Farhio is a 47-year-old mother and widow from Somalia. She lost her husband two years ago. She is now the sole breadwinner to her family of four children, aged between 8 and 16. Farhio works as a street vendor selling tea by the roadside. She was first diagnosed with breast cancer seven years ago and underwent chemotherapy, a mastectomy, and radiation. She thought that the cancer had subsided, but, unfortunately, it returned. She went to a hospital in her home country of Somalia where doctors recommended she undergo surgery. She preferred to come to Kijabe Hospital after relatives who live in Nairobi referred her there. Farhio 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 $1,110 to cover the cost of a mastectomy for Farhio. The procedure is scheduled to take place on February 3rd. After treatment, Farhio will hopefully return to a cancer-free life. Farhio says, “I thought this disease had gone. Sadly, it came back. I need to treat it before it spreads.”

Saoratt is an inquisitive 3-year-old toddler from Cambodia. Saoratt is an only child and lives with his parents and his grandparents in Kampong Speu province. Saoratt's parents work in a local factory and his grandparents grow rice on their ancestral land. Saoratt is too young to attend school, but likes to play with neighbors or go out to the rice paddies with his grandparents. Saoratt's favorite meal is chicken and ice cream! Saoratt suffered an electric burn on his left fingers in April 2022. Saoratt visited a local hospital for burn care but has now developed skin contractures on his fingers. Saoratt cannot hold anything with his left hand, and cries out in pain if his mother tries to straighten his fingers. When Saoratt's family learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), they traveled for three hours seeking treatment. On January 3rd surgeons at CSC will perform a burn contracture release surgery that will help Saoratt hold objects and bend and straighten his fingers. Now, CSC is helping Saoratt's family raise $495 to fund this procedure. Saoratt's mother shared, "I feel so bad my son's fingers were burned, and I hope the doctors can fix them so he can be like other children."

Elenita is a 60-year-old woman from Philippines. She previously worked as a Registered Midwife but lost her job during the pandemic's peak. She's now reliant on her four children for her daily basic needs. In January, Elenita began to experience troubling symptoms, including lower back pain that's radiating down to her lower extremities. She sought a medical checkup and was told to have an ultrasound and CT scan. The tests revealed that she was suffering from gallstones. These are small stones that are usually made of cholesterol that causes inflammation of the gallbladder. Elenita has been advised to undergo a cholecystectomy, the surgical removal of the gallbladder. If left untreated, her symptoms will continue to worsen and put him at risk for further health complications in the future. After seeking treatment through our medical partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines (WSFP), Elenita is scheduled to undergo a cholecystectomy on February 17th. A portion of the cost of the procedure is being supported by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and WSFP is raising the remaining $1,128 to cover the cost of Elenita's surgery and care. Elenita shared, "Thank you, WATSI and World Surgical Foundation Philippines! You are such a blessing and I will never forget how you save my life. If in the future you will need my service as a midwife, I'm more than willing to help out."