Meet Chandara, a 62-year-old grandmother from Cambodia. “Eight months ago Chandara fell down and fractured her wrist and is in a lot of pain,” our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Center (CSC), tells us. “It is difficult for her to hold things in her hand without feeling pain.“ Chandara enjoys watching the TV news channel. She is married with five children and six grandchildren. “She wants to get better so she can return to work and support her family,” says CSC. For $405, Chandara will receive surgery to repair her fractured wrist. After treatment, she will regain use of her hand, and be able to go back to work to support her family.

“Chinyere is a friendly young lady and the oldest in a family of six,” reports our medical partner, Hope for West Africa (HFWA). “She likes reading and is currently studying to be a nurse.” Meet 28-year-old Chinyere from West Africa. Chinyere has a uterine fibroid, a noncancerous growth that develops from the smooth muscular tissue of the uterus. She has experienced “bleeding which can be heavy enough to cause anemia, and painful, prolonged periods which can last for several days,” explains HFWA. “The pain is so severe that she doesn’t go to school whenever it starts.” Chinyere needs surgery to treat her condition, but “her parents are petty traders and they cannot afford the amount that the surgery will cost.” With $1500 in funding, Chinyere can undergo a procedure to remove the fibroid and fully resolve her painful symptoms. This cost subsidizes labs, radiology, surgical costs, rehabilitation, medication, travel, and lodging. “The surgery will allow Chinyere to concentrate on her studies,” continues HFWA. “She will have less heavy bleeding that often times does not allow her to go to school and mix with others.” HFWA adds, “Chinyere is looking forward to concentrate on her studies and assist her parents in their petty business after the surgery.”

“Urmila studies in grade 5 and loves to study math and science. She wishes to be a nurse when she grows up,” shares our medical partner, Possible. Urmila is an 11-year-old girl from Nepal. Possible explains, “Urmila had gone to the jungle to take her cattle for grazing when she tripped, fell and broke her left arm.” Since then she has been unable to go to school or help her family with the cattle. Urmila’s broken arm also makes it difficult for her to sleep and do other chores. $579 will fund the treatment Urmila needs to repair her arm. The treatment involves a surgical procedure and casting. During the procedure, the doctor will realign Urmila’s broken bone and then set it in a cast so that the arm can heal properly. “Urmila will be able to start moving her arm in the next few weeks,” Possible adds. This will allow her to return to school and help her family with farming. Urmila’s father expresses, “You guys have been a Godsend. I don't know what I would have done if we could not get the treatment here.”

Saw Eh is a cheerful, six-year-old from Burma who lives with his parents, his brother, and his sister. He loves having his friends over to his house to play. "He wishes he could attend school like other children his age," says our medical partner, Burma Border Projects (BBP). However, Saw Eh has kidney stones, and he is in too much pain and discomfort to begin school. "Saw Eh's parents first became aware of his condition in late 2014 when he developed a fever and began to excrete cloudy urine," BBP explains. After a visit to a hospital, he was given an ultrasound that revealed stones in both of his kidneys. Saw Eh's condition causes him to suffer from fevers and pain in his lower left side. "His parents are both farmers, growing rice and vegetables," says BBP. "All of the rice produced is kept for their family’s consumption, but they sell the few vegetables grown on their farm. They earn approximately 2 USD per day, however this varies based on the success of their crops. Saw Eh's condition has put significant financial strain on the family; treatment and transportation costs have forced Saw Eh's parents to take loans with interest from money lenders, and they are currently deep in debt." For $1500, Saw Eh will receive surgery to remove the kidney stones. This cost also includes transportation from his home to the hospital, eight days of hospitalization for the surgery, and food and accommodation for 30 days. "Surgery will allow Saw Eh to live without pain and will stop his fevers," says BBP. "He will be able to attend school for the first time and begin his education. Right now, Saw Eh's parents are doing their best to balance the responsibilities of working on the farm and caring for their child; after treatment they will be able to earn more money and provide a better life for their family."

“I am old but I am able to do my farming and take care of my home,” John shares. “I hope I will get help so that my hand can be well again. This way, I will continue with my passion of farming.”
 This is John, a 62-year-old father of six from Kenya. Normally, John works actively as a farmer but has sustained an injury that now prevents him from working. John fractured his right hand a few months ago when he fell at work. The local hospital applied a plaster to his hand that did not help. A surgeon advised an ORIF (open reduction and internal fixation) procedure for John, but his family did not have the money. “John and his wife are farmers,” the staff at African Mission Healthcare Foundation tell us. “John and his wife's financial needs are supplemented by their only daughter who works as a security guard. Her income is not in any way able to meet the cost of this surgery that John needs.” "If not treated," AMHF continues, "John will continue having pain and delay in treatment may lead to nonunion and disability." For $1,125 we can make sure John receives the ORIF procedure necessary to repair his hand, allowing him to get back to farming.

"In April 2014, Htwe began to feel fatigued and developed a cough," shares our medical partner, Burma Border Projects (BBP). "Since then she has struggled to sleep horizontally, and has egg shaped mass on her neck that makes it difficult for her to breathe." Htwe is a hard working, 52-year-old mother from Burma. She is the sole caretaker of her five children, and also cares for her niece. One of her children is currently undergoing cardiac treatment. Htwe has developed a cluster of benign masses on her neck that interfere with her ability to sleep and breathe. $1500 will fund the removal of her masses, which have been diagnosed as benign. “Treatment will make her a better mother and provider to her children," shares BBP. "Without the stress of her condition she will be happier and can think about the future with less stress and worry.” "My kids need me. What will my kids and niece do without me? I need to get treatment for them,” Htwe adds.

Meet Mai, a 48-year-old farmer from the Magwe division in central Burma! She is married and has a 10-year-old son. Mai and her husband both work as subsistence farmers and they own a small plot of land where they grow rice and sesame. Mai earns approximately 20 to 30 USD per month but her family primarily lives “hand to mouth.” Mai has been unable to work to her fullest capacity because she has a benign tumor in her throat. This tumor also makes it painful and difficult for Mai to eat and drink. “She really wants to have an operation to remove the mass on her neck because it is causing her mental and physical discomfort,” reports our medical partner, the Burma Border Project. Mai says, “When I feel better, I will work hard to provide for my family. I really want my son to become educated and I know I need to work hard to be able to pay for his school fees.” We are raising $1,500 to pay to remove the tumor in Mai’s throat. Lets all come together to help put Mai on the road to mental and physical health!

"Awar sells snacks for a living," says our medical partner, Burma Border Projects (BBP). "On average, she makes around $2 per day. However, because she has two children to feed, she accepts half of her day's earnings in rice and the other half in money." Awar is a 37-year-old single mother from Burma. About three years ago, she was diagnosed with bladder stones and underwent surgery. Her condition has since returned. "Awar is experiencing urine obstruction, abdominal and back pain, nausea and diarrhea," says BBP. "She is very sad to be in the same situation again but is hopeful she can get the surgery she needs and be finished with urological problems for good." For $1,500, BBP can treat Awar and allow her relief from symptoms, as well as give her the chance to work and generate income again. Since seeking treatment in Thailand she has had to stop working and be apart from her two children. This trip to receive treatment has now put her into debt. Awar has big dreams for the future -- she hopes to move to Bangkok with her children, where there are more opportunities for work and education. "It hurts Awar to not be able to provide for her children the way she wants to with her present circumstance," says BBP. "She believes Bangkok will be the chance she and her children need to live a better and happy life." Let's help make it happen for her!

“I am waiting for the surgery and I am very excited to see how it is going to be after that,” says Sophia. “I know that it will not be an easy thing and this why I want to say thank you for the opportunity to give me a better face shape.” Sophia is a 16-year-old girl from Haiti. She was born with a cleft lip and has had difficulties talking because of this deformation. Sophia has not let this abnormality nor the insults she receives about her appearance affect her dedication to her schoolwork. “She is very intelligent and she has many friends who support her at school,” shares our medical partner Project Medishare. Sophia’s mother is a farmer who does her best to provide for their family and support Sophia in school. Sophia’s mother was unable to afford the surgery Sophia needed when she was a child, but now, we can come together to give Sophia this transformational surgery. $960 will cover the cost of the cleft lip and cleft palate repair surgery. “Surgery will be performed to fix the malformation of Sophia's Lip, after the surgery Sophia will have no more abnormalities, feel much more included and loved by her friends and continue her life with her family,” her doctors say.

“I love teaching, and I am looking forward to working with young minds and making a difference,” says 22-year-old Caroline from Kenya. Though she grew up without her parents, Caroline has just graduated from college with support from her grandmother and community. She is now certified to teach pre-school, and is actively looking for work. When Caroline was young, she burned her foot and was unable to get proper treatment. She now wears an orthopedic boot, but cannot walk well, tires easily and gets frequent blisters when walking long distances. “If contracture release surgery is not done, Caroline will not be able to walk well, and she is likely to develop an infection whenever blisters are not well treated,” explain our partners at African Mission Healthcare Foundation. For $1,125, we can fund burn contracture release surgery and comprehensive follow-up care for Caroline’s foot, which will enable her to walk well and without risk of blisters and infections. Let’s help Caroline enjoy normal, pain-free mobility so that she can teach young minds no matter how far away they may be!

Meet Sara! She’s an energetic three-year-old girl from Guatemala who likes to laugh, sing, and play in the house. Sara has seizures several times a week which makes her lethargic and sleepy, and is also delaying her motor and cognitive development. Sara’s mother has brought her to see specialists, however cannot afford the tests or the medication to control seizures. With $745, our medical partner Wuqu’ Kawoq will be able to give Sara seizure treatment. This includes Sara’s seizure workup which will determine which medication and plan is best to diminish the seizures. Her growth and development will continue like any other child. Sara’s mom wants help so her child can, “can grow up healthy and go to school.” Together we can make that happen!

Synthia is an outgoing and friendly five-year-old girl with a great sense of humor. She likes to make jokes, meet new friends, and draw. She lives with her parents and four siblings in Haiti. Synthia was born with a congenital heart disease that caused a hole in her heart to remain open, when it should have closed after birth. Her condition, called patent ductus arteriosus, allows blood to bypass her lungs and return to her body without receiving oxygen. As a result, Synthia is frequently out of breath and lethargic. Some days her condition even keeps her home from preschool. For $1,500, Synthia will receive the surgery she needs to correct her congenital defect. This surgery will allow Synthia's heart to pump blood normally so that she can hit all of her developmental milestones and finally have all of the energy she needs to be her bubbly self. Synthia says, "I am excited to have surgery so I don't have to keep visiting the doctors so much!"