Lucia is a two-year-old girl from Bolivia. She lives in a rural village in northeast Bolivia with her parents and three siblings. Her parents are both farmers. Lucia has a cardiac condition called ventricular septal defect where a hole exists between the two lower chambers of her heart. Blood leaks through this hole, leaving her weak and unable to gain weight. On August 22nd, she will undergo cardiac surgery at our medical partner's care center, Hospital del Niño Dr. Ovidio Aliaga Uría. During surgery, surgeons will sew a patch over the hole so that blood no longer leaks. Lucia's family needs help to fund the costs of cardiac care and surgery. The $1,500 requested by our medical partner, International Cardiac Alliance, covers cardiac exams and diagnostics, surgical costs, follow-up care, and medications. Lucia's father says, "Our family is very excited for this surgery so that our daughter can start to gain strength."

Shwe is a 55-year-old father of two from Thailand. He lives with his wife and two daughters. He and his wife work on a farm and their daughters attend school. In his free time, Shwe enjoys reading the Bible. Since 2013, Shwe has been suffering from intense back pain. A CT scan revealed that he has bilateral renal stones. In February 2024, he underwent surgery to remove the stone in his left kidney. However, physicians at our medical partner's care center, Maharaj Nakron Chiang Mai Hospital, determined that Shwe should undergo percutaneous nephrolithotomy, a procedure that removes kidney stones from the body when they cannot pass on their own. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund this procedure. The treatment is scheduled to take place on September 16th and, once completed, it will hopefully improve Shwe's quality of life. Shwe said, “I feel very happy and thankful to Watsi for supporting my treatment. Without your help, I wouldn’t have been able to receive the necessary medical care. Once I fully recover, I plan to find a job and save money to support my family.”

Penglong is a 9th grader who lives with his parents and his 6-year-old sister in Kandal province, Cambodia. His parents are rice farmers, and sell vegetables at the market in the morning. At school, Penglong enjoys studying mathematics. He dreams of becoming a soldier when he grows up. At home, he loves eating rice with fried beef, and he enjoys watching soccer with his friends after school. Two years ago, Penglong injured his right knee while playing soccer, and since then, he hasn't been able to play. Just a month ago, his father noticed that Penglong's knees had developed angular deformities, and brought him to our medical partner, the Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), for help. Doctors diagnosed Penglong with genu valgum on both sides, where the knees angle inwards and touch each other when he stands with his feet together, with his left knee being slightly higher than his right. On August 23rd, Penglong will undergo a procedure to correct his knees and align his legs. After surgery, he will be able to walk more comfortably and prevent future complications. Penglong and his family are able to contribute $100 but need your help to raise $369 to fund the procedure, post-op medications, and physiotherapy costs. Penglong shared, "I hope to be able to play soccer with my friends again after my surgery."