Jomhel is a 27-year-old from the Philippines. His mother, Melissa, is a solo parent seeking assistance for Jomhel who has intellectual disability. The family relies on Melissa's income through laundry and ironing services for her relatives and neighbors. They live with Melissa's father, aged 75, who is also taking medications and aging. Her sister gives her extra money allotted for the medicines and other needs of their father. Two years ago, Jomhel began to experience troubling symptoms, including bleeding, pain, and difficulty sitting and standing. He was diagnosed with thrombosed hemorrhoids and needs surgery to prevent his symptoms from getting worse. Fortunately, our medical partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines (WSFP), is helping Jomhel receive treatment. He is scheduled to undergo a hemorrhoidectomy on January 12th at WSFP's care center. During this procedure, surgeons will remove his hemorrhoids so he can live pain free. A portion of the cost of his treatment is being supported by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and WSFP is raising the remaining $1,285 to cover the cost of Jomhel's procedure and care. Melissa shared: "Being a solo parent facing financial constraints, I do not have enough money for Jomhel's consultation, let alone a major surgery. This is a big help not just for me but also for my son and I am very grateful to all of you."

Curtis is a second grade student from Kenya. Curtis is accompanied by his grandmother at the hospital. He is jovial and inquisitive. Curtis is the only child in his family and is being raised by his grandmother. His mother left him with his grandmother when he was 3 years to work in the Middle East. His father works at a timber yard splitting wood earning an inconsistent income. Curtis was diagnosed with cryptorchidism, a condition in which one or both of the testicles remains undescended. If left untreated, Curtis has an increased risk of developing hernias, testicular cancer, and fertility problems in the future. Curtis will be receiving assistance from our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH). Fortunately, he is scheduled to undergo corrective surgery on January 5th. AMH is requesting $646 to cover the total cost of his procedure and care. Curtis' grandmother says: “He needs treatment to be healthy in the future.”

Manet is a happy pre-schooler from Cambodia. He is five years old and attends a local preschool in Phnom Penh, where he lives with his parents and older sister. His dad is in the army, and his mom stays at home to look after the kids and assist older relatives. Manet loves fried eggs with toast, painting, and riding his bike up and down the street. Around two years ago, Manet started experiencing a persistent sore throat, and difficulty swallowing and sleeping at night. Frequent illness already causes him to miss school. Manet was recently diagnosed with enlarged tonsils and adenoids, which, if not treated, will cause his symptoms to persist and possibly intensify over time. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $265 to fund a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy for Manet, which is scheduled to take place on February 1st. Surgeons will remove his tonsils and adenoids, hopefully relieving Manet of his symptoms and helping him live much more comfortably. His mom shared, "I hope he can feel healthy again. It is very hard for him to always be sick and we want him to attend school every day."