Maria Jean is a loving mother of three from the Philippines. Maria Jean and her husband, Armando, have three children who are all studying. Armando works as a technician and earns around 216 USD a month. Maria Jean tutors other children to help with the family's expenses. She also takes care of all her children while suffering from a condition that physically limits her. Last year, Maria Jean began to experience troubling symptoms, including pain and itching, difficulty using the restroom, and blood in her stool. She was diagnosed with severe external hemorrhoids. She needs surgery to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. Fortunately, our medical partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines (WSFP), is helping Maria Jean receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a hemorrhoidectomy on November 25th at WSFP's care center. A portion of the cost of her treatment is being supported by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and WSFP is raising the remaining $1,285 to cover the cost of Maria Jean's procedure and care. Maria Jean shared: "This surgery will give me a second life. I will forever be grateful and indebted to the donors and people who will make this possible for me and my family."

Bunaidie is an 18-year-old student living with her parents and younger sister outside of Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Bunaidie would like to become a doctor or nurse one day and was a junior in high school last year, but is taking this year off of school because of her health. Bunaidie has a cardiac condition called rheumatic mitral regurgitation. One of her four heart valves was severely damaged by a fever she suffered earlier in childhood. As a result, her heart cannot adequately pump blood through her body, leaving her weak and short of breath. The surgery that Bunaidie needs is not available in her country, so Bunaidie will fly to Dominican Republic to receive treatment. On October 5th, she will undergo cardiac surgery, during which surgeons will remove the damaged heart valve and implant an artificial replacement. Another organization, Haitian Hearts, is contributing $12,000 to pay for surgery; however, Bunaidie's family also needs $1,500 to help to fund the costs of surgery prep and follow up, including labs expenses, medicines, and checkup and follow-up appointments. It also supports passport obtainment and the social worker from our medical partner, International Cardiac Alliance, who will accompany Bunaidie's family overseas. Bunaidie says, "I am hopeful that after my surgery my heart will be normal. I want to be able to focus on my school and be ready for the rest of my life."

Rajabu is a bright-eyed 4-year-old boy. He resides in the heart of Mpanda with his loving family in Tanzania. As the firstborn in his family, he harbors dreams of a promising future, yet his path has been obstructed by a devastating accident. Rajabu’s parents work tirelessly as farmers and have been diligently striving to provide for their family. However, life took an unexpected turn in 2020 when Rajabu was involved in a motorcycle accident that resulted in a severe leg injury. Rajabu’s leg was fractured, necessitating four weeks with a cast at Morogoro Regional Hospital. Regrettably, despite their utmost efforts, his leg did not heal as anticipated, and he developed a condition known as wind-swept deformity. This condition impedes his mobility and threatens to undermine his future prospects. Medical experts have strongly advised a second surgery to reset his leg and recast it to ensure the proper healing of his bones. Fortunately, Rajabu's family traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, The Plaster House NGO. There, the team will begin treatment on September 14. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $935 to fund Rajabu's surgery. After treatment, he will be able to gain mobility. Rajabu’s father says, “I wish to see him get treatment that will make his life easier.”

Sothany is a 23-year-old woman who lives with her mother and father in the Prey Veng province of Cambodia, where her parents are rice farmers. She has four brothers and four sisters. When Sothany was younger, her parents noticed that her spine was not straight; however, they could not afford proper healthcare for her. As she has grown up, she has had more noticeable changes, including uneven hips and shoulders, prominent ribs, and a shift of her waist and torso to the side. For the past few years, Sothany's disability has increasingly affected her breathing as her rib cage presses against the lungs, making it more difficult to breathe. Sothany is very self-conscious about her spinal deformity and limited mobility. As a result, she quit her job in a clothes factory and stays home with her mother. She makes homemade videos to sell lotions and creams on social media. Her parents first heard about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), in early 2020. However, they were unable to travel due to COVID pandemic travel restrictions. Today, Sothany's symptoms have greatly increased including muscle imbalance, pain, and difficulty breathing. Sothany and her parents traveled for two and a half hours to our medical partner to seek intervention for her disability. Sothany will undergo a posterior spinal fusion with implants at CSC's care center on August 1st. Sothany is contributing $100 to pay for her care, and CSC is requesting the remaining $1500 to fund the procedure. This will cover radiology, medications, surgery, and post-op physiotherapy care. Sothany said, "After surgery, I hope my spine will be straight. I want to walk with my friends and not have hard breathing, work to support myself, and not be ashamed of my back."

Rose is a 25-year-old woman from Haiti. She lives with her older sister and her family in a small community in southwest Haiti. When Rose was a teenager, one of her heart valves was severely damaged due to an infection. This caused a condition known as rheumatic mitral valve regurgitation, where Rose's heart cannot adequately pump blood through her body, leaving her weak and short of breath. She had to pause her college education due to her condition but hopes to restart school when she is healthy. On July 24th, Rose will undergo cardiac surgery in the United States. During the procedure, surgeons will remove Rose's damaged valve and implant an artificial replacement. Another organization, Baylor Scott and White Heart Hospital, is contributing $20,000 to pay for Rose's surgery. Rose's family also needs help to fund the costs of surgery prep and follow-up. The $1,500 bill covers labs, medicines, checkup, and followup appointments. It also supports passport obtainment and the social workers from our medical partner, International Cardiac Alliance, who will accompany Rose's family overseas. Rose shared with us: "I am so happy to be able to have this surgery so that I can start living more normally and thinking about my future!"

U Sein is a 61-year-old man who lives with his sister's family in Yangon, Burma. In his free time, he enjoys cleaning his car and fixing electrical devices. U Sein experiences heart palpitations, tiredness, and chest pain. Due to his tiredness, he cannot walk long distances and cannot work. He was diagnosed with rheumatic heart disease with severe aortic valve stenosis. The doctor wants to perform an aortic valve replacement. Our medical partner Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF) is requesting $1,500 to support the cost of U Sein's surgery scheduled for June 11th. U Sein shared, “When I learned that my surgery will be helped by BCMF and donors, I felt very happy. I would love to say thank you to all the donors."

Mohamed is a happy, outgoing, and playful 5-year-old from Kenya. He has one younger sibling. Mohamed's father works as a vegetable vendor, and his mother stays home to care for the family. When Mohamed was about three years old, his parents noticed a bend on his left foot which continued to increase over time. He has been undergoing physiotherapy but experiences pain and difficulty walking long distances. Mohamed was diagnosed with clubfoot of his left foot, a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. His family traveled to our medical partner's care center, where surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on May 15th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is requesting $1,286 to fund this procedure. Upon recovery, this surgery will allow Mohamed to be able to wear shoes and walk pain-free as he begins school soon. Mohamed's father said: "My Joy is to see my son undergo surgery and walk like other children. I will appreciate any kind of support."

Marissa, who is 48 years old, is a hardworking vegetable vendor from the Philippines. In 2022, Marissa began to experience troubling symptoms, including excruciating abdominal pain, which have made it difficult for her to continue with her daily activities. After several months of enduring the pain, Marissa finally consulted a doctor, who diagnosed her with chronic calculous cholecystitis- an inflamed gallbladder complicated by gallstones- which needs to be treated surgically. Unfortunately, even with financial help from her sons, Marissa could not afford the cost of the surgery. As a result, she deferred her treatment, hoping that her condition would improve over time. However, the pain has persisted, making it increasingly difficult for her to continue working and providing for her family. After seeking treatment through our medical partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines (WSFP), Marissa is scheduled to undergo a cholecystectomy on April 18th, at Our Lady of Peace Hospital. A portion of the cost of the procedure is being supported by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, but Marissa and her family still need help raising the remaining $1,128 to cover the cost of Marissa's surgery and care, which will prevent her condition from deteriorating. Marissa shared: "We are incredibly grateful to World Surgical Foundation Philippines and WATSI for the support they are providing. Without their help, I may have continued to suffer in silence."