Sarai is a sweet and friendly three-year-old girl from Bolivia who has Down syndrome. She lives in a small indigenous community in the mountains of central Bolivia with her parents, who are both farmers, and her five siblings. She is a friendly little girl who loves making new friends and blowing kisses to everyone she meets! Sarai was born with an atrial septal defect, a cardiac condition in which a hole exists between the two upper chambers of the heart. Blood leaks through this hole instead of flowing properly through her body, leaving her feeling weak and short of breath. Fortunately, Sarai is scheduled to undergo heart surgery on July 28th with the support of our long-standing medical partner Haiti Cardiac Alliance, which is now growing and expanding into Bolivia. Surgeons will close the hole with a patch, allowing blood to properly flow through her body and improving her quality of life. Another organization, Gift of Life International, is contributing $2,500 to pay for a portion of Sarai's procedure costs. Our medical partner is requesting $1,500 to cover the remaining costs, which cover surgical expenses, cardiac exams, medications, and travel fees so Sarai and her family can travel to receive her life-changing cardiac procedure in La Paz. Sarai's mother shares, "Our family is all praying that our daughter will become healthy and strong after this surgery!"

Bonface is a 72-year-old gentleman, living alone in a remote area of Kenya. While Bonface works as a laborer on local farms getting small jobs whenever he can, his wife works in Nairobi, and lives with their four children. A week ago, Bonface was assaulted, sustaining injuries to his head and to his left arm. After the assault, Bonface was able to alert his neighbors, who brought him to a local clinic. He received stitches for the wound on his head, and an X-ray of his arm was ordered. The X-ray revealed a fracture of the humerus bone, which will require surgery to heal. Currently, as a result of the fracture, Bonface is unable to use his arm, and is in pain. Bonface visited AIC Kijabe Hospital, where he was scheduled to undergo surgery on June 28th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,500 to fund his medical procedure, which will repair the fracture, and enable Bonface to use his arm without pain. Bonface says, “I am old and weak. I strain to work because of my age. It is now worse since one hand is broken. I need this treatment to be able to use my hand again.”

Thein is a 56-year-old man who lives with his family in a refugee camp. Two of his daughters and his son-in-law work as seasonal workers outside of the camp, while Thein and his wife look after their three grandchildren, send them to school, and care for the household chores. In January, Thein was diagnosed with a cataract in his right eye and an early cataract in his left eye. Currently, he cannot see with his right eye, as his vision is blurry, and the vision in his left eye is also beginning to blur. As a result, Thein cannot walk easily and relies on a bamboo staff to help stabilize him as he tries to avoid tripping on any objects in his path. He shared that he feels discomforted and like he is living in darkness. Fortunately, Thein was able to visit our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF), and they can help him heal. On March 8th, doctors will perform a lens replacement. After recovery, he will be able to see clearly. BCMF is requesting $1,500 to fund this procedure. Thein shared, “When I recover from surgery, I will help my family plant and water vegetables around the house. It can save us money from buying the vegetables. I can help send my grandchildren to school and pick them up in the evening. I will also be able to visit my friend.”

Teriki is a 74-year-old woman with three children. She is proud that all have grown up healthy and have children of their own now. Teriki’s husband passed away many years ago, and she lives with her grandchildren. Teriki’s children farm a small piece of land and take on labor jobs to help provide for their families. Alongside farming maize and vegetables, Teriki also helps on peoples’ farms to support her grandchildren in school and provide basic needs for herself. Teriki was recently in an accident when she had to separate some animals who were fighting on the farm. Now she has swelling and bruises, and her leg is broken. Teriki is experiencing severe pain and must use a wheelchair to move around, which has been challenging for her to do. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), can help Teriki heal. On May 18th, Teriki will undergo a fracture repair procedure called an open reduction and internal fixation. Upon recovery, Teriki will be able to walk easily again. AMH is requesting $1,145 to fund her medical treatment. Teriki says, “I really feel sorry right now. I have been depending on myself, yet now I cannot walk by myself. Please help me get back on my feet so that we do not suffer more for my grandchildren.”

Daw Nwe is a 61-year-old woman from Thailand. Originally from Mon State, Burma, she moved in with her sister’s family in Thailand in January 2022, when her vision worsened and she did not have anyone to take care of her at home. In her free time, she enjoys watching videos about Buddhism, reading books about Buddhism and praying. She has cataracts and she can can only perceive darkness and light with her left eye. The vision in her right eye is slightly better as she can still see a bit, but her vision is blurry and she needs help from her family for daily personal activities. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund lens replacement surgery for Daw Nwe. On April 25th, doctors will perform a lens replacement, during which they will remove Daw Nwe's natural lenses and replace them with an intraocular lens implant in each eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Daw Nwe said, “I am very happy when I think about how my vision will be restored. I am thankful to all the donors and the organisation [BCMF] for helping me receive eye surgery.”

BB Mireille is a one-month-old baby from Haiti and her parents' first child. BB Mireille was diagnosed with hydrocephalus, a condition in which excess cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the brain and increases intracranial pressure. As a result of her condition, BB Mireille has been experiencing an increasing head circumference. Without treatment, BB Mireille will experience severe physical and developmental delays. Our medical partner, Project Medishare, is requesting $957 to cover the cost of surgery for BB Mireille at Hospital Bernard Mevs that will treat her hydrocephalus. Hospital Bernard Mevs is the only facility in the country where this care is currently available and the procedure will take place on March 22nd. This critical treatment will place a shunt to drain the excess fluid from BB Mireille's brain to reduce intracranial pressure and greatly improve her quality of life. With proper treatment, BB Mireille will hopefully develop into a strong, healthy young girl. Her parents are grateful for the opportunity for this surgery. They have hope that the procedure will allow BB Mireille to grow up healthy.

Kyaw is a 50-year-old man who lives alone in a refugee camp on the Thai-Burma border. He used to work as a day laborer for a grocery shop, loading and unloading items from cars. However, he stopped working one month ago, when the vision in his right eye worsened. In his free time, he enjoys reading books and cleaning in his house. Kyaw has a cataract in his right eye and can't see more than light in that eye. Because of his vision, he will often not recognize his friends while he walks past them. Though he likes to read, it now gives him headaches. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF), can help. They are requesting $1,500 to fund lens replacement surgery for Kyaw. On February 23rd, doctors will perform a lens replacement, during which they will remove Kyaw's natural lenses and replace them with an intraocular lens implant. After recovery, he will be able to see clearly. Now, he needs help to fund this procedure. Kyaw shared, “I am so happy that you will support the cost of my surgery. I hope your organisation will continue to help patients in the future. Thank you so much for helping me."

Jacinta is a beautiful 38-year-old small-business woman. She is the third born in a family of four, and a mother of one 15-year-old child. Jacinta was married but due to challenges, she separated from her husband and has been taking care of her son alone. Jacinta was trained in hotel management and was working in a big hotel before Covid-19 when she and some of her colleagues lost their jobs. She shared that since then, life has not been easy. Jacinta decided to start a small food kiosk to help meet the basic needs of herself and her son. Since one year ago, Jacinta has been experiencing on and off pain at the lower abdomen and irregular bleeding. She has been diagnosed with multiple myomas and now needs to undergo a hysterectomy, a procedure in which surgeons will remove her uterus. She had a previous surgery, but doctors have recommended that this will help fully heal her condition. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $755 to fund Jacinta's surgery. On January 28th, she will undergo gynecological surgery at our medical partner's care center. Once recovered, Jacinta will be able to resume her daily activities free of pain. “I am ashamed to keep asking for help. If I was still employed, I would be able to take care of my medical bills. I kindly request assistance again, so that this condition can be treated and I can regain my normal life. This will enable me to work hard and support my son,” said Jacinta.

Laing is a 25-year-old soft drink seller. He's married and lives in Prey Veng province in Cambodia. He and his wife have a sweet 3-year-old daughter. His wife helps Laing to sell drinks from their home. In his free time, he enjoys football, volleyball, fishing, snooker, and singing to his daughter. In October 2021, Laing was in a motorcycle crash. He had head trauma and fractured his right forearm. He was treated at a local hospital for his forehead gash, but his fractured forearm was delayed because he was COVID positive. Now he has a mal-union of his forearm, is unable to move his arm, and is in extreme pain. His neighbor suggested he go to our medical partner Children's Surgical Centre for care. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, can help. On December 14th, Laing will undergo a fracture repair procedure, which will cost $465. Doctors will stabilize the fracture with a plate and screws so that his forearm heals properly. After his arm heals, he will be able to return to work and use his arm again. "I hope after this surgery, I will be able to use my hand again to work to support my family and hold my daughter again," Laing shared.

Nat is a 48-year-old farmer from Cambodia. He is married and has 3 daughters and 4 grandchildren. Two of his daughters are married, and the other lives at home and is a seller of fish in the local market. His wife is a farmer and a fish seller too. For at least 7 months, Nat has experienced pain in his right hip. He was treated at a clinic by injection but only had brief relief from the pain. He visited our medical partner Children's Surgical Centre (CSC) in April but was unable to have surgery due to the pandemic. Nat returned recently and is in constant pain from his right hip. He is unable to walk without a crutch, his gait is unbalanced, and he is now unable to work. At CSC, surgeons can perform a total hip replacement to relieve Nat of his pain and allow him to walk easily. Treatment is scheduled for November 24th, and Nat needs help raising $1,087 to pay for this procedure. "I hope the pain in my hip will go away and I can return to farming and supporting my family," shared Nat.

Emma has an entrepreneurial spirit and sells groundnuts, flour, and 'thobwa' (a flavorsome local beverage made from maize and millet) to earn a living. She is married to a primary school teacher and they have four children. All the children are independent except the last born who is in high school. Emma lives with her husband and a grandchild in Lilongwe in a house that belongs to her family. The house has no electricity but has piped water, which Emma is grateful to have. Emma works hard to lead a good life but has no medical insurance as she considers the insurance as being too expensive for her family to afford. Emma developed a goiter many years ago in 1993. This is a swelling on the neck resulting from enlargement of the thyroid gland. The goiter has since been growing in size and causing discomfort. She had been to different traditional healers and health facilities until 2008 when she was referred to KC Hospital for surgical review. The doctor at the hospital told her that the goiter would subside without any intervention if she would avoid getting angry. She was further advised to avoid emotional stress, shouting, and spending time in direct sunlight. However, the nature of her business which she also combines with farming compels her to spend hours in the sun and the swelling has continued growing over time. Emma currently has difficulties in breathing especially when sleeping, has a lot of discomforts, and also difficulty in swallowing food. She is not able to carry her grandchild on her back because it gives her a choking feeling. Her condition has affected her business because she cannot carry large quantities of ‘thobwa’ on her head to go and sell as she used to. Seeing Emma's condition, her relatives have been trying to seek help for her and a cousin recently learned that she might be able to get help at Partners in Hope Medical Center and told Emma about it. She did not hesitate to come and meet the surgeon here who after confirming the diagnosis of goiter recommended a thyroidectomy. This procedure is a surgical removal of the thyroid gland. It is expected that the swelling will go away with the operation and Emma will be able to resume activities that she is unable to do now. The surgery will also improve her appearance and increase her self-esteem. She is scheduled for this procedure on 26th October and is seeking financial assistance since her family is unable to meet the costs. “When people look at me they say, “amayi achotupa pakhosi aja” (woman with a swelling on the neck) and it really affects my self-esteem. I look forward to the removal of this goiter and looking normal again,” shared Emma.

Emie is a three-year-old girl from Haiti. She lives with her parents in a small city on Haiti's northeastern border with the Dominican Republic. She enjoys listening to music and going to church with her family. Emie was born with a condition called patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), in which blood leaks between the major artery and vein connected to the heart. This has led to heart failure, leaving Emie feeling sick and short of breath. Fortunately, our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, is helping Emie to receive treatment. On September 9th, doctors will use a catheter to plug the hole between the artery and the vein so that blood can flow normally. Now, Emie's family needs help to raise $1,500 towards her procedure and care. Emie's mother shared, "we are excited that once our daughter's heart is healed, we can start sending her to preschool with the other children."