Mu Lar is a 16-year-old girl from Thailand. She works as a farmer alongside her two older sisters and her parents. Mu Lar's family also raises pigs and sells them for income. During her free time, Mu Lar enjoys playing games on her phone, listening to music, and talking to her mother. In November 2023, Mu Lar started to experience headaches and dizziness accompanied by occasional vomiting. There was also a yellow discharge from her right ear. Mu Lar has been diagnosed with chronic otomastoiditis, an inflammation of the middle ear, and the mastoid process of the temporal bone. The doctor planned to perform a right-modified radical mastoidectomy, a procedure to remove mastoid air cells, the eardrum, most of the middle ear structures, and the ear canal. Mu Lar sought treatment through our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, and is scheduled to undergo mass removal surgery on September 5th. Mu Lar is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of her procedure and care. Mu Lar said, "Fellow villagers told me that I might not be able to speak afterward, which worried me. However, the doctor said it was incorrect. Thank you, Watsi, for helping me get surgery. After I recover, I want to continue helping my family on the farm."

Alice is a 20-year-old student from Kenya. She is the fourth child in a family of six. She lives with her parents who are farmers. Alice has been performing well in school and enjoys playing football. She has great hope for a bright future. About seven months ago, Alice began to experience troubling symptoms, such as headaches and difficulty swallowing. Since the problem persisted, she decided to seek medical attention. She visited a local dispensary, and after an initial assessment, was sent for an ultrasound scan. She was diagnosed with right multinodular goiter. Surgeons at our medical partner's care center, Nazareth Hospital, examined her and ordered thyroid function tests. Alice was prescribed medication, and later, the surgeon recommended a thyroidectomy. However, Alice and her parents are unable to afford the surgery and are in need of financial support. If left untreated, the goiter will continue to grow, and her symptoms will worsen. She may also develop complications such as thyrotoxicosis. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Alice receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on September 26th where surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. This procedure will cost $633, and she and her family need help raising the funds for her treatment. “This condition has made me feel like the future I once hoped for is slipping away. I humbly plead for help so that I can put this behind me, excel in school, and create a brighter future for the sake of my family,” Alice said.

Chantho is a 23-year-old student from Cambodia. He lives in Takéo Province with his parents and younger sister. His parents work as rice farmers. Chantho studies Judo and hopes to become a Judo or PE teacher someday. Aside from Judo, he enjoys playing soccer with his friends and reading books. In July, Chantho broke his right humerus while in training. He went to a Khmer traditional healer and had his arm treated with a bamboo splint for one month. Since the fracture did not heal properly, Chantho experiences ongoing pain and limited mobility in his arm and elbow. Chantho visited our medical partner's care center for help. On August 30th, Chantho will undergo a fracture repair procedure that will help the fracture heal properly, reduce his pain, and restore mobility in his arm. Chantho contributed $100 to his care, and our medical partner, Children's Surgical Center (CSC), is requesting $383 to fund the remaining cost of his surgery. Looking forward, Chantho shared his hope that, because of this surgery, he will be able to to move his right arm comfortably again and get back to Judo as soon as possible!