Aira is a young mother from the the Philippines who supports her family by selling street food. Their family's limited and irregular income must cover household expenses, the needs of her young child, and support for Aira's younger siblings. Despite her health condition, Aira enjoys cooking and spends most of her time caring for her child. Eight months ago, Aira began to experience troubling symptoms, including frequent pain in her abdomen that induces vomiting and overall weakness. Aira was diagnosed with gallstones and has been advised to undergo a cholecystectomy, the surgical removal of the gallbladder. If left untreated, her symptoms will continue to worsen and put her at risk for further health complications in the future. After seeking treatment through our medical partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines (WSFP), Aira is scheduled to undergo a cholecystectomy on August 28th. A portion of the procedure's cost is being covered by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and the remaining cost of the surgery and care is $1,031. Aira shares "I am very grateful for this opportunity because I never thought surgery would be possible for me. I look forward to recovering so I can care for my child and continue supporting my family."

Gregory is a 44-year-old husband and devoted father of five children from Malawi. As the family's sole breadwinner, he carries the immense responsibility of supporting his wife and children. His eldest child is currently a second-year university student, while his other children are in Form 4, Form 3, and Form 1, all relying on him for school fees, food, and daily necessities. The youngest is still an infant and depends entirely on his care and support. Gregory earns a living as a small-scale farmer, growing maize, Irish potatoes, vegetables, and rearing a few chickens. For many years, farming has been the foundation of his family's survival. Through hard work and determination, he has managed to provide food for his household and keep his children in school despite the many challenges of rural life. His health problems began when he noticed a small swelling in the upper part of his abdomen after carrying heavy metal objects. Initially, the swelling caused little concern, and he responded by avoiding heavy lifting. However, over time, the swelling became progressively larger and more painful, especially when performing strenuous farm work. Seeking medical attention, Gregory visited several healthcare facilities where he was diagnosed with an epigastric hernia, which is a bulge occurring in the upper abdomen, caused by tissue pushing through weak abdominal muscles. Although surgery was recommended, repeated delays and busy surgical schedules at the public hospital meant that he never received the operation he needed. As the years passed, the hernia continued to worsen, causing increasing pain and limiting his ability to work. While still waiting for treatment, Gregory developed another problem two years ago. A soft swelling appeared on his back and rapidly increased in size. Doctors later identified it as a lipoma, a slow-growing fatty tumor located between the skin and muscle layer. Unfortunately, the mass has continued to grow and has now become so large that it interferes with the movement of his arm, making farming activities increasingly difficult and painful. Today, Gregory lives with constant discomfort from both conditions. The painful abdominal hernia affects him whenever he bends, lifts, coughs, strains, or works in the fields. At the same time, the large lipoma limits his mobility and makes routine farming tasks exhausting. Determined to find help, Gregory came to PIH after hearing that patients could receive timely surgical treatment. He hoped that surgery would finally free him from years of pain and allow him to resume caring for his family without limitation. Gregory was evaluated by the surgical team at PIH who confirmed that he required two surgical procedures, which could be done in the same operation: an Epigastric Hernia Repair and a Major Mass Excision (Removal of the Large Lipoma). If left untreated, the hernia could place him at risk of complications such as incarceration or strangulation. The large lipoma would also impact his daily activities. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Gregory receive treatment. On August 19th, he will undergo the two procedures to relieve years of pain, restore his ability to earn a living, and give him the chance to continue supporting his family. Gregory is contributing to his care, but needs help to raise an additional $575 for his treatment. He says: "Your support will be highly appreciated, to restore my health and help me focus on my farm work."

Hillary is a 28-year-old man from Kenya, full of determination and hope despite the many challenges he has faced. He completed school until the fourth grade, and he dreams of continuing his education and building a better future for himself and his family. He currently works as a farmer, growing maize, beans, and seasonal potatoes on a modest plot of land. Though hardworking, his income is minimal. He lives with his parents and contributes what he can to help support his siblings’ education. Tragedy struck on February 21st, when Hillary was involved in a road traffic accident. He was riding a motorcycle that lost control and collided with another motorcycle. He was taken to the hospital and was found to have multiple serious injuries, including a deep laceration to his forehead, wounds to his knee and thigh, and significant trauma to his left leg. Imaging revealed a fractured jaw and a distal femur fracture. Due to the severity of his injuries, Hillary was urgently taken to the operating room, where he underwent irrigation and debridement of the wounds and was placed in a long-leg posterior splint for support. He later underwent a second procedure to stabilize his femur with an external fixator. His jaw was also surgically repaired using arch bars and open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF), restoring the structure of his face. During recovery, Hillary has remained resilient. He has followed strict precautions, including non-weight-bearing movement and a liquid diet. He is now able to move with crutches, though his mobility remains limited, and his ability to speak and smile is still affected by the jaw fixation. Hillary has returned to the hospital for the next stage of his care: removal of the external fixator and complete surgical repair of his femur to restore function fully. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner care center can help. On April 2nd, Hillary will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation, to restore stability and function to his leg. To make this possible, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,014 is needed to fund his surgery. Hillary says, "I thank God for this far towards my recovery, please assist me, and looking forward to complete healing. I will go back to school, and I promise to help others too in the near future."

Mao is a 70-year-old rice farmer from Preah Vihear province in Cambodia. In her free time, she enjoys listening to the monks pray on the radio. Mao is married and has two sons and four grandchildren. Her husband and youngest son are in the military, and her oldest son is a rice farmer. About one year ago, Mao developed a cataract in her left eye, causing her to experience itchiness, tearing, and blurry vision. A cataract is a clouding of the lens of the eye, so it is like looking through a frosty or fogged-up window. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, including colors and faces, and is worried about falling when walking, so she is unable to go places on her own. When Mao learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Center (CSC), she traveled for 8 hours seeking treatment. On April 6th, doctors will perform a phacoemulsification cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in her left eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Mao can contribute $25, but needs help raising $238 more to fund her procedure and care. Mao said, "I hope, after surgery, my eye can see clearly, I can come back to growing rice and doing housework well, and I won't worry about my eye anymore."

Twaibu is a 23-year-old man from Malawi. He works in a factory where he earns approximately USD 66.25 per month, which he uses for his basic upkeep, and to support his parents. In 2019, Twaibu was diagnosed with an inguinal hernia, a condition that occurs when abdominal tissue protrudes through a weak spot in the lower abdominal muscles, causing a bulge in the groin area. He had first noticed intermittent swelling seven years prior, but because the symptoms were on and off, he did not seek medical attention. Over time, Twaibu has tried to manage the condition using painkillers, until in December last year when his condition deteriorated significantly. He was rushed to hospital where the protruding tissue was manually pushed back in it's position, and Twaibu was advised that he would need to undergo surgery. Twaibu was referred to our medical partner's care center, Partners in Hope Medical Center (PIH), and was scheduled for surgery on May 6th. He is hopeful that surgical intervention will restore his health, enable him to resume his work, and allow him to continue supporting his parents at home. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Twaibu receive treatment. Twaibu is able to contribute towards the cost of his treatment, but needs help raising $575 to fund the surgery. He says: "Kindly help me get better. I have been experiencing terrible symptoms; the frequent swelling episodes have brought so much discomfort in my life."

Ronaldo is a three-year-old boy from Tanzania. He is the youngest of seven children. Ronaldo is a cheerful and energetic kid who loves playing and having fun with those around him. His father works as a casual laborer to support the family. Ronaldo was diagnosed with bilateral genu valgum, a condition that causes his legs to angle inward at the knees. Several factors can cause this condition, such as growth disorders, vitamin deficiencies, or excessive fluoride found in contaminated drinking water. As a result, the knees can be angled inwards or outwards, making it difficult to walk and may cause long-term joint damage. As Ronaldo has grown, his parents have become increasingly concerned about how the condition may affect his ability to walk comfortably and participate fully in daily activities. They also worry about the challenges he may face when he starts school in the future. Ronaldo's family is seeking care in the hopes that undergoing treatment will give Ronaldo the best possible start in life and allow him to grow, play, and attend school without difficulty. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is helping Ronaldo undergo treatment on June 2nd. This treatment will restore Ronaldo's mobility, allow him to participate in a variety of activities, and greatly decrease his risk of future complications. AMH is requesting $777 to fund his surgery. Ronaldo's mother said, "We want Ronaldo to grow up strong, walk comfortably, and one day go to school like his brothers and sisters."

Mosa is a cheerful 10-year-old boy from Phnom Penh, Cambodia. He lives with his mother, who works at a small local restaurant. His parents divorced 10 years ago, and he is the only child in his family. At school, his favorite subject is mathematics. At home, he spends his time playing soccer with his friends and doing his homework. He dreams of becoming a professional footballer when he grows up. Mosa was born with a cleft lip and palate, which was repaired when he was a baby. There is still a gap in his upper gum, where teeth should be. Without treatment, his permanent teeth will not grow properly, and he will struggle with chewing, speaking, and smiling confidently. Doctors at our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre, explained that Mosa now needs an alveolar bone graft. This surgery will place bone in the gap of her upper gum, giving the teeth the support they need to come in straight. For Mosa, this surgery is the next step toward a healthy smile and a future where he can speak and eat without difficulty. He is also starting to feel insecure about his appearance, and his parents hope to increase his confidence. His surgery is scheduled on January 27th. Mosa's parents cannot afford the $665 cost of this procedure and need help to pay for the surgery and post-op care. Mosa's mother said, “After treatment, I hope my son can speak more clearly and feel confident to smile and socialize again, without being teased by other children.”

Younoeurs is a young boy from a rural farming family from Cambodia. He lives in Mondulkiri, a province on the Cambodian border, with his parents, who work as rubber farmers. Life is challenging for the family as they work long hours to support their children. He has one older brother who is in Grade 2. In his free time, he enjoys playing with toys with his brother, and his favorite meal is korko fish soup. When he was one month old, Younoeurs was burned by a hot motorbike exhaust pipe, resulting in scarring on the fourth and fifth fingers of his right hand. Burn scar contractures have formed on his fingers, making it difficult and painful for him to extend them. This limits his ability to grasp and hold objects properly. When Younoeurs's family learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, they traveled for eight hours seeking treatment. On March 17th, surgeons at CSC will perform a burn contracture release surgery to help improve the movement of his fingers, reduce pain, and allow him to use his right hand more normally for daily activities. Now, he needs help to fund this $652 procedure. Younoeurs 'smother said, “After the surgery, I hope that my son will be able to use his right hand properly without any difficulties. I want him to grow healthy, and thank you to the donors for your support.”

Vichet is an 18-year-old university student from Kampong Speu Province, Cambodia. He is currently living in Phnom Penh for the first year of his studies. His parents work as grocery sellers back home and take care of his younger sister. Vichet is the middle child of three siblings. His older brother is also a university student in his second year, and his younger sister is in first grade. Vichet enjoys playing volleyball with friends and listening to music in his free time. In 2024, Vichet was involved in a motor vehicle accident that resulted in a fracture of his right femur. Following the accident in February 2024, he underwent surgery at a private clinic in Kampong Speu, where a nail was inserted into his right femur to stabilize the fracture. Vichet is currently experiencing persistent pain and stiffness in his right thigh, especially during walking and prolonged physical activity, from the hardware. This limits his mobility, reduces his comfort in daily life, and affects his ability to participate fully in university and sports activities. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), can help. On May 13th, Vichet will undergo a hardware removal procedure. CSC is requesting $278 to cover the cost of Vichet's care. Removal of the hardware is expected to reduce his pain and stiffness, improve mobility, and allow him to return to normal walking and daily activities with greater comfort and confidence. Vichet said, “I hope this surgery will relieve the pain and stiffness in my leg, so I can walk comfortably again and return to my normal daily activities.”