Sovannareach is a six-year-old first-grade student from Prey Veng Province in Cambodia. He lives with his grandmother, who is a rice farmer, while his mother works as a factory worker to support him. His parents divorced five years ago, and he has remained close to his family. Sovannareach enjoys reading and writing Khmer, and he hopes to become a doctor when he grows up. In his free time, he likes playing football with his friends in the village. His favorite meals are lemongrass sour soup and eggs. Sovannareach was born with scoliosis, a condition in which the spine curves abnormally to one side, often resembling a “C” or “S” shape. As he has grown, his spinal curve has gradually worsened, bending toward the right side. The condition causes him pain and makes it difficult for him to sit comfortably for long periods. As a result, he sometimes struggles to concentrate in class and worries about being teased by his classmates because of his appearance. He also has difficulty walking, which affects his daily activities. In the past, Sovannareach had never received hospital treatment because his family could not afford it. However, a relative told his family about our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC). They traveled approximately four hours to CSC for a consultation and to seek specialized care. On August 11th, surgeons at CSC plan to implant a metal “growing rod” into his spine to help control the curvature while allowing his spine to continue growing. CSC is requesting $1,500 to cover the costs of his surgery, the implant, and post-operative care, including physiotherapy. Sovannareach's grandmother said, “I hope this treatment will help control my grandson’s spinal curvature as he grows and keep his spine stable. I want him to continue walking, playing, going to school, and enjoying his childhood without his condition limiting his daily life.”

Hnin is a 31-year-old woman from Burma. She lives with her husband in Phop Phra District, Tak Province, Thailand. Originally from Karen State, Burma, the family relocated to Thailand for better job opportunities. Hnin and her husband work as agricultural day labourers, but Hnin had to stop working in May 2025 due to health issues. In May 2025, Hnin began to experience troubling symptoms, including pain in her lower left abdomen. She was diagnosed with left kidney stones and was referred to our medical partner's care center, Mae Sot General Hospital. She was told she needed surgery to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. Currently, Hnin continues to suffer from pain in her lower left abdomen, a burning sensation during urination, and lower back pain when she walks for a long time. The back pain also makes it difficult for her to breathe, and she cannot sleep well at night due to the persistent pain. On March 12th, Hnin will undergo surgery with the help of our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund. She needs help raising $1,500 to fund her procedure and care. Hnin said, “Many thanks to the donors for helping me. Without your support, I would not access treatment, because I cannot afford it on my own. I truly wish for this organization that helps me to last forever, and for all the team members, including the donors, to have good health and happiness in the years ahead.”

Ashley is a four-year-old preschooler from Haiti. She lives with her parents and one younger sister in an agricultural village in central Haiti. Her parents both work as farmers and raise animals. Ashley likes listening to music on the radio and singing in church. Ashley has a cardiac condition called patent ductus arteriosus. A hole exists between two major blood vessels next to her heart. Blood leaks through this hole, leaving her weak and short of breath. Ashley will fly to the Dominican Republic to receive treatment. On May 13th, she will undergo cardiac surgery at Hospital CEDIMAT, during which doctors will use a device on the end of a catheter to plug the hole in her heart, so that blood can no longer leak through it. Another organization, International Cardiac Alliance, is contributing $4,000 to pay for the surgery. Ashley's family also needs help to fund the costs of surgery prep. Our medical partner, International Cardiac Alliance, is requesting $1,500 to cover labs, medicines, and check-up and follow-up appointments. It also supports securing travel documents for the family and travel costs for the social workers from our medical partner, who will accompany Ashley's family overseas. Ashley's mother said: "We will be so happy when we can stop worrying so much about our daughter's health!"

Roland is a 36-year-old father from the Philippines. He has been living with a fistula for about 15 years. Initially, his symptoms were sporadic and self-resolving. However, flare-ups have become frequent, occurring every two months for the past two years. These episodes cause pain, fatigue, and difficulty sitting, forcing Roland to adjust his daily routine. After Roland traveled to our medical partner's care center, World Surgical Foundation Philippines, surgery was recommended to relieve his symptoms. While this has brought Roland hope, the estimated cost remains beyond his financial capacity, leaving him reliant on antibiotics for temporary relief. Despite his condition, Roland continues to support his family by helping run their small clothing business and taking on electrical work on the side. His condition limits his ability to fully participate in work, leisure activities, and caring for his children. His family strongly believes surgery would restore his quality of life, reduce recurring medical expenses, and ease the financial strain. Fortunately, Roland is scheduled to receive surgery on March 20th at the World Surgical Foundation Philippines. Our medical partner, Our Lady of Peace Hospital, is requesting $1,198 to fund this treatment. Access to surgical treatment would allow Roland to regain comfort, resume normal activities, and provide more stability for his household. Roland shared, "I’m looking forward to playing basketball again without pain and being able to sit comfortably while spending time with my children."

Leila is a 63-year-old woman from the valleys of Baringo County from Kenya. Together with her husband, she has raised six children through small-scale farming, depending on unpredictable harvests to provide food and school fees. Their income has never been stable, but their determination to educate their children has never wavered. Her firstborn son recently graduated with a Bachelor of Education in Special Needs Education and is still searching for employment. Her second-born daughter is married and lives away from home. The remaining children are still in school, each carrying hopes and dreams that depend heavily on their parents’ support. Leila is also a proud grandmother of two. In addition to farming, Leila once worked as a housekeeper in her neighbourhood to supplement the family’s income. However, age and increasing responsibilities forced her to stop. Even so, she continued to play a central role in sustaining her household. Three years ago, tragedy struck. While walking, she slipped and sustained an open fracture of her leg. She received treatment elsewhere and was placed in a cast. During follow-up visits, she was reassured that the bone was healing well and that she would soon walk independently again. But her pain never truly subsided. Instead of healing completely, she developed persistent drainage at the fracture site. Despite daily wound care, the wound never closed. She continued walking in pain, enduring discomfort so she could still care for her family. Two weeks ago, she fell again and refractured the same site. She noticed brittle, small bone fragments coming out through the wound, an alarming sign that something was deeply wrong. She was rushed to the hospital, where she underwent pain management and an emergency surgical washout. Realizing her condition required more specialised care, she chose to self-refer to AIC Kapsowar Hospital for further management. Upon arrival, investigations including X-rays and laboratory tests confirmed a diagnosis of chronic osteomyelitis, a long-standing bone infection. She was admitted and started on intravenous antibiotics. She underwent surgical washout, debridement, and sequestrectomy to remove infected and dead bone tissue, along with placement of an antibiotic spacer to help clear the infection. Her recovery journey has now begun. In collaboration with the plastic surgery team, she is planned to undergo a flap procedure to provide proper soft tissue coverage, promote healing, and ultimately restore her limb function. The orthopaedic team will also place an antibiotic spacer to ensure she is completely free of infection. Leila has registered with SHA and submitted multiple times in pursuit of support. However, the process has been challenging, and she urgently requires financial assistance to undergo this life-changing surgery. We humbly ask for your support to help Leila access the surgery she desperately needs, so that the wound can close without complications. It is difficult for her to walk, and she is in pain. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is helping Leila receive treatment. On March 2nd, surgeons at their care center will perform a contracture release surgery. This surgery is crucial; it offers her the best chance at complete recovery, relief from chronic pain, and the ability to walk independently again. Now, AMH is requesting $1,239 to fund Leila's procedure. Leila says, "I came to Kapsowar with faith that I will be able to go home a better person with healing in Jesus' name. I have a family that is dependent on me, and it hurts as a mother being far away from home."

Htee is a 51-year-old man from Burma who currently lives in a refugee camp in Tak Province, Thailand. He lives with his wife, their three children, and his brother-in-law’s family. The family moved to the camp in September 2024 so that Htee could seek medical treatment in Thailand. His wife and brother-in-law work as agricultural day laborers, while Htee is unable to work due to his health condition. In June 2021, Htee began experiencing troubling symptoms. Doctors diagnosed him with urinary tract stones and prescribed oral medication, which helped improve his condition for a period of time. In August 2024, Htee's symptoms worsened. After several consultations and tests, doctors diagnosed him with a prostate urethral stone and recommended shockwave lithotripsy, a procedure that uses high-energy shock waves directed via X-ray or ultrasound to shatter kidney stones. Htee is scheduled to undergo treatment on February 2nd. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund this procedure. With treatment, Htee hopes to recover and regain his ability to support his family. “I feel helpless and unable to support my family,” said Htee. “My wife has to be the breadwinner in this family, which makes me very sad. We are struggling financially, and I can’t even send my children to school. I am grateful for the support with my treatment and hope to be free from this suffering.”

Lechisa is 22 years old and the oldest of four siblings from Ethiopia. His father passed away recently. Now, with three younger siblings and a grieving mother relying on him, he has been forced to assume the role of the father of the family. The heavy weight of his family’s future rests on the shoulders of this 22-year-old Grade 9 student. Though his overwhelming responsibilities have caused him to fall behind, he has courageously persisted in his education, repeatedly returning to school despite the pain and the aggressive work required to care for his younger siblings. He helps his mother on the farm to support the family. Four years ago, Lechisa started to experience swelling in his leg. It was causing pain and discomfort, making it difficult to walk. Following a consultation with our medical partner, Saglan Wajee General Hospital, doctors have recommended that Lechisa undergo a sequestrectomy, a surgical procedure involving the removal of fragments of infected, dead bone or tissue. If not treated, it can lead to recurrent infections that may result in life-threatening complications. Fortunately, on December 6th, Lechisa will undergo treatment, and he needs help to raise $900 to fund his procedure and care. Lechisa shared, "My future is filled with potential and many aspirations, yet this vision is brutally narrowed by my chronic pain. When it intensifies, pain is the only reality I can grasp. I long for liberation—to be pain-free, to continue my studies without interruption, and to reclaim the joy of living."

Valentina is a 14-month-old girl from Bolivia. She has five older siblings and loves to laugh and play with her family. Her father works as a driver, and her mother sells food. When she was a young baby, Valentina's parents noticed she was always agitated and couldn't breathe normally, so they took her to the doctor who diagnosed a heart condition called ventricular septal defect. This means there is a hole between the two lower chambers of her heart and blood leaks through this hole instead of circulating normally, leaving her weak and short of breath. Valentina also has Down syndrome. On December 3rd, Valentina will undergo heart surgery at our medical partner's care center, Hospital del Niño Dr. Ovidio Aliaga Uría. During surgery, surgeons will sew a patch over the hole in her heart so that blood will no longer leak through it. Valentina's family needs help to fund the costs of cardiac care and surgery. Our medical partner, International Cardiac Alliance, requests $1,500 to cover the cost of cardiac exams and diagnostics, surgical costs, follow-up care, and medications. Valentina's father said, "Valentina is a sweet little girl, we hope everything goes well, so she can have a healthy heart!"

Reynaldo is 50 years old and a driver from the Philippines. He and his wife have three children. He worked as a legislative staff for twenty years but had to retire due to his medical condition. He now drives for clients who hire him when they need him. However, due to his current health condition, he has stopped working for a month now. Six months ago, Reynaldo began to experience troubling symptoms, including severe abdominal pain that radiated to his back, legs, and feet. He also experienced a burning sensation from his stomach down to his feet. He was diagnosed with gallstones and has been advised to undergo a cholecystectomy, the surgical removal of the gallbladder. If left untreated, his symptoms will continue to worsen and put him at risk for further health complications in the future. After seeking treatment through our medical partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines (WSFP), Reynaldo is scheduled to undergo a cholecystectomy on October 12th. A portion of the cost of the procedure is being supported by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and WSFP is raising the remaining $1,031 to cover the cost of Reynaldo's surgery and care. Reynaldo shared, "I am very thankful to everyone who’s there to help me with my medical condition. I hope more individuals who cannot afford such medical expenses can also receive support."