51-year-old Jennifer is from Cavite, Philippines, where she lives with her husband, Arnulfo. Together, they have three children. Arnulfo worked as an aircon technician, until he suffered a stroke in 2021. He has only recently been able to go back to work. Jennifer and Arnulfo had been relying on financial assistance from one of their children, until Arnulfo returned to his job. Jennifer was diagnosed with breast cancer last year. Without treatment, the cancer may spread to other organs. Jennifer has been advised that a mastectomy - surgery which will remove breast tissue - is the best way to treat her condition, and to prevent the cancer from spreading. Fortunately, our medical partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines (WSFP), is helping Jennifer receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a mastectomy on January 13th, at Our Lady of Peace Hospital. While a portion of the cost of her treatment is being covered by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, WSFP is looking to you to help raise $1,058 to fund the remaining cost. After treatment, Jennifer will hopefully return to a cancer-free life. "This free surgery, which is made possible by your kind hearts, is a great help for me and my family. We are very grateful to all of you because we really have nothing to rely on for these types of expenses," said Jennifer.

Oliver is a married mother of four children, all of whom are married with children except the last one who is still in school. She is a farmer together with her husband. Her second child, a daughter, has been there for her support throughout her illness. Oliver likes chatting with her daughter and enjoys eating nsima made from cassava maize flour served with fresh fish. Oliver was well until one year ago when she noted a small lump on her right breast that was not painful. She visited her nearest hospital where some pain medication was provided. She visited many other hospitals after noting that the growth was becoming bigger as time passed. At one of the hospitals, a diagnosis of suspected breast cancer was made before proceeding to Kamuzu Central Hospital for further assessments. At Kamuzu Central Hospital (KCH), different tests were done, and a diagnosis of invasive ductal carcinoma was made followed by four cycles of neoadjuvant therapy. Oliver was later scheduled for surgery on January 15th this year but unfortunately, she did not report back since she did not have the funds. On January 29th, Oliver went back to KCH where she was referred to our medical partner's care center Partners in Hope Medical Center (PIH) so that she can undergo surgery more urgently. Of late, Oliver has been experiencing needle pricking pains, and weakness affecting her farm work plus household chores as a mother. On January 30th, Oliver reported to PIH and met the surgeon who confirmed the need for a modified radical mastectomy. Modified radical mastectomy is the removal of the entire breast, including the nipple, areola, and skin plus most axillary lymph nodes. Oliver believes the surgical operation will help her get back home in a good condition and enable her to resume her farm work. Oliver said, “Kindly remove this breast for me to have my peace of mind after getting rid of these bad symptoms that I experience, I would rather be able to move on in my age.”

Chelangat is the youngest of 6 children in her family and is currently in 1st grade. Her mother is a local roadside vendor selling vegetables and other seasonal groceries in her small village to meet her children’s basic needs. Her father is a young farmer growing maize and beans which are seasonal crops. Her siblings are all currently in primary school. Chelangat was brought into Kapsowar Hospital by her mother and her cousin with complaints of pain in her right elbow, and progressive swelling. Chelangat's mother reports that on January 31st, 2024, Chelangat fell at school, injuring her elbow. She was then taken to a nearby health center twice where she was given painkillers and both times was discharged back home, although the pain kept persisting. Her family decided to come to Kapsowar Hospital for further treatment. An X-ray was done which revealed that she had a displaced upper arm fracture and developed compartment syndrome, which causes pain and could cause nerve damage. She was then put in a skin traction and the arm was elevated to help decrease the swelling as she awaits surgery. Chelangat needs to undergo surgery on her elbow so that she can be able to go back to school and continue with her studies. The surgery costs $679 and our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting funds to support this surgery. Chelangat's mother says, “My daughter is in a lot of pain, please help her so that she gets better and joins her classmates to continue with her studies.”