Antony is a 44-year-old man who has been diagnosed with osteomyelitis, a bone infection, after a road accident in 2007. He is a father to two children, and separated from his wife in 2009. He has since moved back to his rural home in Kenya. In January of 2007, Antony was in a road accident and suffered multiple injuries. Since then, he had been to various hospitals, and had several surgeries, all in an attempt to improve his health. In our hospital partner's facility, Antony has had several surgeries on his left leg. He has used all his savings, as he has not had any meaningful source of income since his accident. Antony has even conducted several harambees, which are events held to raise funds, to help clear his medical bills. Antony's last surgery was in January of 2016, and he is in need of financial assistance to access further medical treatment. If not treated Antony may not be able to walk well again. There is possibility of severe infection that may result in amputation. $1,500 will cover the cost of of bone transport surgery to cure Antony's osteomyelitis. Portions of the bone that are infected will be removed, with the empty space being filled by bone or tissue from a different area to restore blood flow. After recovery, Antony will be able to continue working and live his life without the possibility of amputation. “I want to be well to earn a living for myself," he shares. "[I want to] write a book on experiences with broken limbs."

Meet Nickson, a baby boy from Uganda. He is the first child to his parents who both work as subsistence farmers, though his father sometimes works as a porter on construction sites and his mother weaves mats to earn extra income. Nickson is young but always keen and curious, looking around to observe new faces and smiling widely to those he recognizes. Nickson was born with clubfoot - his parents took him to a traditional bone setter at three months of age, but nothing about his foot changed. His mother, Rosette, used to be an athlete and would love to see Nickson grow up to be an athlete too. She got a scholarship for her primary education because of athletics and would love her child to be a great athlete and get scholarships to fund his education. With $362, Nickson will undergo surgery to have his club foot repaired. This operation will ensure that Nickson will grow up to walk easily and perhaps become an athlete like his mother. "The doctors gave me assurance that they can fix my child's foot. May God bless everyone supporting us," Nickson's mother said.

Abdirahim is a 15-year-old boy who lives in Tanzania with his aunt and father. A few years ago, Abdirahim was diagnosed with meningitis, an inflammation of the protective membranes surrounding the brain. Abdirahim also acquired hydrocephalus, a condition in which high amounts of cerebrospinal fluid build up in cavities of the brain. The fluid buildup makes him agitated and aggressive, explains our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). Although Abdirahim initially had a shunt placed to drain the fluid, the shunt has stopped working properly. "Abdirahim is unable to walk without support and his vision is becoming blurry. The chance of him losing his vision and become completely dependent is very high if not treated." AMHF recommends that Abdirahim's shunt be replaced. With the replacement, he will “get better, and have a good chance of regaining his vision and balance.” The cost to replace his shunt is $775. This cost covers all surgical fees, antibiotics, and a hospital and rehabilitation stay. ”He’s had so many operations. I hope this will be the last one for him," his aunt shares. "All we need is for him to get well, regain his ability to walk without support, and just be able to socialize with other kids."