will bring about a substantial transformation in my appearance.”

Anastasia is a 12-month-old baby girl from Haiti. She lives with her parents and three older siblings in a small village in eastern Haiti where her parents are both farmers. Anastasia has a cardiac condition called ventricular septal defect, meaning that a hole exists between the two lower chambers of her heart. Blood leaks through this hole without passing through her lungs to obtain oxygen, leaving her weak and short of breath. Anastasia also has Down syndrome. Our medical partner Haiti Cardiac Alliance (HCA) is helping Anastasia which is especially challenging as the treatment she needs is not available within Haiti. On August 2nd, she will fly to the Dominican Republic to undergo cardiac surgery, during which surgeons will close the hole with a patch so that blood can no longer leak through it. HCA is subsidizing $8,000 of the cost of transportation and treatment, and Anastasia's family is asking for $1,500 to help to fund the costs of surgery prep, labs, medicines, and check-up and follow-up appointments. It will support passport obtainment and the social workers from HCA who will accompany Anastasia's family overseas. Anastasia's mother shared, "Our family would like to say thank you to everyone who is helping to fix our daughter's heart."

Dennis is a hardworking tricycle driver from the Philippines. He lives with his wife, Marecar, and their three-year-old child. Despite his hard work and dedication, Dennis's income is just enough for his family's basic needs but not for his needed surgical treatment. In October 2022, Dennis began to experience troubling symptoms, including pain and bleeding in a sensitive area. He sought medical consultation and was advised to undergo a colonoscopy. He was prescribed medicines to relieve the pain, but unfortunately, it has continued. He was then forced to have another medical checkup and was diagnosed with bleeding internal hemorrhoids, which gives him discomfort and pain, and hinders him from working to support his family. He needs surgery to prevent his symptoms from getting worse. Fortunately, our medical partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines (WSFP), is helping Dennis receive treatment. He is scheduled to undergo a hemorrhoidectomy on June 20th at WSFP's care center. The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation is supporting a portion of the cost of his treatment, and WSFP is raising the remaining $1,285 to cover the cost of Dennis's procedure and care. Dennis shared, "I am very thankful to Watsi, World Surgical Foundation Philippines, and those helping us get this surgery done. It is such a big help for me and my family."

Mark is a 2-year-old boy, His mother works as a teacher, while the father owns a small business of selling thrift shoes around town. However, ever since the lock down period during the COVID-19 pandemic, their business has been slow, thus, reducing their household income. The past year has been the most difficult for them, and they are unable to raise funds to seek medical treatment for their son. Last year, while playing with his friends, Mark accidentally pulled on a flask of hot water resulting in the water spilling and burning most parts of his arms and stomach. Following the accident, his mother applied honey and a raw egg on the wound as first aid and then rushed him to the hospital. Mark was given ointments to help the wound heal, but his mother was led to believe that applying mashed cassava mixed with honey would help Mark’s wound heal faster and better compared to the medicine he was given at the hospital. Two months after the incident, Mark no longer had an open wound, but the skin around the fingers of his right hand was badly damaged. Burn scar contractures have developed, tightening the skin around the burn. Now it is difficult for him to use his right hand. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is helping Mark receive treatment. On March 3rd, surgeons at their care center will perform a burn contracture release surgery to increase the functionality of his fingers. Now, he needs help to fund this $874 procedure. Mark’s mother says, “Sometimes I wonder if not following the doctor’s advice is the reason my son’s hand is the way it is, and I’m the one responsible for that.”

Ruthmeeah is a one-year-old baby girl living with her parents near the northern coast of Haiti. Ruthmeeah was born with a rare, congenital heart condition, known as Tetralogy of Fallot. This condition is characterized by four separate defects of the heart, including a hole between the heart's two lower chambers, and a muscular blockage of one of the valves. Ruthmeeah will fly to the Dominican Republic to receive treatment. On April 25th, she will undergo cardiac surgery at Hospital CEDIMAT, during which surgeons will sew a patch over the hole to prevent blood from leaking through it; they will also remove the blockage from the valve. Our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, is contributing $6,000 to pay for Ruthmeeah's surgery. Ruthmeeah's family needs your help to raise an additional $1,500 to cover the costs of her pre-surgical prep, labs, medicines, and follow-up appointments. This money will also be used to pay for passports and for the social workers who will accompany Ruthmeeah and her family to the Dominican Republic. Ruthmeeah's mother said: "Our family has been praying very hard that our daughter would survive long enough to have this surgery, and we are so glad that our prayers are being answered."