Karoli Lwanga Hospital, Nyakibale

Pellan is a 35-year-old housewife from Uganda. Growing up, Pellan aspired to become an accountant, inspired by the professionalism and smart appearance of bank employees. Unfortunately, despite completing her education, she was unable to secure employment in her chosen profession. Her husband works as a boda boda motorcycle taxi rider. Pellan is pregnant, and doctors recommend she deliver via a caesarean section due to a high-risk pregnancy. This way, doctors can ensure the safety of both mother and child. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Pellan undergo a C-Section on October 31st. This procedure will cost $252, and Pellan needs your support. Pellan says, “When I learned about the support you could provide, I was relieved. Thank you for your help."

Julian is a 36-year-old woman from Uganda. She engages in small-scale farming, mainly growing food crops such as beans, maize, and potatoes for household consumption. She occasionally sells the surplus produce to generate additional income to support the family. Her husband engages in poultry farming. Julian is pregnant, and doctors recommend that she deliver via a caesarean section because of a high-risk pregnancy. This way, doctors can ensure the safety of both mother and child. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Julian undergo a C-Section on October 31st. This procedure will cost $252, and Julian needs your support. Julian says, “I don’t see anywhere to get the money needed for my surgery. I kindly appeal to you for support.”

Christine is a 44-year-old mother from Uganda. She has two children, both of whom are enrolled in school. Early on in her marriage, her husband passed away. As a widow, Christine relies on subsistence farming to provide food and financial support for her family. To earn extra income, she occasionally works as a casual laborer on other farms. These additional earnings help her afford essential household necessities such as soap, salt, and other daily requirements. Christine finds joy in seeing her children pursue their education, hoping it will open doors to future professional opportunities. Five years ago, Christine began to experience troubling symptoms, notably a swelling at the front of her neck. Although initially painless, the swelling began to cause her discomfort. Over time, Christine began to experience difficulty with swallowing and breathing, shortness of breath, and palpitations after engaging in laborious tasks. Her condition limited her ability to work on her farm and carry out daily responsibilities, significantly affecting her quality of life. Due to financial constraints, Christine initially resorted to local herbs and traditional remedies to manage her condition. However, the interventions provided no relief, and she underwent screening at Nyakibale Hospital. There, Christine was diagnosed with a multinodular goiter, an abnormal swelling of the thyroid gland. The thyroid gland is located in front of your neck and produces hormones that are responsible for functions such as metabolism, growth, and other bodily functions. Christine requires surgery to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Christine receive treatment. On November 1st, Christine will undergo a thyroidectomy, where surgeons may remove all or a portion of her thyroid gland. This procedure will cost $252, and she and her family need help raising money. Christine says, “Having my surgery with your support will be a blessing. Once I am back on my feet, I am sure I will be able to keep up with farming and will continue working at my best to keep my children in school. I can’t do this on my own and kindly appeal to you for support.”

Robert is a 23-year-old casual labourer from Uganda. Due to financial challenges during his childhood, he was not able to finish school and therefore has limited employment opportunities. His parents are small-scale farmers and do not have the means to help him with his medical needs. About two months ago, Robert began to experience sharp abdominal pain that was so severe that he was rushed to a nearby clinic. He was referred to a larger hospital, where doctors discovered a large abdominal mass. Though doctors recommended surgery, Robert was unable to afford it and was given pain medication. As time has gone on, his condition has continued to deteriorate, and he is no longer able to work, which has forced him to move back in with his parents. Fortunately, one of his uncles decided to travel with Robert to our partner’s medical care centre, Karoli Lwanga Hospital. Physicians recommend a laparotomy, which is a surgery that opens up the abdominal cavity to treat his condition. Robert’s surgery will take place on November 2nd. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $242 to fund the surgery. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully greatly improve his quality of life. Robert shared, “All I request is your support. With it, I will be operated on and will get back on my feet. I have suffered enough pain, and all I ask of you is to save me.”

Apofia is a 63-year-old farmer from Uganda. She has six children - three sons and three daughters. She and her husband have a small banana and coffee farm. The couple lives together and enjoys a peaceful and harmonious life, supporting each other in their daily activities. About a year ago, Apofia began to experience troubling symptoms, including a swelling at the front of her neck. The condition has progressively worsened and causes persistent headaches and difficulty sleeping due to episodes of shortness of breath. Apofia was diagnosed with a right thyroid goiter, which is an abnormal enlargement of the thyroid gland. The thyroid is the gland located in front of your neck and produces thyroid hormones. These hormones are responsible for functions such as metabolism, growth, and other bodily functions. She needs surgery to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Apofia receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on November 2nd at our medical partner's care center, Karoli Lwanga Hospital. Surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. This procedure will cost $252, and she and her family need help raising money. Apofia says, “There are nights I go without sleeping at all because of the discomfort it brings me. I need surgery for a complete recovery; however, with my income, I can’t raise the money needed and kindly appeal for your support.”

Scovia is 58 years old and a mother of nine from Uganda. When she was 10, she lost both of her parents within a short period, leaving her and her siblings to be raised by their grandmother. She and her husband depend on farming as the family’s main source of livelihood. They primarily grow food crops such as beans, maize, and potatoes for household consumption and sell any surplus produce to generate income for her family’s needs. Twenty years ago, Scovia began to experience troubling symptoms, including a swelling at the front of her neck. Because the swelling grew slowly and was not painful, she did not initially seek medical attention. However, about a month ago, she began experiencing shortness of breath, difficulty swallowing, and increasing breathing difficulties. Concerned about her worsening condition, she sought medical care at a nearby hospital where she was diagnosed with a goiter, an abnormal enlargement of the thyroid gland. The thyroid is the gland located in front of your neck and produces thyroid hormones. These hormones are responsible for functions such as metabolism, growth, and other bodily functions. She needs surgery to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Scovia receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on November 2nd. Surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. This procedure will cost $252, and she and her family need help raising money. Scovia says, “This has never been painful, but recently, I couldn’t breathe. Am always catching my breath and can’t do anything about it because of limited finances. I kindly appeal to you for support to have my surgery so I can continue farming and keep my children in school.”

Sylivia is 45 years old and a farmer from Uganda. She now lives with her husband, who is also a farmer, and her two step-granddaughters. The family depends primarily on farming for their livelihood, and she shares that one of her greatest joys is harvesting a successful crop after months of hard work. For two years, Sylivia has been experiencing persistent lower abdominal pain, which was later accompanied by uncomfortable gynaecological symptoms. The symptoms became so severe that she required two blood transfusions this year. In addition, she suffers from severe back pain and a sharp, stabbing pain that starts in her pelvic region and radiates to her back. Oral medication has not offered much relief. Sylivia was diagnosed with multiple large intramural and subserosal uterine fibroids. She needs to undergo a hysterectomy, a procedure in which surgeons will remove her uterus. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $219 to fund Sylivia's surgery. On November 5th, she will undergo gynecological surgery, which will allow her to resume her daily activities free of pain. Sylvia says, “With surgery, I hope to get better and will be able to live a free and healthy life with no pain as I continue farming to keep up with my family.”

Soviina is a 56-year-old woman from Uganda. Together with her husband, she engages in small-scale farming as their primary source of income. They have five children - two daughters and three sons. Despite facing significant financial hardships, she worked hard to educate her children. Her eldest son works as a private primary school teacher, another operates a small retail shop, while the rest are still pursuing their studies. For 15 years, Soviina has been experiencing persistent abdominal pain, which would be temporarily relieved by oral medication. This was also accompanied by back pain and other uncomfortable gynaecological symptoms. She has been diagnosed with uterine fibroids, and surgery has been recommended. She needs to undergo a hysterectomy, a procedure in which surgeons will remove her uterus. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $219 to fund Soviina's surgery. On November 5th, she will undergo gynecological surgery, and once recovered, Soviina will be able to resume her daily activities free of pain. Soviina says, “For all the years I’ve been with this condition, I’ve never suffered the way I am suffering; the pain I'm going through is severe. The doctor says the only option I have is surgery, but I can’t raise the money they need. I kindly appeal to you for support.”

Peninah is a 59-year-old woman from Uganda. She and her husband are farmers, cultivating Irish potatoes, beans, and millet to support their family of six children. Two of her sons are now employed, one as a teacher and the other as a shop attendant. Her daughters are all still in school, pursuing their education. 15 years ago, Peninah began to experience uncomfortable symptoms, including swelling on the front of her neck. Although it was initially painless, her condition worsened significantly about four months ago. She began experiencing a dry mouth, persistent headaches, neck pain, and shortness of breath, especially when lying down to rest. She also found it increasingly difficult to breathe after walking long distances. This prompted her to seek medical care. Peninah was referred to our medical partner's care center, Karoli Lwanga Hospital, where she was diagnosed with non-toxic multinodular goiter, which is an abnormal swelling of the thyroid gland. The thyroid gland is located in front of the neck and produces thyroid hormones, which are responsible for functions such as metabolism, growth, and other bodily functions. To prevent her symptoms from worsening, she will need a thyroidectomy - a surgery to remove part or all of her thyroid gland. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Peninah receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on November 9th, and this procedure will cost $252. Peninah and her family need your help raising the funds for her surgery and care. Peninah says, “I’ve travelled from so far, hoping for help. I can’t afford the money they need for my surgery, yet every day that passes, I drown deep and deep in pain. I kindly appeal to you for support for the success of my surgery.”

Patience is a 31-year-old farmer from Uganda. Growing up, Patience aspired to pursue a career in the banking industry. She successfully earned a Diploma in Business Administration, but has been unable to secure long-term employment. Patience is a stay-at-home mother who cares for and enjoys spending time with her two school-aged children. Additionally, she supports her family through farming activities. Her husband earns a living through casual labor, including offloading trucks or cultivating other people's fields. Patience is pregnant, and her doctors recommend that she deliver via C-section due to a high-risk pregnancy. This way, they can ensure the safety of both her and her newborn. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Patience undergo a C-Section on November 9th. This procedure will cost $252, and Patience needs your support. Patience says, “I don’t see anywhere to get the money needed for my surgery, but I have a lot of hope that, with your support, my surgery will be successful. I will recover well and will continue looking for jobs to support my family.”

Susan, who is 25 years old, is a mother of two, living in Uganda. Being trustworthy, outgoing, and friendly, she spent her school vacations working at a local salon. Her dedication and willingness to learn impressed the salon owner, who took a personal interest in mentoring her in hairdressing. She quickly mastered the skill, and what began as a cleaning job eventually led to her being employed as a hairdresser. Unfortunately, during her second pregnancy, Susan's health declined, making it difficult for her to perform effectively at work, and she was forced to take a break. By the time she had delivered her baby and recovered, her position had already been filled, leaving her with no option but to stay at home and care for her family. Her husband works as a boda boda motorcycle taxi driver, but the family's financial situation remains strained because he acquired the motorcycle through a loan, and much of his income goes toward loan repayments. Two years ago, Susan began to experience troubling symptoms, including an increase in the size of her neck. At first she was not concerned, but recently she started experiencing significant changes in her health and daily life. She developed shortness of breath whenever she lay down to rest; difficulty breathing after walking long distances; an irritating cough-like sensation; and persistent dryness of the mouth. Susan was referred to our medical partner's care center, Karoli Lwanga Hospital, where she was diagnosed with a multinodular goiter, which is an abnormal enlargement of the thyroid gland. The thyroid is the gland located in the front of your neck, which produces hormones that are responsible for your metabolism, growth, and other bodily functions. Susan needs surgery to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Susan receive treatment. On November 9th, she is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy, where surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. This procedure will cost $252, and Susan and her family need your help raising the money. Susan said: “This condition has really ruined my life; first it was my job, now I am worried that it’s a cancer meant to take my life. I kindly appeal to you for support to have my surgery; that way, maybe one day I will be able to resume work.”

Evas is a 42-year-old woman from Uganda. She worked hard in school and successfully earned a Diploma in Primary Education. However, after securing a teaching position at a private school, she faced numerous challenges, including very low pay and frequent delays in salary payments, sometimes going for months without receiving her wages. These difficult working conditions discouraged her from teaching. Determined to support herself and her family, she started a small roadside business selling chips. Through this business, she earns a modest income that helps meet her family's basic needs. Her husband supplements the household income through casual labour, including offloading heavy trucks and cultivating other people's farms. Evas is pregnant, and her doctors recommend that she deliver via a caesarean section because of a high-risk pregnancy. This way, doctors can ensure the safety of both mother and child. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Evas undergo a C-Section on November 11th. This procedure will cost $252, and Evas needs your support. Evas says, “With my husband, even though we are a hardworking couple, we can’t raise the money needed for my surgery. I kindly appeal to you for support for the success of my surgery.”