St Mary's Hospital Lacor

Miteng is a 25-year-old young man from South Sudan. To earn a living, he works as a shoemaker. When Miteng was seven years old, he was playing football with his friends when he fell and got injured. He was taken to a local hospital where his condition was not termed as serious, and was sent home. A few days later, his leg was still paining and he started experiencing stomach pain. However, due to the advice they had received from hospital, they did not go back, and his family tried to treat the pain through local herbs. A year later, his parents decided to take him to another hospital for review and assessment. He underwent X-rays and was advised to return for review. However, due to financial challenges, his family was unable to bring him back to hospital. Following the outbreak of the 2016 war in South Sudan, his family fled to a refugee settlement and while there, an organization called Lutheran World Federation supported his medical assessment in Kampala, where surgery was advised. Unfortunately, finances were not available for his treatment. Presently, the condition has affected Miteng's mobility, daily activities and even socialization due to the intense pain and discharge. Early this year, Miteng sought help from our medical partner, Hope Health Action (HHA), and was thereafter referred to St. Mary's Hospital Lacor for a review. Miteng was diagnosed with osteomyelitis, a serious bone infection. Surgeons have recommended an amputation to treat his condition. Our medical partner, HHA, is helping Miteng receive treatment. On May 18th, he will undergo an amputation, to prevent further tissue death. Now, Miteng's family needs help to fund this $1,500 procedure. Miteng says, "I would like to thank the donor and HHA for your support. I look forward to going back to my work so I can support myself financially."

Odong is a 35-year-old man from South Sudan. He is a father of five, and works as a driver to sustain himself and his family. In 2024, Odong was helping to build his mother's house when he fell and sustained a fracture on his leg. Since then, Odong has been experiencing pain, and not been able to work. He also has difficulty walking and moves around using crutches. He is worried that he's not able to support his family, who now rely on his wife for sustenance. Odong recently sought medical assistance from our partner, Hope Health Action (HHA). He was referred to St. Mary's Hospital Lacor where he was assessed, and the surgeon recommended fracture repair surgery. Our medical partner, HHA, is helping Odong receive treatment. On May 18th, he will undergo fracture repair surgery at our medical partner's care center. Now, Odong needs help to fund this $1,500 procedure. He says: "I thank HHA and the donors for supporting me. After I recover from surgery, I look forward to walking and working again so I can support my family."

Odungo is an 18-year-old young man from South Sudan. He is a student who lives with his mother and siblings. Last year, Odungo was playing football with his friends when he got injured in his ankle. He was rushed to a local health center where he was given painkillers and referred to a larger hospital. There, Odungo was diagnosed with an ankle fracture and was told it would need surgical treatment. Meanwhile, they fitted a plaster on him. Presently, Odungo is in a lot of pain and has limited mobility. His father died sometime back, and his mother is unable to afford surgery he needs. Recently, staff from UNHCR referred him to our medical partner, Hope Health Action (HHA), for assessment. Odungo was reviewed at HHA and later at St Mary's Hospital Lacor by an orthopedic surgeon, who confirmed that he would require fracture repair surgery. HHA is seeking to raise $1,500 for his treatment scheduled on May 18th, to improve his mobility and enable him to go back to his daily activities free from the painful symptoms. Odungo says, "I am grateful to the donor that is supporting my treatment. If it wasn't for this support, I would probably not walk again. I look forward to concentrating on my studies and helping my mother with farming."

Lokujo is a six-year-old pupil from South Sudan. Last year, he was with his mother on a motorcycle when they got into an accident. Lokujo sustained a fracture on his leg. He was taken to a local hospital where he received treatment over a period of two months, and was discharged. However, Lokujo is still in pain, and has difficulty walking, standing and playing with other children. He is also unable to go to school due to the painful symptoms. Further assessments showed that the leg did not heal properly, and requires another surgery. His mother is however unable to afford another procedure. She heard about a treatment support program run by our partner, Hope Health Action (HHA), and brought Lokuja for a review. Lokuja has been scheduled for fracture repair surgery at St Mary's Hospital Lacor. HHA is seeking to raise $1,130 for his treatment on May 18th, so he can walk, go back to school, and engage with his peers. Lokujo's mother says, "I am so grateful to HHA and the donor. When my child receives treatment, he will go back to school and study like other children."

Doruka is a 75-year-old woman from South Sudan. She practices small-scale farming for sustenance. Last year, Doruka was walking in her home when she fell down and sustained a fracture and dislocation of her hip. Since then, she's been experiencing mobility challenges, and is unable to continue with her farm work to sustain herself. Recently, Doruka was brought in for a medical review run by our medical partner, Hope Health Action. She was referred to St Mary's Hospital Lacor for a review by an orthopedic surgeon, who has recommended surgical repair to treat her condition. Our medical partner, Hope Health Action, is helping Doruka receive treatment. On May 18th, she will undergo fracture repair surgery, which will cost $1,500. Now, Doruka needs help to raise funds for the procedure. Doruka's son says, "We are grateful to HHA and the donor for providing support to my mother. We look forward to having her receive treatment so she can go back to being more independent, as she is currently bedridden."

Gonda is a 36-year-old man from South Sudan. He works as a motorcycle transport rider. In 2024, Gonda was involved in a collision with another motorcycle and sustained critical injuries to his head and hand. He was rushed to a nearby hospital for emergency treatment, and was then referred to a larger teaching hospital and underwent surgery, where implants were placed both in his head and hand. Having used up all his savings for treatment, and after being out of work for months, life became extremely challenging. In the recent months, the implants placed on his hand have been causing him pain, which is already impacting his daily living. He went to seek help at the hospital, but is unable to afford the cost of removing the implants. Our medical partner, Hope Health Action, is helping Gonda receive treatment. On May 18th, he will undergo surgical hardware removal and bone graft surgery, which will cost $1,500. Now, Gonda needs help to raise the funds for this procedure. He says: "I really thank the donor and HHA for bringing this program that has brought hope to the community. I hope to better take care of my family after surgery."

Dickson is a 52-year-old father of three originally from South Sudan. He now lives in Uganda with his wife and children. He relies on farming to feed and support his family, while also selling mixed goods to earn a small income. Dickson is a man who is passionate about business, and previously worked to build his small business to pay the school fees of his two daughters until the war of 2016 broke out in South Sudan. Not long after relocating to Uganda, Dickson suffered a life-changing accident: on his way to buy goods from the market, he fell from a motorcycle. He was immediately rushed to a clinic, assessed, and X-rayed to confirm the state of his bones. Following the accident, the injury to his knee made movement difficult for him, preventing him from continued farming, or doing business. Further medical evaluation confirmed Dickson had a dislocation and fracture of his right knee. He was taken to a hospital for operation, which reduced his pain but left his knee misaligned. Dickson could not afford to continue treatment at the time, so he has been living with his injury and it's impact on his livelihood for over a year. Recently, a community-based representative informed him about a surgical support program that could support his treatment. Gratefully, Dickson is now scheduled for surgery treatment on April 27th at our medical partner's care center, St. Mary's Hospital Lacor, to correct his knee alignment and improve his mobility. Our medical partner, Hope Health Action, is requesting $1500 to fund his treatment. Dickson says, "Thank you for the support. May God bless the organization and continue with the work being done. I am going to resume my business after surgery."

Yoweri is a 46-year-old man from South Sudan. He lives with his wife and family of three children, two of which have reached secondary level and all of which have received scholarships because of their good performance in school. Unfortunately, the scholarships for his children have now ended, leaving Yoweri and his wife to find new ways to pay the school fees. He is a small-scale farmer who entirely depends on crop production for home consumption. He also is passionate about saving his community as a rehabilitator from South Sudan. During the rainy season in 2024, Yoweri fell in his home and injured his right shoulder. A month after the accident, he was advised by a local health worker to take some medication to reduce his pain, but unfortunately the pain persisted with no improvement and affected his ability to continue working. He went back for X-rays and confirmed a dislocation of his right shoulder with a fracture. Although doctors recommended surgery, financial constraints prompted Yoweri to try physiotherapy to reduce the pain without operation, but it did little to address his injury and restore strength or mobility to his shoulder. Fortunately, surgeons with our medical partner, Hope Health Action, can help. On April 27th, Yoweri will undergo a fracture repair procedure, which will cost $1,137, restoring his ability to work and live pain-free. Yoweri says, "Great thanks for the support that has been given to people like me who could not help themselves due to financial limitations. May God bless the donors so much and increase more love for helping others. I hope to get well and resume my work of faming after the operation."

Alex is a 10-year-old boy from South Sudan, the third born child in a family of eight children. His family currently live in Uganda, where his parents work as farmers to provide for their family. When Alex was three months old, his mother noticed that his neck was oddly twisting to one side. Some family members suggested that Alex might be suffering from polio, and advised the mother to give him some local herbs and massage his neck. She however noticed that this was not helping. When Alex was one year old, his mother took him to a hospital for assessment. Alex underwent an X-ray which showed weak neck muscles, and needed an artificial support. The cost was too expensive for his family so he did not get the treatment. At eight years old, Alex's mobility was completely compromised, and his legs could not move at all. His brain was functioning well and he could speak well. He was taken in for a review by a rehabilitation team from our medical partner, Hope Health Action, who recommended that he be reviewed by a surgeon. Alex has been diagnosed with a clubfoot, a condition where feet are twisted out of shape, which has caused him difficulty in walking. The surgeon has recommended corrective surgery so he can gain mobility. Fortunately, Alex traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, St. Mary's Hospital Lacor. There, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on April 27th. Our medical partner, Hope Health Action, is requesting $1,072 to fund Alex's clubfoot repair. Alex says: "Once I start walking again, I look forward to starting school so that I can start studying."

Christine is an 11-year-old Primary 3 student from South Sudan, but currently living with her parents at a refugee settlement in Uganda. Christine was born with clubfoot, a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. This causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Before she was a year old, her parents took her to a hospital in South Sudan for a review, and after assessment, she was referred to a hospital in Uganda. The family traveled to Uganda where Christine received initial treatment, and the family went back home to South Sudan. Christine was due for a review when war broke out in South Sudan in 2016. Her family lost their livelihood, including cows that her father had hoped would be sold to facilitate her treatment. Life became extremely difficult, and her family had to flee to Uganda where they became refugees. Two years later, some Italian missionaries supported the family to take Christine to hospital for follow up treatment. A surgery was done, but unfortunately the missionaries left the country soon after, and it was difficult for Christine's family to follow up with treatment. The hospital was also far way, and getting transportation was difficult. About a year ago, the deputy head teacher at Christine's school noticed her mobility challenges and supported her assessment at a nearby hospital. There, she was given elbow crutches which have been supporting her movement to and from school. Recently, the rehabilitation team from our medical partner, Hope Health Action, were alerted about her case. Christine was brought in for assessment and the team recommended further assessment by a surgeon at St. Mary's Hospital, Lacor. At the hospital, Christine's clubfoot diagnosis was confirmed and another surgery has been recommended on April 27th, to treat her condition, and help her walk better. Our medical partner, Hope Health Action, is requesting $1,072 to fund Christine's clubfoot repair. Christine says: "I will concentrate better in my studies after treatment, as I will not have difficulty in movement."

Poni is an eight-year-old girl, and the sixth born child in a family of seven children. The family is originally from South Sudan but currently live in Uganda where they fled due to the war. Poni was born with clubfoot of both feet, a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. This causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. After multiple attempts at casting at a nearby hospital, Poni's father stopped bringing her back to the clinic, because the casts seemed to cause wounds on Poni's legs. Poni was recently assessed by our medical partner's rehabilitation team, and her father was advised to take her in for a review by an orthopaedic surgeon. Following the evaluation, surgery was recommended to correct her condition. Fortunately, Poni traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, St. Mary's Hospital Lacor. There, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on April 29th. Our medical partner, Hope Health Action, is requesting $1,072 to fund Poni's clubfoot repair. After treatment, Poni will be able to walk with a more natural gait, reducing her limping and improving her balance. Poni's father said: "I give thanks to the donors that are providing support for my daughter. Without this support, I would not have managed the treatment costs." Poni said: "When my legs get better, I look forward to studying until university level."

Poni is a 13-year-old orphan, who lives with her aunt, and six other children, in a refugee camp in Uganda. They were all forced to leave South Sudan because of the war there. Five years ago, Poni developed a sudden headache, that caused paralysis of her lower limbs. At a clinic, she was diagnosed with malaria, and given medications. The medications didn't help, but Poni's aunt never brought her back to the clinic. For six years, Poni was unable to walk. However, when she turned seven, she started walking, only for the family to discover that she was severely knock kneed. She has trouble walking the long distance to her school, and often misses classes. Poni also struggles with a persistent cough. Poni's aunt took the initiative to bring her to hospital and after a physiotherapy assessment, they were advised to have Poni evaluated by a surgeon. Poni has been diagnosed with genu valgum - or knock knees - a condition where knees angle inward and touch each other, while her ankles remain apart. Several factors could cause this condition, such as growth disorders, vitamin deficiencies, or excessive fluoride found in contaminated drinking water. This condition may cause long-term joint damage if left untreated. While mild cases in children often resolve naturally, persistent or severe knock knees in adolescents and adults may lead to pain, arthritis, and psychological effects. Our medical partner, Hope Health Action, is requesting $1,072 to fund treatment for Poni. The procedure is scheduled to take place on April 29th at St. Mary's Hospital Lacor. Treatment will hopefully restore Poni's mobility, enabling her to participate in a variety of activities, and greatly decreasing her risk of future complications. Poni's aunt says: "I give thanks to the donors for supporting my niece's treatment. Without you, we would not have managed medical bills for Poni's care." Poni says: "I am happy that after the operation, I will not miss school, because I will not have difficulties in walking."