Aye is a 25-year-old woman from Thailand. She lives with her parents, grandfather, aunt, brother, sister and daughter. She and her sister are homemakers, while her father is a day labourer. Her brother works in a garment factory, and her mother and aunt are unemployed. Since Aye was 12 years old, she has experienced difficulty passing urine on and off. In October, this worsened and she now has blood in her urine and severe pain in her lower back. Doctors want Aye to undergo a CT scan, a procedure in which x-ray images taken from several angles are combined to produce cross-sectional images of the body. This scan will hopefully help doctors diagnose her condition and formulate an appropriate treatment plan. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $414 to cover the cost of Aye's CT scan and care, scheduled for December 20th. Aye said, "I have been experiencing these symptoms for so many years but because of financial problems, I have never receive proper treatment."

Yean is a retired rice farmer who lives in Kampong Cham province with his wife and their oldest son, who supports the family by working in a nearby rubber plantation. In total, they have three grown children and seven grandchildren who visit often. Yean likes praying at the pagoda, spending time with his grandchildren, and listening to the local news on the radio. About one year ago, Yean developed a cataract in his right eye, causing him photophobia, tearing, and blurry vision. When Yean learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, he traveled for four and a half hours seeking treatment. On February 14th, doctors will perform a small incision cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in his right eye. After recovery, he will be able to see clearly. Now, he needs help to fund this $253 procedure. He shared, "I hope after surgery my eye can see better and I feel happy again. I want to go places on my own and know my neighbors when I see them."

Zanila is a four-year-old girl from Dedza District in Malawi. She is an only child in her family, and is currently enrolled in primary school. Zanila’s parents are small-scale farmers, growing maize for consumption and groundnuts for commercial purposes. Recently, Zanila had climbed a guava tree to collect some fruits when she fell, sustaining an elbow fracture. She was rushed to a nearby health center where a supracondylar fracture diagnosis was confirmed, and her family was referred to our medical partner's care center, Nkhoma Hospital for treatment. Zanila is presently in pain and unable to attend school or play with her friends. Her family is however not able to afford the surgery cost. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Zanila receive treatment. On April 9th, surgeons at Nkhoma Hospital will perform an open reduction and internal fixation surgical procedure to repair the fracture and restore functionality. Now, Zanila's family needs help to fund this $525 procedure. Zanila’s mother says, “I am looking forward to my daughter’s treatment and recovery.”