Mwase is a farmer who lives with his wife and two children in Malawi. He spends his days working hard on his farm, so in his free time he enjoys just sitting and relaxing. Since November of last year, Mwase has been experiencing urinary difficulty. 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 Mwase's surgery. On March 21, 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, "This program is helping me very much and I really appreciate this help. Thank you!"

“Pan Thu first began showing cardiac disease symptoms when she was 3-years-old,” report our partners at Burma Border Projects. “Her mother noticed that Pan Thu became sweaty and experienced heart palpitations when she was playing. She is unable to pick up heavy objects and suffers from chest and joint pain.” Pan Thu is a gifted 15-year-old student who lives with her grandfather in Burma. Her parents divorced when she was young, and her grandfather takes care of Pan Thu while her mother travels for her work as a nurse. Her mother earns enough to pay for food and school expenses, but cannot afford surgery for Pan Thu’s heart condition. In spite of this, Pan Thu remains positive and dedicated to her studies. Doctors diagnosed Pan Thu with cardiac atrial septal defect, which means she has a hole in the wall between the upper chambers. Blood that doesn’t have enough oxygen can flow to her organs and tissues, which in turn don’t get the nutrients they need to function properly. For $1,500 we can fund complex cardiac surgery to repair the hole in Pan Thu’s heart. The Burma Border Projects team predicts that treatment will improve Pan Thu’s energy levels and that she will no longer experience heart palpitations and struggle to breathe. Pan Thu can then focus on her studies and pursue her dream of attending university to study foreign languages and eventually accomplish her dream of serving as a diplomat!

This is Rebecca, a one-year-old girl from Haiti! Rebecca is her father and mother’s first child, and her parents are both vendors at their local market. “Rebecca was born with a cardiac condition called ventricular septal defect,” our medical partner Haiti Cardiac Alliance (HCA) tells us. “A large hole exists between the two lower chambers (ventricles) of her heart. As a result, blood flows through this hole and back to her body without first passing through the lungs to obtain oxygen. This leaves her very weak and sickly, and would be fatal if not treated.” “She has been very sickly since birth, and has spent much of her life so far in and out of the hospital for cardiac complications and malnutrition related to her heart problem,” HCA continues. “It has been such a struggle to get Rebecca to feed and gain weight ever since she was born,” Rebecca’s mother tells us. “I hope that after her surgery she will get an appetite and start to grow!” For $1,500, we can support Rebecca by funding the overseas prep and transportation she needs to get to a hospital that can provide her surgery. The surgery will close the hole in Rebecca’s heart and hopefully enable her to lead a normal life.

“In order to reach the closest healthcare facility to get Chai examined, the family walked for six hours, took a five hour boat ride, followed by a five hour car ride,” explains our medical partner, Burma Border Projects (BBP). Chai is a three-month-old baby girl from Burma where she lives with her three siblings and parents. "When Chai was born, her parents were immediately concerned for her health due to her congenital growth between her eyes. Chair struggles with sleeplessness, is restless and fitful as a result," explains BBP. BBP diagnosed Chai with encephalocele, a neural tube defect where portions of the brain protrude out from a hole in the skull. Chai’s parents worry about their daughter’s condition and how they can manage her longterm treatment while also looking after their three young children and their farm. "Her mother hopes treatment will allow her daughter to live a happy and healthy life. When they return home, her mother anticipates her daughter will attend school when she is older," says BBP. Chai needs a surgery to remove the herniated sac and repair the opening in the skull, a $1.500 treatment. “The immediate impact of treatment includes a happier, healthier, and more rested Chai. This will allow her parents to return to their normal lives and work, with less worry about the future,” explains BBP. Let’s help Chai have a healthy infancy and send her on her way to a great life with her loving family!