Anthony is an 18-month-old toddler who lives with his parents and an older sibling in Uganda. Anthony's parents are small-scale farmers, primarily growing food crops for sustenance. Since he was born, Anthony has had inguinal hernia, a condition in which soft tissue bulges through a weak point in the abdominal muscles. According to his mother, the swelling had worsened in pain in the last six months, causing Anthony to experience more discomfort when he cried, which was also very worrisome for her. She had previously not sought treatment due to lack of funds. However, as the condition worsened, she decided to take him to hospital where upon review, surgery was recommended. If left untreated, the condition may lead to strangulation, cutting off blood flow to the tissue that is trapped, which could be life threatening. Despite their farming efforts, Anthony's family is unable to afford the medical bills required for their son's surgery. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Anthony receive treatment. On April 9th, surgeons at Karoli Lwanga Hospital in Nyakibale will perform a hernia repair surgery to relieve his symptoms and allow him to live more comfortably and confidently. Now, Anthony's family needs help to fund this $230 procedure. Anthony’s mother says, “I will be grateful when my son gets this surgery done and feels comfortable, so that I can resume farming work and support our livelihood.”

Touch devotes his life to Buddhism in Svay Rieng province and resides in a tranquil pagoda. Despite being a monk for several years, he has had to make frequent trips to Thailand to support his mother, who has been widowed since he was seven. With two older brothers married, Touch dedicates his days to religious studies, chanting, and maintaining the serenity of his pagoda. For the past decade, Touch has suffered from persistent nasal congestion and recurrent infections. Despite relying on medications from the local pharmacy and undergoing nasal surgery some years ago, his condition remains unimproved. This health challenge impedes his ability to live his day-to-day life, leaving him embarrassed when he cannot attend to the local community seeking solace at the temple. Fortunately, our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, can help. Ear, Nose, and Throat doctors have detected several polyps in his nose that are the cause of his illness and determined that he needs a bilateral polypectomy - a minimally invasive surgery for severe sinus conditions. Touch needs assistance with the $388 surgery cost, which includes endoscopic surgery, hospitalization, and medication. Touch said: "I hope I will get better from this illness and stop getting nose infections. I want to breathe through my nose, have my sense of smell, and be healthy again."

Mary is ten years old and hails from Kayole in Nairobi County. She is the 3rd and last born in her family. She is in the fifth grade and she likes playing netball. Her mother says that she is very social when she is not in pain. Her mother works doing casual jobs washing clothes for her neighbors while her father stays at their rural home doing small-scale farming. For about three years now, Mary has been having recurrent tonsillitis accompanied by swelling of the tonsils, pain, fever, and chest congestion. Her condition has affected her studies since she misses school whenever she is sick, visiting different hospitals in search of treatment. Her mother decided to come and try Nazareth Hospital, where after a close follow-up, the ENT surgeon advised her to have a Tonsillectomy to solve the problem. Unfortunately, her parents are not in a position to raise the funds for this treatment, and they need support. If not treated, Mary will continue to experience adverse symptoms and may have complications like peritonsillar abscess and difficulty breathing. With surgery now scheduled for February 23rd, they are hopeful she will soon feel better. “I have gone up and down to different health facilities and her condition reoccurs. I ask for help and hope the operation will be successful so that she can have peace of mind and continue with her education. I will appreciate it,” said Mary’s mother.