Esther is a mother of four from Malawi. She is a teacher in a small nursery school. She lives with her husband and children. During her free time, she enjoys reading the Bible. Since last year, Esther has been experiencing back pain. She has been diagnosed with cervical cancer. She needs to undergo a hysterectomy, a procedure in which surgeons will remove her uterus. Our medical partner, World Altering Medicine, is requesting $650 to fund Esther's surgery. On August 24, she will undergo gynecological surgery at Nkhoma Hospital, our medical partner's care center. The requested money pays for supplies, medications, and seven nights of hospital stay. Both she and her family are happy for the help through surgery. She wants to let other women know about this surgery so that they can also take better care of themselves. She says, "This is a wonderful program because it is saving a lot of lives!"

Arnold is a young student from Haiti. He lives with his mother and older sister in a neighborhood of Port-au-Prince. He has Down syndrome and goes to a school for children with special learning needs. He has many friends and enjoys helping his mother around the house. Arnold has a cardiac condition called partial atrioventricular canal defect. Holes exist between both the upper and lower chambers of his heart. Blood leaks through these holes before first passing through his lungs to obtain oxygen, leaving him sick and short of breath. Arnold also has a condition called pulmonary hypertension, in which the blood pressures to his lungs are too high. For this reason, he needs a diagnostic catheterization to determine whether it is safe for him to have surgery. To determine if Arnold's condition is operable, he must undergo a diagnostic cardiac catheterization, a procedure that is not available in Haiti. During the procedure, a catheter probe will be inserted into his heart to perform the necessary measurements and tests. On August 22, he will travel to the Dominican Republic to receive the scan at our medical partner's care center, Clinica Corominas. Our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, is asking for $1,500 to cover the costs of Arnold's travel expenses, catheterization procedure, and lab work. His mother says, "We are all praying that Arnold can have surgery so that he will be more healthy and have more energy."

Biziki is a farmer from Malawi. He lives with his wife and together with their eight grown children, they run their small farm. Biziki spends his days tending his goats, and he likes to play with his grandchildren in his free time. Since April 2018, Biziki has been experiencing pain and urinary difficulty. These symptoms are caused by an enlarged prostate, a condition called benign prostatic hyperplasia. He needs to undergo a prostate resection surgery, a procedure in which surgeons will remove part of the enlarged gland. Our medical partner, World Altering Medicine, is requesting $733 to fund Biziki's surgery. On June 5, he will undergo prostate surgery at Nkhoma Hospital, our medical partner's care center. The requested money pays for supplies, medications, and two weeks of hospital stay. Biziki and his family were thrilled to find out his surgery would be funded. He is looking forward to returning home. He says, "Thank you for this support."

Dylan is a baby from Kenya. His family of two children lives in a one-room rental house. Dylan’s father works at a wheat flour packaging company, while his mother takes care of the children. Dylan has been diagnosed with encephalocoele, a type of neural tube defect in which brain tissues and overlying membranes protrude through openings in the skull. Encephalocoele usually results from a failure of the neural tube to completely close during fetal development. Without treatment, Dylan is at risk of developmental delays, brain damage, or premature death. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $929 to fund encephalocoele repair surgery for Dylan. The procedure is scheduled to take place on June 6. Hopefully, the repair of this condition will allow Dylan to grow up healthy. “The questioning looks I get from people really bother me and I hope that soon that will come to an end,” shares Dylan’s mother.

Rin is a rice farmer from Cambodia. She has two sons, three daughters, and five grandchildren. She likes to watch thai TV programs and news programs. Five years ago, Rin developed a cataract in each eye, causing her blurred vision, pain, itchiness, and photophobia. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, recognizing faces, and going anywhere outside. When Rin learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for five and a half hours seeking treatment. On April 25, doctors will perform a phacoemulsification surgery and an intraocular lens implant in each eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Now, she needs help to fund this $398 procedure. She says, "I hope I can see everything clearly so I easily continue my work and can go outside by myself."

Soknang is a rice farmer from Cambodia. She has two daughters and two sons. She enjoys taking care of her children and cleaning up around the house. When she was thirteen, Soknang had an ear infection. This infection caused the tympanic membrane, or the ear drum, in her right ear to perforate. For this reason, Soknang experiences infection, hearing loss, and ear discharge. She experiences discomfort from recurrent infections and discharge. She has difficulty hearing others. Soknang traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On February 12, she will undergo a myringoplasty procedure in her right ear. During this procedure, surgeons will close the perforation. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $423 to fund this procedure. This covers medications, supplies, and inpatient care. She says, "I am looking forward to going home and spending time with my children."

Lwin is a 61-year-old housewife from Burma. She used to rent a patch of land for farming, but a recent medical condition has forced her to stop working. Lwin's husband passed away and she has six adult children. Now Lwin lives with one of her daughters and son-in-law. Lwin experiences back pain if she sits for long periods, and she feels a tightness and discomfort in her upper abdomen. Eventually she went to Mae Tao Clinic, our medical partner's care center, to have her symptoms checked. The doctor diagnosed her with a large kidney stone and told her that she requires surgery to remove the stone. Lwin will undergo a shockwave lithotripsy on March 8. Now, she needs help raising $1,500 to fund this procedure. She says, "Now I have a small garden where I plant vegetables. When I was away for my treatment, I didn’t get to water my garden and when I returned home, I saw that the plants were all dry. It’s costly to visit the hospital very often and I have no time to look after my garden. I just want to have the treatment and fully recover from my symptoms so that I can work in my garden again."

Giovan is a baby from Tanzania. His mother is a tailor, while his father repairs mobile phones to earn a living and support his family. Since he was two months old, Giovan has been experiencing fevers, sleep apnea, and weight loss. He is frequently ill and on constant medication. He was recently diagnosed with enlarged adenoids, which are the soft tissue behind the nasal cavity. Without treatment, this condition will cause Giovan's symptoms to persist and possibly even intensify. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $609 to fund an adenoidectomy for Giovan, which is scheduled to take place on January 4. Surgeons will remove his adenoids, hopefully relieving Giovan of his symptoms and helping him live more comfortably. Giovan’s mother says, “I am so happy for the treatment will get. May God bless you abundantly.”

Eunice is a fruit and vegetable vendor from Kenya. She lost her husband in 2003 due to throat cancer. Since then, she has been the sole breadwinner for her family. On October 3, Eunice was in the market where she sells groceries. She was on a motorcycle when she was hit by a speeding car. Eunice was rushed to hospital and diagnosed with a fractured left femur. It is difficult for Eunice to walk, and she is supported by crutches. She is also in pain. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner can help. On January 4, Eunice will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation. The treatment will enable her to heal well and to walk easily again. Now, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $771 to fund this procedure. “I am going through a difficult moment in my life. I leave everything to God," she says.

Kyu is a 43-year-old woman from Burma. She works as a farmer with her two sisters. In her free time, Kyu enjoys going to the temple and practicing meditation. Since 2015, Kyu has been experiencing severe pelvic pain and difficulty walking. She has been diagnosed with a myoma in her uterus and advised to undergo a total abdominal hysterectomy, the surgical removal of her uterus and cervix. If left untreated, Kyu's symptoms will continue to worsen and put her at risk for further health complications in the future. Fortunately, Kyu is scheduled to undergo her hysterectomy on November 15. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of her procedure and care. Once recovered, Kyu hopes she can resume her work and contribute to her family’s income.

Phyo is an 11-year-old girl from Burma who lives with her parents. Her parents work in a paddy field, cultivating rice mainly for home consumption and occasionally for sale. When Phyo was one month old, her parents noticed that her right eye appeared white and cloudy. They never sought medical care at the time, particularly because they believed that surgery might worsen Phyo's condition and did not have the resources to focus on Phyo's eyesight. Phyo was recently diagnosed with congenital cataracts, which have caused her to develop partial blindness. Her cataracts have now greatly affected her ability to learn, as her schoolteacher has refused to educate her because of her condition and special needs. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund cataract surgery for Phyo. The procedure is scheduled to take place on June 27 and, once completed, will hopefully restore Phyo's vision to as great of an extent as possible, allowing her to continue with her studies. "I enjoy reading and I am always found studying at home. I hope to be a teacher when I grow up," adds Phyo.

Htun is a 34-year-old man living with his family in Burma. Htun has experienced several episodes of jaundice since he was young. Then, a few months ago, he noticed a change in the color of his eyes and skin. He visited a nearby clinic, where the doctor diagnosed him with a gastric problem. However, the medication he received had no effect on his symptoms. He then visited another hospital, where he received ultrasound imaging, which revealed stones in his gallbladder. He then visited our medical partner's hospital, Mae Sot General Hospital. On August 16, Htun witll receive a cholecystectomy (gallbladder removal), which will cost $1,500. He looks forward to recovery, saying, “I've had to stop working because of my symptoms and I worry about not supporting my family. When I get better I will go back to work in order to support them.”