Yee is a 59-year-old mother of two from Thailand. She lives with her family and is retired due to her health condition. Her husband works as a day laborer, and her two sons work at a restaurant. In her free time, Yee enjoys meditation and listening to religious sermons. In October 2023, Yee began experiencing pain, difficulty urinating, and producing only small amounts of urine. Additionally, she feels swelling and pain in her back, which has forced her to stop working. She has been diagnosed with kidney stones, which are hard deposits of minerals that form in the kidneys and are often very painful to pass. She has been advised to undergo surgery to remove her kidney stones. If left untreated, Yee's symptoms will continue to worsen and will put her at risk for further health complications in the future. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF), requests $1,500 to fund Yee's kidney stone removal surgery. The procedure is scheduled to take place on September 17th. Yee said, "I wish I could have the kidney stone surgery, but I don't have the money to cover the cost. But now, I have found that Watsi and BCMF can help me. I am very grateful and will pray for Watsi donors to remain healthy and help more patients."

Jane is a 46-year-old mother of seven children. Her husband is a farmer growing potatoes, peas, and carrots. Jane also runs a small home shop selling milk collected from her neighborhood. Jane came to our medical partner's care center with a chronic wound on her ankle joint and foot. The wound has persisted for over three years and has worsened over the past four months. The wound initially appeared spontaneously, developed blisters, and began discharging clear fluid. Despite seeking treatment at various hospitals, including antibiotics and wound care, there was no improvement. Three weeks ago, the swelling and pain intensified, leading her to try herbal remedies without success. Jane was diagnosed with left lower limb cellulitis and possible lymphedema. Immediate treatment included limb elevation, incision, and drainage, successfully performed with no complications. A large infected site around the ankle remains and she was started on IV antibiotics and fluids and placed on a vacuum-assisted closure (VAC) to aid drainage and maintain wound cleanliness. Plans were made to remove the VAC and, if the wound is clean, to proceed with a split-thickness skin graft to promote faster healing. Jane is scheduled for skin graft surgery on August 2nd. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,183 to fund surgery, medications, supplies, and medical care. Jane says, “I have had this wound for a long, have had a lot of stigmas since I have a longstanding chronic wound, and haven’t been productive in provision for my family since I can’t perform my day-to-day activities. Please help me get this surgery so that my leg will be saved. Looking forward to getting better so that I can be able to continue with business since my children are dependent on me.”

Bert is a 46-year-old woman from Karen State in Burma now living in Thailand with her husband and their daughter. She and her husband raise chickens for their family to eat. Her husband also does other additional daily work to sustain their family. Around four years ago, Bert started experiencing burning pain in her left side of her abdomen. However, when her symptoms began, she was unable to pay for a hospital visit. In March 2023 as her condition worsened, she began seeking treatment. She went to the local hospital and they referred her to Mae Sot Hospital (MSH) for further examination. Bert has been advised to undergo a cholecystectomy, which is the surgical removal of her gallbladder. If left untreated, Bert's symptoms will continue to worsen and put her at risk for further health complications in the future. After seeking treatment through our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF), Bert is scheduled to undergo her cholecystectomy on May 14th. BCMF is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of Bert's procedure and care. Bert said, "After I recover, I will return home and help my husband on the farm and also weave traditional Karen shirts and bags in the future."