Irenea is a 60-year woman from the Philippines. She takes care of her grandchildren and helps with household chores. Her daughter, a vendor, and her son-in-law, a baker, support the family financially. In February 2022, Irenea began to experience troubling symptoms, including intermittent fever and episodes of blood in the urine. She sought a medical checkup and underwent an ultrasound test. The test revealed that she was suffering from gallstones. She opted to take medicine in the hopes that it would cure her condition. Unfortunately, her condition seemed to worsen over time. Irenea has been advised to undergo a cholecystectomy, the surgical removal of the gallbladder. If left untreated, her symptoms will continue to worsen and put her at risk for further health complications in the future. After seeking treatment through our medical partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines (WSFP), Irenea is scheduled to undergo a cholecystectomy on December 16th. A portion of the cost of the procedure is being supported by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and WSFP is raising the remaining $826 to cover the cost of Irenea's surgery and care. "This treatment is almost impossible for our mother to receive. Our financial resources are insufficient, so we're incapable to pay for her hospital bill," Irenea's daughter shared tearfully. "To WATSI and World Surgical Foundation Philippines, thank you for this early Christmas gift! Our family is so happy to be one of your beneficiaries," she added.

Evalyne is a 42-year-old woman from Uganda. She and her husband practice small-scale farming to provide for their family. They have four children, all of whom are in school. Evalyne shared that she attended school through primary seven but was unable to continue due to the school fees. Evalyne has been experiencing a mass for the past twelve years that recently became very painful and began increasing in size. Her symptoms make it hard for her to sleep and are negatively impacting her quality of life. She traveled to our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), for treatment. On February 28th, surgeons at AMH's care center will remove the mass. AMH is requesting $188 to fund Evalyne's procedure. Evalyne said: “I look forward to receiving treatment for my condition so that I can live better and resume my farming.”

Ay is a 65-year-old rice farmer from Cambodia. He is married and has one daughter, two sons, and six grandchildren. He lives with his wife, who is also a farmer. In his free time, Ay likes to listen to the news and the monks pray on the radio. One year ago, Ay developed a cataract in his right eye, causing him sensitivity to light, tearing, and blurry vision. He has difficulty seeing things clearly, including colors and faces, and is worried about falling when walking, so he is not able to go places on his own. When Ay learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, he traveled for three and a half hours seeking treatment. On November 16th, doctors will perform a phacoemulsification cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in his right eye. After recovery, he will be able to see clearly. Now, he needs help raising $253 to fund his procedure and care. Ay shared, "I would be very happy to go outside by myself and see all the faces of my grandchildren again."