Angela is a 44-year-old mother of six children who lives in the Philippines. Seven years ago, Angela began tiring easily when doing household chores and would sometimes not finish her tasks for the day because she would need to stop and rest multiple times. She also began feeling nervous and having difficulty sleeping at night due to discomfort. To support the family, Angela's eldest son works as a fisherman and gives his mother money every month. His income is necessary to provide for their daily needs, as Angela's husband leaves only enough money to cover a month's worth of expenses when he goes away for five months of the year. Angela cannot work as she has to take care of her children, and she tries hard to keep them in school. Recently, Angela was visited by her family's pastor and a friend who is a part of our sponsored community to discuss a program to help her family elevate their economic status. During the second week of the program, Angela underwent a medical screening and was diagnosed with thyroiditis, a condition involving inflammation of the thyroid gland. The thyroid gland produces hormones that regulate the body's metabolism. When the gland is inflamed, thyroid hormone production can decrease, leading to fatigue. After completing blood tests, Angela was cleared to undergo surgery to remove her thyroid so that her condition would not progress. $1,500 covers the cost of Angela's surgery, transportation to and from the hospital, 10 days of hospital care—including medicine, imaging, and additional blood tests—and medication to take after she goes home. Angela looks forward to having more strength to take care of her family. "I would like to be healed and become better to serve my children and family and have quality time with them," she shares. "I want to be effective as a mother and friend to them. Thank you for your kind hearts."

"I want to be a doctor when I grow up," shares Edward, a 12-year-old primary school student who lives with his great-grandmother and his cousins in Kenya. Neglected by his mother after tribal clashes in 2007, Edward was reconnected with his great-grandmother through a well-wisher. In September of 2012, Edward's right arm was burned, and he was taken to the hospital. As his burn injury healed, the scar thickened and tightened over time, forming contractures. Edward is not able to fully stretch his right hand due to the contractures, and he cannot attend school most of the time due to pain in his hand. His limited mobility prevents him from fully utilizing his hand when playing or performing simple chores at home. Edward was brought to our facility by a neighbor from his village. Doctors recommend that Edward undergo surgery to release the post-burn contracture, but neither his family nor his concerned neighbor can afford the treatment costs. His great-grandmother is old and unable to work, and she must also provide for Edward’s cousins. The family relies on financial assistance from well-wishers to meet their daily needs. $1,215 pays for Edward's surgery as well as nine days of hospital care, including blood tests, pain medicine, and antibiotics. With financial assistance, Edward will be able to access medical treatment and continue pursuing his dream of becoming a doctor.

Three-day old Phiona was born with the rare condition of congenital dislocation of the knee, where the knee bends backwards in her right knee joint. She was referred to Bwindi Community Hospital from a local health facility which is not capable of correcting this abnormality. Early treatment for this condition has a very high rate of success. The treatment is similar to that for clubfoot: a series of casts as the child grows holding the joint in place so the muscles and ligaments around the joint tighten and realign. If treatment is delayed, surgery may be necessary. Phiona is the first child of Doreen and Brazio, who live in rural southwest Uganda. Doreen works on their small plot of land and when she is done, she helps Brazio in his butcher shop. “I like working with my husband in his shop, because we plan for our future together. We want to have only two children so we can provide for them to go to school," her mother shared.

“Patrick likes to be alone most of the time," says Patrick's mother. "We hope once he is able to walk properly he will be more active and social." Patrick is a quiet and shy six-year-old boy from Tanzania. He likes coloring picture books and playing with cars. He is the first-born in a family of three children. Patrick was born with bilateral clubfoot, a condition where the feet are twisted inwards. As a result, Patrick had trouble walking until unusually late in life; he was crawling for so long that he now has chronic sores on his knees. Patrick now walks on the outside parts of his feet instead of on the soles, which has seriously affected his gait. Walking—let alone running, or participating in other playtime activities that children his age do—is painful and slow for him. Fortunately, there is a tried and true surgical solution for clubfoot. But Patrick’s parents cannot afford the procedure. The little money that Patrick’s parents earn as farmers is not enough to cover their daily expenses as well as the cost of corrective surgery which Patrick needs. But we can change that. For $1,160, doctors at Arusha Lutcheran Medical Centre will perform the operation that Patrick needs, correcting the abnormal connective tissues in his feet. This funding will also cover the cast, foot braces, and four-month stay at a recuperation center that will ensure Patrick recovers safely. When he’s healed from his procedure, Patrick will be able to walk normally, on the soles of his feet, for the first time in his life. This will mean a more physically comfortable life for him, and -- as his mother hopes -- a more social one.

“Joseph is an active young boy who would like to play and attend preschool with his friends,” shares our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). Say hello to Joseph, a three-year-old boy from Tanzania. Joseph was born with a bilateral clubfoot, a congenital deformity, causing his feet to appear internally rotated at the ankle. This prevents his from participating in everyday activities, like walking and playing with his friends and family. “Joseph comes from a poor background,” continues AMHF. “His parents are peasant farmers.” Joseph's family cannot afford the $1160 treatment cost. This includes an extensive hospital stay with casting, surgery, realignment, and physiotherapy to correct Joseph's gait. "Treatment will enable him to grow into a full functioning child,” adds AMHF. Let's help make it happen!

This is Dah Si. She's 16-years-old and lives with her parents in Burma. The family works on a small vegetable farm to support themselves. Being self reliant is really important to them. "Dah Si first became aware she had a heart condition in August this year, when she went to the doctor to get treatment for a bad cold and the attending doctor detected a heart murmur," Burma Border Projects (BBP) tells us. "Dah Si said she currently feels fine and doesn't see herself as a sick person." "This is not uncommon," continues Dah Si. "Most people with mitral valve prolapse have no symptoms. One thing she does notice, however, is that she has heavy heart palpitations. Another thing she has noticed is that she has lost some weight over the last few months. She still has a good appetite but she struggles to keep food down." Clinicians at BBP have recommended a mitral valve replacement for Dah Si. The cost of this procedure is $1500 - not something the family can cover independently - but will benefit Dah Si greatly. "After receiving treatment in Thailand, Dah Shi can return to her family farm in Burma," BBP writes. "She will be able to go about her daily life without having to worry about the impact of certain activities on her heart."

Vumilia is a hungry and happy baby who loves to be in her mother's arms. Vumilia's mother is a single parent who works as a casual laborer in Tanzania, mainly doing farm work. Vumilia was born with a mass on her lower back. This mass is vulnerable to rupturing and leaking cerebral spinal fluid, which could put Vumilia's life in danger. “My hope is to see my daughter getting better and grow like other children so that I can work. Right now, she needs extra attention and I’m left with fewer hours to work,” her mother says. The cost of Vumilia's care is well beyond the family's reach. For $1,025, our hospital partner in Tanzania will be able to treat the mass on her back. By inserting a shunt, Vumilia will be out of danger of losing cerebral spinal fluid and contracting infections. Let's make sure Vumilia can grow up healthy.

Salama is a 15-year-old girl with a serious foot deformity. If left untreated, it will likely prevent her from walking normally or living an active life. Fortunately, doctors at CURE can perform surgery to correct Salama’s condition. With surgery, they believe they can make a life-long impact on her. Salama is a sweet girl who has won the hearts of everyone at the CURE Hospital. Her doctors told us: “When we met Salama she instantly won us over. We caught her playing big sister to some of the younger kids today while she awaits her scheduled surgery, and again our hearts melted. Please join us in helping this sweet girl as she goes through surgery and continues on the healing journey!”