Caroline is a 26 year old woman who lives in the Nairobi area with her husband and five year old son. Caroline is a casual laborer who washes clothes for her neighbors, while her husband is also a casual laborer at construction sites getting work whenever he can. Six years ago Caroline began to experience troubling symptoms, including a swelling of the neck, accompanied by regular headaches, increased heartbeat at times, and difficulty sleeping. The problem appeared to start with a small nodule in her neck, which increased in size during her pregnancy. She was ultimately diagnosed with an enlarged thyroid gland, which will need to be excised to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. Luckily Caroline's friend, Teresia, who had a thyroidectomy supported by the Watsi community, brought Caroline to meet with doctors from our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare. Now on February 28th Caroline will undergo a thyroidectomy at Nazareth Hospital, where surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. This procedure will cost $657, and Caroline and her family need your help to raise this money. If not treated, the goiter will continue to grow, causing more severe symptoms and potentially leading to thyrotoxicosis. “I thank my friend for bringing me to Nazareth. I also request for help so that I can be treated and get back my normal life. My family is just beginning, and I hope to be well to take care of my young family like other mothers,” said Caroline.

Bernard is a 63-year-old farmer and a father to five children. His two daughters are married and working as farmers. His eldest son is a teacher, middle son is a builder, and the youngest son is a motorcycle taxi driver. Both he and his wife practice small-scale farming. They live in a three-roomed muddy semi-permanent house. He enjoys listening to the radio in his free time. For two years, Bernard has had a right inguinal hernia. This hernia causes him abdominal pain around the groin and back, and on-and-off swelling which appears mostly when he lifts heavy things, or when he coughs or laughs. He has been unable to raise funds for his needed treatment. Fortunately, on February 28th, he will undergo hernia repair surgery at our medical partner's care center. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $230 to fund Bernard's surgery. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully allow him to live more comfortably and confidently. Bernard says “I really pray that given your support to undergo surgery and I hope to get well after surgery.”

Phionah is a small-scale farmer from Uganda. She and her husband divorced about 15 years ago but later reconciled and remarried. Phionah has had eight children and shared that three of her children passed away. Phionah has been experiencing progressively severe lower abdominal pain and other worrisome symptoms for the past ten years. Additionally, she frequently experiences intense headaches and excessive sweating. It is difficult for her to work as a result of her symptoms. Without support from her family, she lives in poverty and is socially isolated, no longer participating in gatherings in public places. Phionah has been diagnosed with adenomyosis and needs to undergo a hysterectomy, a procedure in which surgeons will remove her uterus. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is requesting $219 to fund Phionah's surgery. On May 25th, she will undergo gynecological surgery at AMH's care center. Once recovered, Phionah will be able to resume her daily activities free of pain. Phionah says, “I can never afford this, even if given ten more years. I kindly appeal for your support to undergo this surgery. I will resume farming when stable.”