Chech is a 22-year-old farmer who has two sisters and three brothers. She likes to do housework and help her family on the farm. When she was a baby, Chech developed an ear infection. The infection spread to both ears and perforated the tympanic membrane in each. She experiences recurring ear discharge, pain, and hearing loss. Her condition makes her unhappy. Fortunately, Chech learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC) from a relative. She traveled for six hours by taxi to reach CSC for treatment. On October 19, 2016, surgeons performed a myringoplasty in each ear to repair the perforated tympanic membrane and stop the ear discharge and pain. Over time, her hearing will improve. Now, her family needs help to fund this $831 procedure. Chech says, "I hope for the ear discharge to stop and to have good hearing."

Kim Seng is a 7-year-old second grader from Cambodia with two sisters. He likes to stay at home, watch movies on TV, and draw pictures. Kim Seng's mother heard about CSC from people in their village. He traveled with his mother for three hours to reach CSC for treatment. Kim Seng received a poorly administered injection in his left thigh about four years ago. This caused his thigh muscles to contract and the tissue to scar. Now Kim Seng cannot bend his leg. Surgeons at CSC will perform a quadricepsplasty procedure on his left leg to release the contracted muscle tissue and allow him to walk easily. Kim Seng says, "After the operation, I hope I can walk properly and without pain."

Meet John, a seven-year-old boy from the Philippines. John is an active child who loves to roam around and play with other children. He also enjoys drawing and playing with toy trucks. When John was eight months old, his parents noticed something wrong with his scrotum. When they brought him to a pediatrician, their son was diagnosed with a hernia, or a protrusion of the intestinal tissue through the abdominal wall. The doctor advised to seek surgical care for their son. They did not have the financial ability to seek care at that time, and were also worried that something unexpected would happen during the operation. However, they were aided financially by a missionary and John underwent a successful operation. Everything was well until John was two years old. His hernia reappeared on the left side, leaving his mother fearful and scared to let her son out of her sight. When his parents brought him to the doctor, they were told that John should be prohibited from too much playing, running, and crying. These restrictions were a large burden, as John's parents know that a child his age wants the freedom to play and explore. John's mother often stops him from playing and running outside, which causes him frustration. She sometimes cries when she sees him sadly looking through the window at the other children playing. John's parents were delighted when they were referred to Watsi's medical partner, International Care Ministries. After a series of tests, the doctor recommended hernia repair surgery-- a $962 procedure during which John's herniated tissue will be returned to the abdominal cavity. Once he has healed from his surgery, John will be free from the pain he now experiences and able to return to his regular activities. The only income provider in the family is John's father, who works as a helper in a storehouse. He earns $110 per month, which is barely enough for the family's basic needs, let alone the cost of his son's operation. As a result, the family requires assistance to afford this important procedure. John loves his family very much and he always hugs and makes sweet comments to his parents when he sees them tired or sad. His mother wants to see John free from his condition and enjoying his childhood years. She hopes that he can explore and make friends. "Thank you so much in advance for this," says John's mother. "It means so much to us. I hope and pray this will be the last surgery that John will undergo and that he will be free from his illness."

Nguon is a 51-year-old factory worker who lives in Cambodia with his wife, three sons, and two daughters. In his free time, he enjoys reading magazines and watching TV news at home. On July 27, 2016, Nguon fell and fractured his right patella (kneecap). The patella is a small, movable bone at the front of the knee. It acts as a shield for the knee joint and connects muscles from the thigh to the lower leg. Falling directly onto the knee, as Nguon did, is a common cause of patellar fractures. Now, Nguon is experiencing pain and is unable to walk. He went to a local hospital after his injury, but they could not treat him because he was not accompanied by a relative. Next, he went to another clinic for consultation, and an x-ray showed a fracture of his right patella. At home, he has received only Khmer traditional medicine. Nguon traveled three hours with his wife to reach Children's Surgical Centre (CSC) for treatment. Surgeons at CSC will perform a surgical procedure known as open reduction and internal fixation to reposition and set Nguon's broken patella to heal the fracture. After the surgery, Nguon will be able to walk normally again without pain. $405 covers the costs of Nguon's surgery, a two-week hospital stay, five days of post-operative care (including physical therapy), and six follow-up appointments during the first year after surgery.

Shawali was identified through the outreach program at Arusha Lutheran Christian Medical Centre (ALMC) when his mother presented him with a "problem with his feet." He has been diagnosed with bilateral club feet, which means that both of his feet are twisted out of shape or position. Shawali, a 20-month-old boy, is the fourth born child to subsistence farmers from Tanzania. Education is important to his parents, and his older siblings all attend school. Because his condition makes it difficult for him to walk properly, Shawali requires treatment to straighten them out and restore him to proper mobility. Shawali's parents need assistance to cover their son's $1,160 procedure. He will have plaster casts on his feet and then an operation to straighten them. After his operation, Shawali will recover at the Plaster House, which is a facility in Tanzania that houses and rehabilitates children after corrective surgery. It is expected that Shawali's feet will achieve full correction and that he will never know that he was born with the club foot condition. His mother tells us, "I hope that Shawali will look normal and go to school like his siblings."

Meet Nickson, a baby boy from Uganda. He is the first child to his parents who both work as subsistence farmers, though his father sometimes works as a porter on construction sites and his mother weaves mats to earn extra income. Nickson is young but always keen and curious, looking around to observe new faces and smiling widely to those he recognizes. Nickson was born with clubfoot - his parents took him to a traditional bone setter at three months of age, but nothing about his foot changed. His mother, Rosette, used to be an athlete and would love to see Nickson grow up to be an athlete too. She got a scholarship for her primary education because of athletics and would love her child to be a great athlete and get scholarships to fund his education. With $362, Nickson will undergo surgery to have his club foot repaired. This operation will ensure that Nickson will grow up to walk easily and perhaps become an athlete like his mother. "The doctors gave me assurance that they can fix my child's foot. May God bless everyone supporting us," Nickson's mother said.

“My only wish is to get well, and be free from the pain,'' shares Lucy. Lucy is a 50-year-old woman from Kenya, where she lives with her husband. According to our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF), she works as an early childhood development teacher, while her husband does construction. In December 2015, Lucy was diagnosed with uterine fibroids, non-cancerous growths on the walls of the uterus. AMHF tells us, “Lucy experiences lower abdominal pain. Due to the persistent pain, she is not able to attend to her work consistently.” Without treatment, Lucy risks developing anemia, due to the constant bleeding caused by the fibroids, in addition to worsening pain. Lucy requires a hysterectomy, a surgical removal of the uterus. The procedure will cost $800, which covers all surgical and medical expenses, pain management, four days to in the hospital, and meals during her stay. Lucy is contributing an additional $52 for her treatment. This procedure is effective in eliminating fibroids and preventing recurrence. After surgery, Lucy will be free from pain, and will be able to return to her job.

Meet Eh Tha, an 18-month-old baby from Burma. "She is very sweet and her mother says she never cries and is very well behaved," our medical partner, Burma Border Projects (BBP), tells us. “When she was born, her mother noticed a small bump above her nose between her eyes,” explains BBP. "The medics informed her that her baby had an encephalocele and would need to have surgery to have it repaired." This means that Eh Tha’s neural structures did not develop normally, leading to visible protrusions containing excess cerebrospinal fluid. Now, the defect is affecting her ability to see. With only Eh Tha’s father’s income to support the family, the medical costs of her condition are a strain on the family. They cannot afford the surgery that doctors have recommended for her. According to BBP, Eh Tha has already received surgery for a ventriculoperitoneal shunt to relieve the pressure of fluid in her brain and around her eyes. $1,500 will cover her second surgery to close the open wound. Eh Tha’s mother shares: “I want my daughter to be healthy and happy. I just want my daughter to have surgery as soon as possible and recover.”

Meet Caleb, a two-year-old boy who lives with his parents and elder sibling in a single roomed house in Central Kenya. Caleb’s father works odd jobs, and his mother spends her days caring for Caleb and his sister. The couple’s unsteady income has made it difficult for them to financially support their son through his medical complications. Caleb was born without an anus, making it impossible for him to pass stool. Despite their financial straits, Caleb’s parents made sure that “right after birth he got a colostomy,” says our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). A colostomy is a procedure during which an incision is made in the abdomen and the intestine or colon is routed to that opening, allowing the patient to relieve him or herself. However, colostomies are typically only temporary fixes for patients with Caleb’s condition. In order to achieve a more permanent means of passing stool, Caleb must undergo a procedure known as an anorectoplasty, or “pull-through” surgery. This operation will separate the urinary tract from the rectum, and create a new opening called a stoma, through which Caleb will be able to pass stool. AMHF reports that Caleb has already developed “inflammation around his colostomy site and is at a high risk of getting infections.” Thus, he needs this next surgery as soon as possible. Caleb’s parents have managed to raise $215 for their son’s operation, but need our help; their seven-year-old daughter recently fell and burned herself, so much of their money has gone towards her treatment. With an additional $1,260 Caleb will undergo his crucial “pull-through” operation, after which “he will be able to relieve himself normally and escape the risk of infection to which the colostomy site is prone,” explains AMHF. “We have only been able to raise a small amount of money, but without the whole amount, Caleb can't get treated. Please help make this treatment possible,” shares Caleb’s mother.

Meet Magejjo, a 28-year-old Ugandan man who enjoys listening to music and watching soccer. He is a fan of the Arsenal soccer team. Three years ago, Magejjo developed swelling in his inguinal scrotal region that has since been diagnosed as a hernia—a protrusion of the intestines through the abdominal wall. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF), tells us, “After eating he feels abdominal pain and feels bloated.” Magejjo works as an office messenger, but sometimes he misses work due to his medical condition. He says, “The swelling is so big that it makes me feel uncomfortable when I am with people.” Though Magejjo was advised to have surgery in 2015, he could not afford the procedure. “If not treated, Magejjo may suffer intestinal obstruction, incarceration and/or strangulation,” says AMHF. For $220, Magejjo will undergo surgery to return the herniated tissue to the abdominal cavity and repair the weakened tissue in the abdominal wall. The surgery will prevent intestinal obstruction, incarceration and/or strangulation. After surgery, Magejjo hopes to work more effectively and secure his job so that he can begin to save money and eventually start his own business.

Meet Pha, a 26-year-old farmer from Cambodia. During a recreational game of volleyball. Pha injured his right index finger when blocking a spike. His proximal interphalangeal (PIP) join became dislocated and eventually infected, which currently prevents the use of his hand. "I can't hold anything," explains Pha, who also enjoys listening to Pop music and watching movies with his four siblings. For $392, we can fund a PIP joint fusion surgery to realign his finger and allow him to return to work. "I hope my hand will be better after the operation and I can hold stuff properly again,” shares Pha. “After I am healed I will go back home and work to support my life."

Atuhaire is a 27-year-old student who lives with her parents and siblings in Uganda. She came to our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF), seeking treatment for a lipoma on her buttocks. Lipomas are benign, fatty tumors that grow between the skin and underlying layer of muscle. They can occur anywhere on the body, and they are generally small but can grow to greater than 10 centimeters in diameter. Lipomas can be painful if they press on nearby nerves or have numerous blood vessels. While their cause is unknown, they tend to run in families. “The pain Atuhaire has on her buttocks cannot allow her to concentrate in class or study,” explains AMHF. “She cannot sit properly, and when it’s hot, the pain is more severe, and she even gets palpitations across the whole back. Sometimes, the lipoma oozes out some pus.” Atuhaire’s parents barely earn enough money to provide for their family and pay school fees for Atuhaire. They cannot afford to pay for the medical care that Atuhaire needs to treat the lipoma. For $120, Atuhaire will undergo surgery to remove the lipoma from her buttocks. Funding also covers the cost of three days of hospital care, including lab work and medicine. “After a mass excision, Atuhaire will be relieved from the pain,” says AMHF. “I hope that after the surgery, I will be fine and able to sit well in class and concentrate,” shares Atuhaire.