Mar is a 56-year-old woman who lives with her family in a refugee camp located on the Thai-Burma border. They sell vegetables to earn income. During her free time, Mar enjoys reading religious books. Since late August, Mar has had an incisional hernia at the side of her previous caesarean section scar. The scar bulged from her abdomen, and was accompanied by significant pain and vomiting. This hernia causes pain and discomfort in her abdomen which worsens with physical activity. It hinders her ability to work to support her family. Fortunately, she will be able to 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 Mar's hernia repair surgery. The procedure is scheduled to take place on September 21 and, once completed, will hopefully allow her to live more comfortably. Mar said, “I just want to return to a normal life, free from worries brought on by this condition. After surgery, I will be able to work more and contribute more money to my family's income. Thank you.”

Saw Eh is a three-year-old boy who lives with his parents and younger brother in a refugee camp in Mae Hong Son Province, Thailand. His father works in the refugee camp as a water supply staff and he occasionally works as a day labourer. Saw Eh’s mother is a homemaker. Saw Eh used to go to preschool but stopped in March 2023 due to his condition. Saw Eh’s parents noticed a concerning swelling last March so his mother took him to the hospital, where he was diagnosed with an inguinal hernia. Over the next couple of months, Saw Eh returned for two follow-up appointments. In September, Saw Eh’s condition became more swollen and painful. The size and pain increased especially while he plays. When his father brought him back to the hospital in the refugee camp, the doctor referred him to Mae Sariang Hospital for further treatment. There, doctors confirmed his diagnosis and scheduled Saw Eh's surgery for October 5th. His parents are concerned that he had to stop going to school due to his condition and he cannot play or run around with his friends. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund is requesting $1,486 to fund hernia repair surgery. This will hopefully allow Saw Eh to play and live more comfortably. Saw Eh's father shared: "I am worried about my son's condition, and I am concerned about his pain and discomfort."

Ra He, a 20-year-old woman living in Thailand, currently resides with her husband in a refugee camp positioned along the Thai-Burma border. Her husband supports their livelihood as a farm day laborer. During her free time, she finds solace in watching movies on her phone. Towards the close of 2021, Ra He began experiencing persistent discomfort in her lower right abdomen, which intensified during the early morning and nighttime hours. Additionally, she faces irregular menstruation patterns and struggles to attain restful sleep due to the persistent pain. She was diagnosed with an ovarian cyst. To address this, surgeons at our medical partner's care center, Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF), recommended an oophorectomy—a surgical procedure that would remove her ovary. Fortunately, Ra He is scheduled to undergo her oophorectomy on August 28th. BCMF is requesting $913 to help fund the procedure and subsequent care. In her own words, Ra He expressed, "The ceaseless pain inhibits me from engaging in household tasks. I'm also concerned about potential challenges in conceiving due to my condition and the impending surgery. I extend my gratitude to the generous donors for facilitating my treatment. Upon recovering my health, I aspire to establish a small in-house grocery store."

Charles is a 6-year-old boy and the third-born child in a family of five. He has a twin sibling with whom he enjoys playing with and has an undeniable bond. The mother is a stay-at-home wife, while the father is a farmer who relies on agriculture for sustenance and income to cover their day-to-day expenses. However, due to the current climate changes, the returns from his farming activities have been quite minimal. Consequently, he has had to find another day job to earn some extra money. Charles was recently diagnosed with bilateral genu varus. A condition where both of his legs are bowed outward. It began when he was 2 years old and has continued to worsen over the years. This condition is typically caused by an excessive accumulation of fluoride in the bones, which often stems from contaminated drinking water. As a result, the bowing of his legs has made him walk with a side-to-side gait. Charles quickly becomes tired when engaging in activities that require mobility. Despite the parents’ efforts to seek treatment for his condition, living in a remote area has made it difficult for them to access the appropriate treatment. To address his condition, Charles requires corrective surgery, known as bilateral Sofield-Miller osteotomy to improve the alignment and functionality of his legs. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), has been able to diagnose Charles and create a treatment plan. The procedure is scheduled to take place on August 1st. Treatment will hopefully restore Charles's mobility, allow him to participate in a variety of activities, and greatly decrease his risk of future complications. AMH is now requesting $880 to help fund the corrective surgery for Charles. Charles says: “I wish to get better and for my legs to look normal. Hopefully, after this treatment, my legs will be fine.”

Lucy, a 3-year-old girl, is shy with a heart full of joy. As the third and youngest child in her family, Lucy brings delight to her loved ones. Her mother shared that Lucy enjoys singing, spending time with her friends, engaging in playful activities, and assisting with household chores. Lucy's father is a farmer, while her mother oversees the household. During our medical partner's encounter with Lucy at the Nyahururu clinic, she was accompanied by her mother, who expressed concerns about a leg deformity. Her mother mentioned that Lucy has recently been limping and frequently complains of pain when walking and playing with her friends. Lucy was diagnosed with clubfoot on the right foot. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape, which causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Fortunately, Lucy's family visited our medical partner's care center, AIC Cure International Hospital. There, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on July 12th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, requests $1,286 to fund Lucy's clubfoot repair. After treatment, she can walk without pain, continue her education and play with friends. "It would bring me joy to have Lucy walking and playing like other children," Lucy's mother told us.

Olosirian is a 13-month-old baby boy from Tanzania and the youngest child in a family of four children. His parents are from a small remote town. They breed and sell cattle to make a living, but unfortunately drought conditions have made their work difficult and they have lost most of their cattle. Olosirian has clubfoot of both feet, a condition in which his feet are twisted out of shape. In the future, this may cause him difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is helping Olosirian receive treatment. On January 20th, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery at AMH's care center. After treatment, he will be able to walk easily. Now, he and his family need help raising $935 to fund his procedure and care. Olosirian’s mother shared, "our lack of knowledge is what kept us from seeking treatment. I hope it is not too late."

Besufikad is an energetic 4-year-old boy from Ethiopia. He loves playing football with other children. He enjoys eating Shiro with injera, meat, and vegetables and loves drinking milk. He has one older sister; she is in grade three at a community school. Besufikad's mother used to work at a government office, but she had to stop working in order to care for him. People around her support her with food and house rent. They live with her sister, who is paralyzed. She and her family are dependent on unreliable support, thus they are unable to afford the recommended treatment for Besufikad. Besufikad was born with hypospadias, a congenital abnormality that causes urinary dysfunction. Without treatment, he will continue to experience uncomfortable symptoms and will be at risk of infertility. Fortunately, Besufikad is scheduled to undergo corrective surgery on May 2nd. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,293 to cover the total cost of his procedure and care. Besufikad's mother said, “If he gets the treatment and becomes well, I may be able to start working again. I will educate him. I hope he will become a doctor.”