Serah is a 45-year-old single mother from Kenya, living with her three children, her mother, and her brother. For years, she worked tirelessly as a house aid to provide for her family, but when illness struck, she had to give up her job. Now, they depend on her mother, who struggles to make ends meet as a small-scale farmer. Financial stability has become a distant dream, forcing them to sell their few livestock just to cover Serah's medical scans. For the past nine months, Serah has been suffering from painful swelling in her abdomen. After undergoing medical scans at a government hospital, she was diagnosed with an umbilical hernia. Her surgery, which she urgently needs, has been delayed, and her condition has worsened. She is now experiencing troubling symptoms, including bleeding from her umbilical area, which requires immediate medical attention. Serah's family brought her to our medical partner's care center, Nazareth Hospital, where doctors advised an emergency hernia repair. Unfortunately, the financial burden of the surgery is beyond their means. If left untreated, Serah’s condition could lead to serious complications, putting her life at risk. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Serah receive treatment. On 5th November, she will undergo hernia repair surgery, enabling her to reclaim her health. Now, Serah needs help to fund this $517 procedure. Serah says: “I am in urgent need of support, and I fear for my life and my children who rely on me for their growth and needs. I kindly seek help so that I can receive the treatment I need and get my life back on track.”

Eithan is a five-year-old boy from Bolivia. He lives in the western part of Bolivia in a subtropical area with his mother and younger brother. His mother is an agricultural worker. Ethan enjoys playing with his younger brother. Eithan has Shone's syndrome, a condition that includes having a mitral valve that is too narrow as well as a narrowing of the aorta. These cause blood to back up in his heart and lead to heart failure. On November 20th, Eithan will undergo cardiac surgery at our medical partner's care center, Hospital del Niño Dr. Ovidio Aliaga Uría. During surgery, Surgeons will correct these conditions by opening the passages to the right size. Eithan's family needs help to fund the costs of cardiac care and surgery. Our medical partner, International Cardiac Alliance, is requesting $1,500 to cover the cost of cardiac exams and diagnostics, surgical costs, follow-up care, and medications. Eithan's mother said, "I cannot sleep thinking about my son's condition. That is the only thing that I could think of and now he will have his surgery. I am so grateful!"

Phea is 19 years old and lives with her parents and older sister in Phnom Penh. She and her family sell vegetables at their local market. After finishing high school, Phea decided to help continue this business and hopes to continue her studies at university soon. In her free time, Phea enjoys playing games and staying in touch with her friends. About a month ago, Phea started experiencing pain around her nose and headaches. Her sense of smell decreased by 50%. She also experiences a frequent runny nose, sneezing, and occasional mucus dripping down the back of her throat. Phea visited a hospital and started taking medication, but her condition did not improve. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is helping Phea receive further treatment. On November 25th, she will undergo sinus surgery, where the blocked sinuses will be cleared and her deviated septum will be corrected. Phea's family can contribute $75 but needs your support to raise the remaining $313 to fund Phea's medical costs. This surgery will help relieve Phea's discomfort, improving her ability to smell and her quality of life dramatically. Phea shared, “I hope this surgery helps me breathe better, reduce the pain, and improves my sense of smell.”

Theara is a four-year-old girl from Cambodia. She lives with her parents and older brother. Her parents are rice farmers. Theara is currently in kindergarten, where her favorite subject is art as she loves to draw with colored pencils. Her mother shared that Theara enjoys eating rice with fried or grilled fish and enjoys spending her free time playing games with her brother. When Theara was 14 months old, she accidentally crawled into a fire, resulting in burns to her left hand and fingers. She received treatment at a provincial hospital, but the burns caused contracture scars and restricted her finger movement, making it challenging for her to fully flex them. She has difficulty holding objects and cannot grasp things with her left hand. When Theara's parents learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, they traveled for four hours so Theara could seek treatment. On November 26th, surgeons at CSC will perform a burn contracture release surgery to help her use her hand more easily and improve her overall hand function. Theara's family is able to contribute Now, she needs help to fund this $495 procedure. Theara's mother said: "I hope the operation will improve her fingers and remove the scars so she can use her hand."

The past nine months have been filled with worry and uncertainty for Vinet, a 23-year-old young man whose life was turned upside down by sudden tremors, convulsions, and fainting spells. Since his first collapse in March 2024, he has visited multiple hospitals and taken medication to manage his condition, yet he continues to struggle with these debilitating episodes. In May 2024, Vinet came to our medical partner's care center, AIC Kijabe Hospital, where he received the shocking news that a tumor had formed near his brain. The doctors recommended a craniotomy—an urgent surgery that could save his life. However, Vinet's lack of insurance coverage has made it impossible for him to proceed with the treatment. Raised by a single father after the loss of his mother, Vinet is an only child who has always been a source of strength for his family. His father works at a flower farm in Naivasha to keep food on the table. Despite completing high school, Vinet has been unable to pursue further education due to financial limitations. To support his family, he took on construction work, which has become increasingly difficult as his health issues worsen. Since his diagnosis, Vinet and his father have been desperately trying to raise funds for his surgery, but their efforts have not yielded fruit. Vinet collapses up to four times a week, making it hard for him to work or even socialize, as he never knows when the next episode will strike. Yet, amidst these challenges, Vinet remains hopeful. He dreams of studying electrical engineering and is determined to seek help from kind-hearted individuals once he regains his health. To make this dream a reality, Vinet urgently needs your support to undergo this life-saving surgery. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Vinet receive treatment. On November 28th, he will undergo a craniotomy at AIC Kijabe Hospital. The treatment will help him reclaim his health, live a normal life, and work towards achieving his aspirations. Now, Vinet's family need help to fund this $1,500 procedure. Vinet says, "I once collapsed while I was with friends, and ever since that day, I've felt like people tend to avoid being around me because they're afraid I might collapse at any moment. Yet, I believe that with the right treatment, I will regain my health."

Joseph is a 12-year-old boy from Tanzania. He is the firstborn in a family of three children. Joseph lives with his grandparents and his twin sibling as his parents live far away due to work commitments. His mother works as a cleaner at a factory, while his father is a farmer. His grandparents rely on financial assistance from Joseph's parents to support their grandchildren. Joseph was born with cerebral palsy, which has affected his overall health and physical development. Despite these challenges, Joseph has been attending physiotherapy for the past five years and has significantly improved. He is now capable of walking independently and performing most of his daily activities. Joseph has clubfoot on his right foot. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. The tissues connecting the muscle to the bones are shorter than usual and this causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Fortunately, Joseph's family traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, Kafika House. Surgeons will begin clubfoot treatment on November 29th and our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,119 to fund Joseph's clubfoot repair. After treatment, he will be able to walk easily and wear shoes. Joseph's grandfather says: "I hope he will get treatment because this will be a big help toward his general development."

31-year-old Phionah is a mother of two from Uganda. Her two brothers and one sister all have families of their own, and are small-scale farmers. Phionah's parents died when she was young, so she was only able to complete primary school. While she had hoped to become a lawyer, she was unable to fulfill her dream, becoming a farmer instead, once she married her husband. Phionah is currently expecting her third child. Having already lost two children, her doctors recommend that she deliver via a Caesarean section, because of a higher-risk pregnancy. This way, doctors can ensure the safety of both mother and child. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is helping Phionah undergo a C-section on December 4th, at Karoli Lwanga Hospital, Nyakibale. This procedure will cost $252, and Phionah needs your support. Phionah shared: “It has never been easy for me getting out of the hospital whenever I am to deliver by surgery. I hope that with your support now, I can deliver well, and continue farming to sustain my family.”

Pili is a 12-year-old girl and the second of four siblings in her family. She attends school daily and loves playing with her friends, even though walking to school often causes her pain. Her father, a farmer in Sapa village, Meatu, works hard to provide for the family. Pili was born with clubfoot on her right foot. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. The tissues connecting the muscle to the bones are shorter than they should be and this causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Fortunately, Pili's family traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, Kafika House. Surgeons will begin clubfoot treatment on December 13th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,119 to fund Pili's clubfoot treatment. Afterward, she will be able to walk easily and not experience pain. Pili says, "Thank you for making treatment possible, I want to be able to help my mother when I go back home."

Ratanak is a six-year-old student from Cambodia. He is the youngest of three siblings, with an older sister in grade 10 and another sister in grade 9. He lives with his parents, who are cashew farmers, and his 69-year-old grandmother. Ratanak is currently in kindergarten and enjoys studying Math. He loves eating noodle soup and spending time playing with his friends and neighbors. For the past three years, Ratanak has been experiencing difficulty breathing, snoring at night, swallowing issues, recurrent fevers, and pharyngitis. Frequent illness causes him to miss school. Ratanak 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 helping Ratanak undergo surgery on February 12th. Surgeons will remove his tonsils and adenoids, hopefully relieving Ratanak of his symptoms and helping him live much more comfortably. His family can contribute $100 but they need your help to raise $165 more to fund his procedure and care. Ratanak's mother shared, "I hope to see him grow up healthy, able to eat and breathe easily at night without discomfort and waking up frequently."