Meet Night, a jovial and playful five year old girl. Night lives with her parents and two younger siblings in a traditional home in Kenya. Her father works selling second hand clothing, while her mother stays home to take care of the children. Shortly after she was born, Night's parents realized that something seemed wrong. They brought Night to a health facility in Turkana County where they lived, and were referred on to BethanyKids Hospital. There she was diagnosed with hydrocephalus, which meant that fluid was collecting in her head. Surgery was performed, and a shunt was placed to continuously drain the fluid from Night's head. A year later, however, Night's head began to increase in size, and she developed weakness on the right side of her body. The doctors at the local health facility urged Night's parents to take her back to BethanyKids Hospital for additional treatment, but Night's parents didn't have enough money to do this. With the help of our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, Night is now scheduled to undergo a craniotomy on January 5th at BethanyKids Kijabe Hospital, when surgeons will drain excess fluids from Night's brain. Night's father is providing as much of a co-pay as possible for this procedure, but the family needs your help to raise the remaining $1,500 required to cover all of the costs of Night's surgery and care. Night’s father said: “Night is not able to communicate well because of her condition. This surgery will help her to be able to speak.”

Kaptuya is a widow and a happy mother of three sons and a daughter from the semi-arid area of Baringo County in Kenya. Her husband passed away some years back after a short illness. Kaptuya and her children live in a semi-permanent three room house on her late husband's piece of land in an area well known for insecurity and cattle rustling. During the rainy season, they plant maize and millet that sometimes yields enough for both her school-aged children, and for her to sell. Currently, the area is faced with drought and famine, so they depend on relief food from the government and from well-wishers due to the lack of rain experienced this year. Six months ago, Kaptuya applied for a job as a housekeeper at a nearby health center. She was happy knowing that she would earn some money, and that the facility would pay for her medical coverage, but unfortunately that did not happen. The salary was also inconsistent and, thus, unreliable. In 2013, when Kaptuya was expecting her last born, she developed a growth at her neck which gradually increased in size. Kaptuya began to experience troubling symptoms, including neck swelling, which is most visible on the right side. She currently experiences shortness of breath, especially at night, and she sleeps with difficulty. She also has a fast heart rate, and easily gets tired, which affects her daily duties. She was diagnosed with non-toxic goiter, or an irregular growth of the thyroid. She needs surgery to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Kaptuya receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on November 22nd. Surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. This procedure will cost $936, and she and her family need help raising money. Kaptuya says, “I am the only hope for my dear children. I live because of them, and my well-being keeps them going. I would like to get well so that I may continue working in order to support them to pursue their dreams. Please assist me.”

Nicholas is a 17-year-old high school student, who aspires to become a professional driver. He is the youngest of eight children, and lives with his family in Kenya. When he was young, Nicholas was hit by a bicycle. He was treated for his injuries, and sent home. Now, as a teenager, Nicholas finds his left knee bowing inwards, and knocking against his right leg, making it difficult for him to walk. Nicholas' parents brought him to a local, mobile clinic to be evaluated. As a result of the evaluation, and with the support of our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, Nicholas is scheduled for corrective surgery on November 14th, at AIC Cure International Hospital. After he has recovered, Nicholas should be able to walk comfortably again. Now his family needs your help to fund this procedure, which will cost $1,224. “I would be happy to see my leg straightened so that I can walk normally like my friends,” Nicholas shared with us.

Hebron is an adorable two-year-old baby boy. He is a charming boy who loves to play with his older sister. Hebron’s father is a teacher at a local college while Hebron's mother is a housewife. Despite working hard, it is difficult for Hebron’s father to make ends meet for their family. Hebron has been diagnosed with genu valgus, where his legs bow inward so that his knees touch. This condition is typically caused by an excessive accumulation of fluoride in the bones, which often stems from contaminated drinking water. As a result, he has difficulty walking and this worries his parents since his sister suffers the same condition. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $880 to fund corrective surgery for Hebron. The procedure is scheduled to take place on July 8th. Treatment will hopefully restore Hebron's mobility, allow him to participate in a variety of activities, and greatly decrease his risk of future complications. Hebron’s mother says, “Please help me, my children's legs are being deformed and we are worried."

Joshua is a 7-year-old student from Tanzania who is in grade two and enjoys Mathematics and English. He also loves to play soccer. He comes from a family of seven children. His hardworking mother practices small-scale farming, as well as livestock keeping, in order to support their family since she is the sole provider. Joshua has been diagnosed with bilateral genu valgus, a condition that causes his legs to bow outward. This condition is typically caused by an excessive accumulation of fluoride in the bones, which often stems from contaminated drinking water. As a result, he is unable to fully enjoy games and sports with his classmates and siblings. This condition has also affected his day-to-day activities around the house. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $880 to fund corrective surgery for Joshua. The procedure is scheduled to take place on August 9th. Treatment will hopefully restore Joshua's mobility, allow him to participate in a variety of activities, and greatly decrease his risk of future complications. Joshua's mother shares, "As a mother, seeing my son play and walk freely gives me joy, and that is what I desire."

Khamisi is a six-year-old boy from Tanzania who loves playing soccer and watching cartoons. He is the youngest in a family of four children. His mother operates a grocery shop in the local market, and his father is currently in search of a job. Khamisi was diagnosed with genu valgus, a condition that causes his right leg to bow inward and touch his left knee. This condition is typically caused by an excessive accumulation of fluoride in the bones, which often stems from contaminated drinking water. As a result, Khamisi cannot walk long distances and has difficulty running and playing. Because of this, he misses out on playing comfortably and confidently with other children his age. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $880 to fund corrective surgery for Khamisi. The procedure is scheduled to take place on August 9th. Treatment will hopefully restore Khamisi's mobility, allow him to participate in a variety of activities, and greatly decrease his risk of future complications. Khamisi's mother says, "On our way here, we were praying that he gets the treatment required for his leg to be normal."

Lenny is a beautiful eight-month-old baby girl from Haiti. She is a happy and bubbly girl who loves to smile and play with her mother! Lenny has been diagnosed with hydrocephalus, a condition in which excess cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the brain and increases intracranial pressure. As a result of her condition, Lenny has been experiencing an increasing head circumference. Without treatment, Lenny will experience severe physical and developmental delays. Our medical partner, Project Medishare, is requesting $957 to cover the cost of surgery for Lenny at Hospital Bernard Mevs, where she will receive treatment for her hydrocephalus. This is the only site in the whole country where this care is currently available. The procedure is scheduled to take place on July 5th. This critical treatment will place a shunt to drain the excess fluid from Lenny's brain to reduce intracranial pressure and greatly improve her quality of life. With proper treatment, Lenny will hopefully grow to be a strong, healthy young girl. Lenny's family expressed that they are hoping for a successful surgery that will help Lenny to grow and develop without complications.

Som is a 70-year-old retired rice farmer. She has one brother and one sister. Currently, Som lives with her sister and her niece. One year ago, Som developed a cataract in her right eye, causing her tearing and blurry vision. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, including colors and objects around her, so she is reluctant to go out on her own. When Som learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for four and a half hours to seek treatment. On June 8th, doctors at Kien Khleang Rehabilitation Centre will perform small incision cataract surgery, and implant an intraocular lens in her right eye. After her recovery, Som will be able to see clearly, and she will feel safe going places on her own. Children's Surgical Centre is seeking $253 to fund this procedure for Som. Som says: "I hope I will see well again so I can go places on my own and see things clearly."