Coldy is a baby from Haiti who lives with his mother and father in a neighborhood of Port-au-Prince. Coldy has a cardiac condition called ventricular septal defect. A hole exists between the two lower chambers of his heart; blood leaks through this hole without passing through his lungs to obtain oxygen, leaving him weak and short of breath. Coldy will fly to Dominican Republic to receive treatment. On November 14th, he will undergo cardiac surgery, during which surgeons will close the hole in his heart using a patch. Another organization, Gift of Life International, is contributing $5000 to pay for surgery. Coldy's family also needs help to fund the costs of surgery prep. The $1,500 bill covers labs, medicines, and checkup and followup appointments. It also supports passport obtainment and the social workers from our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, who will accompany Coldy's family overseas. From Coldy's mother, "I am hopeful that after his surgery my son will start eating better and gaining weight!"

Sarah is a calm teenager and in class six from Kenya. She is an aspiring lawyer and firstborn of two children. She lives with her mother and younger sister in a two-room house in the Rift valley region of Kenya. Her father left them years back due to the increasing family demands. Sarah was diagnosed with spina bifida at birth and was treated. The site is however prone to infection and if not treated, result in severe pain. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is helping Sarah receive treatment. On October 30th, surgeons will perform a debridement and skin graft procedure to this will eliminate the risk of infection. Now, Sarah needs help to fund this $1,129 procedure. “I would like to be a lawyer when I grow up,” says Sarah.

At the age of seven, Sophea fell three meters from the roof of her house. Sine then, her back has formed a curve in her spine, and she has experienced pain in her back and difficulty sleeping. Surgery can help correct the position of her spine, and prevent further worsening of the condition. Sophea has three sisters and enjoys reading books, listening to music, and cooking. Her favorite subject in school is math, and she hopes to become a tailor when she grows up.

Khin is a 58-year-old Chin woman from Burma. She moved to Yangon one year ago when her health deteriorated. She lives with her sister, daughter and two grandnephews. In her free time she likes to read the Bible and pray to God. Sometimes she helps with household chores such as ironing her daughter and grandnephews cloths. Khin was diagnosed with a heart condition that involves a malformation of the mitral valve, the valve between the left atrium and left ventricle. This valve controls the flow of blood, but certain conditions may cause blood to flow backward or the valve to narrow. Currently, Khin feels tired, experiences heart palpitations and cannot walk long distances. However, she feels slightly better when she takes her medication. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund a mitral valve replacement for Khin. The treatment is scheduled to take place on September 10 and, once completed, will hopefully allow her to live more comfortably. Khin said, “I don’t want to feel stressed and I stay happy even though I don’t have enough money to treat myself. I am happy that my family encourages me to be strong even though they can’t help me. When I recover fully I want to help and look after orphaned children from Chin."

Reaksmey is a 21-year-old taxi driver from Cambodia. He enjoys exercising, listening to music, and helping his family with the housework. In April 2019, Reaksmey was in a severe motorcycle accident injuring his left arm. He has been diagnosed with a brachial plexus injury on his left side. The brachial plexus is a nerve network that transmits signals from the spine to the shoulder, arm, and hand. Injuries to this nerve network can result in loss of function and sensation. He is unable to work due to his injuries, and his family is concerned that he will not be able to continue making a living. Reaksmey traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On August 13, he will undergo a brachial plexus repair surgery. After recovery, he will regain function in his arm again. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $637 to fund this procedure. He says, "I hope that after surgery, I will be able to use my arm and I will be able to return to work."

Steven is a three-week-old infant from Tanzania. His parents are small-scale farmers of maize, beans, vegetables, potatoes and carrots. Steven has clubfoot of both feet. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. This causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Fortunately, Steven traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre. There, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on July 12. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $890 to fund Steven's clubfoot repair. After treatment, he will be able to walk easily. Steven’s mother says, “We would like to see our son grow up and walk normally like his siblings please help our son.”

Si Thu is one-month-old baby boy from Thailand. He lives with his parents. Since last week, Si Thu has had an inguinal hernia. Fortunately, on June 12, he will undergo hernia repair surgery at Mae Sot General Hospital, our medical partner's care center. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund Si Thu's hernia repair surgery. The procedure is scheduled to take place on June 12 and, once completed, will hopefully allow him to live more comfortably. Si Thu’s mother said, “In the past, there were no doctors and hospitals in my village. My mother lost her life on her way to the hospital to give birth to me. Because of this incident, I want my son to become a doctor when he grows up to save the life of mothers and save children from becoming orphans.”

Cherenet is a toddler from Ethiopia. He loves to play and laugh with kids in his age. His mom is a single mother. Cherenet was diagnosed with cryptorchidism, a condition in which one or both of the testicles remains undescended. If left untreated, Cherenet has an increased risk of developing hernias, testicular cancer, and fertility problems in the future. Cherenet will be receiving assistance from our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). Fortunately, he is scheduled to undergo corrective surgery on May 2. AMHF is requesting $1,021 to cover the total cost of his procedure and care. His mothers says, “All I want is for him to be cured. I hope my child will get the treatment and be healed.”

John is a farmer from Malawi. John lives with his wife and eight kids. He enjoys doing handicraft work when he is not busy working on his farm. Since about a year ago, John has been experiencing pelvic pain and failure to urinate. 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 John's surgery. On April 16, 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. He says, "We thank you so much, and we hope that this program can go on assisting others as well!"