Brian is a teenager from Kenya. He is the third born in a family of seven children. He stopped going to school last year in March after he fell ill and currently stays at home mostly in pain. His mother is a subsistence farmer and his father works on construction sites to provide for the family. The family does not have a medical insurance coverage and cannot raise the required amount of money to pay for Brian's treatment. Brian has a painful swelling in a sensitive area which impacts his movement and his ability to engage in any physical activities. He has been to different hospitals without any improvement. Earlier this year, Brian was brought to BethanyKids Kijabe Hospital where he underwent tests and has been scheduled for an urgent surgery. Brian was diagnosed with cryptorchidism, a condition in which one or both of the testicles remains undescended. If left untreated, Brian has an increased risk of developing hernias, testicular cancer, and future fertility problems. Brian will be receiving assistance from our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH) and is scheduled to undergo corrective surgery on February 22nd. AMH is requesting $646 to cover the total cost of his procedure and care. Brian says, “I want the pain to go away so that I can go back to school.”

Mpapa is a 61-year-old man from a village in Malawi. He has four married children and lives with his wife and grandchildren. When he was young, Mpapa needed to stop attending primary school making it hard for him to secure a job. He depends on farming where he grows maize and groundnuts for his family and for commercial purposes to support their day-to-day costs. Mpapa was diagnosed with an enlarged prostate and scheduled for surgery with our medical partner at Nkhoma Hospital. However, he cannot afford the entire cost of the surgery. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $530 to fund the balance payment for his surgery. Mpapa says, “I hope to receive treatment and resume life without this condition.”

Mostafa is a 25-year-old restaurant promoter. He lives in Phnom Penh with his mother and three siblings. His mother runs a street cart selling drinks, and his siblings help support the family in other jobs. When he's not working, Mostafa enjoys playing soccer, and spending time with his brothers. In mid-December, Mostafa was in a motorbike accident, and dislocated his left elbow. Right after the accident, he sought treatment at a nearby clinic, but his arm has not yet healed. He is in chronic pain, and has limited function in his left arm due to stiffness. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, can help. On January 15th, Mostafa will undergo a fracture repair procedure at Kien Khleang National Rehabilitation Centre, which will cost $483. This surgery will enable Mostafa to regain the full use of his arm. Mostafa shared: "I hope I can use my arm like before the accident, so I can work and drive my motorbike more easily."