Shallon is the mother of three children and a businesswoman from Southwestern Uganda. She has a diploma in education, but was unable to get a job in that field, so decided to start a small retail shop to make ends meet. She lives in a rental house with her children, as she separated from her husband. Two years ago, Shallon began to experience troubling symptoms, including neck swelling, difficulty breathing, and swallowing. She was diagnosed with cystic goitre. A visit to a traditional herbalist had not helped, so she went to the hospital. She had a scan, and surgery was recommended to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is helping Shallon receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on January 24th at our medical partner's care center. Surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. This procedure will cost $252, and she and her family need help raising money to pay for it. Shallon says, “I hope the complications I have been passing through will be no more once I am given a chance to be operated on with your help.”

Obadiah is a 26-year-old man from Kenya. He is the youngest in his family of three children. His mother passed away seven years ago due to cancer. Obadiah lives with his father and works as a casual laborer to support his father, who is in his old age. However, since Obadiah’s injury, it has been painful for him to work, and they have had a relative come and stay with them. Obadiah needs surgery to heal and is requesting assistance with his medical costs. Obadiah fell and sustained a fracture to his arm last year. At the time, he went to a hospital, received a splint, and underwent a plate fixation procedure. He has continued to experience persistent pain for the last year and cannot use his hand. Obadiah recently received an X-ray, which revealed that the fracture has not united and one of the screws has moved out of place so that the plate is no longer holding the fracture correctly. To finally heal, Obadiah must undergo a three-part procedure to align his bone and return it to a normal position. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner can help. On April 25th, Obadiah will undergo a fracture repair procedure called an open reduction and internal fixation. Upon recovery, Obadiah’s fracture will be healed, he will no longer be in pain, and he will be able to work. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is requesting $1,145 to fund this procedure. Obadiah shared: “I feel so sad when I depend on people to provide everything for me. I am sadder when I remember that my father is alone without a helper. I am so hopeful that one-day things will get back to normal, and I will be able to work and earn something. Kindly help me so that my father may no longer suffer.”

Bela is an 18-month-old girl from the Philippines, who loves listening to nursery rhymes and playing with her musical toys. She lives with her older sibling, her father, who is a businessman, and her mother, who is a homemaker. Bela was born with an anorectal malformation, which is a congenital condition that leads to a complete or partial intestinal blockage. She needs to undergo a series of procedures to eliminate her bowel dysfunction and help her grow up healthy. Fortunately, our medical partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines (WSFP), is helping Bela access the treatment that she needs. She is scheduled to undergo surgery to correct her condition on January 14th, at Our Lady of Peace Hospital. A portion of the cost of her treatment is being paid for by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and WSFP is looking to you to help raise $1,211 to cover the remaining cost of Bela's procedure and care. After her recovery, Bela will no longer need a colostomy, experience bowel dysfunction, or be at risk of developing health complications in the future. Bela's mother said: "As a parent, I hoped she'd have a normal life, and be free from using a colostomy bag. To be honest, a huge part of our budget goes to her colostomy supplies. So this free surgery is really a big help to our family. To WATSI and World Surgical Foundation Philippines, thank you very much! We wouldn't know how to get her treated without your support."