Enita comes from Ntcheu District and is a widow who lost her husband in 2011. She has 6 children of which the first four are married while the last two are aged 18 and 16 respectively. She is a farmer who is also supported by her last two children. Enita is grateful when she has time to rest and enjoys eating anything available. Enita was well until 10 years ago when she noted a small lump on the right side of her neck that was not painful. She did not bother visiting the hospital since this problem did not affect her daily activities. As time passed, the lump kept on growing bigger and bigger though without pain up until December 2023 when she shared that things got out of hand with her condition. She noted a blister that was very painful and affected her daily activities. She decided to visit her son who lives in the city of Lilongwe where different tests were done, and a diagnosis of goiter was made at Kamuzu Central Hospital. She was then referred to our medical partner's care center Partners in Hope Medical Center (PIH) for further management. Currently, she is experiencing pains from the scratched wound on her neck, neck heaviness, and frequent coughs that have affected her daily activities. On January 19th, Enita met the surgeon who confirmed the diagnosis of right goiter and the need for surgical intervention called thyroidectomy, which is the removal of part of the thyroid gland. Enita was referred to the Watsi program for assessment due to her financial instability. After a thorough assessment, she was eligible and thanks everyone for their consideration. Her daughter-in-law is helping commit some funds for her treatment support and their family needs help raising $1,015. Enita believes that the surgery will help her get better and continue to live a normal life. She shared, “Kindly help me. I need my peace of mind.”

Samoeun is a widow and retired rice farmer from Kampong Cham province. Currently, she lives with her only son and his family, who now manage the family farm. She likes cleaning the house, taking care of her grandchildren, and listening to the monks pray on the radio. For approximately 30 years, Samoeun has had a lesion on her skull. About five years ago, she had a lesion on her back that was removed, but no biopsy was done. Her current lesion is circular, approximately a 4 cm. x 4 cm. lesion. Because it is on her skull, she can only feel it and does not know for sure if it has grown recently. It does not cause her pain, but it is itchy and she is concerned. Fortunately, a relative told her about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, and the good care given for Cambodians. Samoeun traveled three hours with her son for a diagnosis and surgical excision. On February 13th, surgeons will perform a complex excision of the skull lesion. With concerns looming over the possibility of basal cell carcinoma, they plan to remove as much as feasible, ensuring Samoeun's well-being and peace of mind. The cost of this procedure is $726, which will cover surgical care, recovery in the hospital, medications, and histology analysis of the lesion. Samoeun shared: "I am worried about the results, but hope I have no pain or infection and can take care of myself well, and enjoy my retirement with my family."

Kyu is a 43-year-old teacher from Burma. She lives with her mother, husband, and two sons in Yangon Division, Burma. Kyu’s mother is retired, and her two sons are students. Kyu’s husband works as a motorcycle taxi driver. Kyu is a high school teacher who conducts classes from her home. Their combined monthly income is sufficient to cover their basic living expenses but they are not able to save money. When they have health issues, they rely on a nearby clinic for medical attention. In her free time, she enjoys reading books and she'd like to be able to continue teaching her students at home once she feels better. Kyu was born with an atrial septal defect (ASD), a condition in which a hole exists between the two upper chambers of the heart. Sometimes ASDs may close on their own during development, but sometimes this condition requires surgery to repair the hole and prevent long-term damage to the heart and lungs. Kyu is scheduled to undergo heart surgery on February 4th to correct the atrial septal defect and improve her quality of life. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to support the cost of Kyu's procedure and care. Kyu said “Since my heart condition worsened, I couldn’t teach my students due to my fatigue. Now I felt very happy when I learned that the BCMF organisation would support my surgery. Without the help of these donors, I couldn’t afford the treatment. I would like to be thankful to all donors and BCMF for supporting my surgery.”