Nidhi is a 16-year-old girl from India. She lives in Mirzamurad, a village near Varanasi in northern India. She lives with her parents, two sisters, and a brother. Her father works as a halwai, preparing traditional Indian sweets to support the family. Nidhi is currently in the 9th grade and loves dancing. When she was just 2½ years old, Nidhi accidentally fell into a container of hot sugar syrup being used to make gulab jamuns, a sweet dessert. She sustained severe burns to her right chest and arm. Although she received wound care at the time, her family was unable to access reconstructive surgery. As Nidhi grew, the burn scars tightened and developed into contractures, affecting her right breast and elbow. These scars have restricted movement and altered her appearance during adolescence, a time when many young people become increasingly aware of their bodies and self-image. Nidhi's family learned about our medical partner, G.S. Memorial Plastic Surgery Hospital and Trauma Center, and sought treatment. On June 19th, specialty surgeons will perform a burn contracture release surgery to help release the tight burn scars on Nidhi’s right chest and elbow, improving both movement and comfort. The procedure is expected to increase the range of motion in her arm, making everyday activities such as dressing, writing, carrying schoolbooks, and participating in household tasks easier. The surgery will also address the contracture affecting her right breast, allowing for more normal development and reducing the physical discomfort and asymmetry caused by the scar tissue. By reducing the limitations caused by her burn scars, the surgery will allow Nidhi to participate more freely in school, social activities, and her favourite hobby, dancing. Now, she needs help to fund this $1,442 procedure. Nidhi shared, "I hope this treatment will make everyday activities easier for me."

Seven-year-old Bontu lives with her parents in Ethiopia. As an only child, she is the light of her parent's life, and they would do anything for her. About two years ago, Bontu began experiencing fevers, pain, difficulty in swallowing and snoring. Since then, she is often unwell, and her mother constantly needs to stay with her, forgoing the chance to work and to earn money. Bontu's father works long hours as a manual laborer, trying to earn enough to sustain his family. Bontu has been diagnosed with enlarged tonsils, and she needs surgery to treat her condition. Our medical partner, Saglan Wajee General Hospital, is requesting $700 to fund a tonsillectomy for Bontu, which is scheduled to take place on February 11th. Surgeons will remove her tonsils, hopefully relieving Bontu of her symptoms, and helping her to live more comfortably. "We are so excited for this opportunity that will have our daughter attend school every single day, and play happily with her friends. Our hearts long to see her run and laugh without that constant, heavy exhaustion that has kept her so lonely and isolated for so long," said Bontu's parents.

Isabel is a one-month-old baby girl who lives in Bolivia with her mother, a homemaker and former biochemical pharmacology student. Shortly after Isabel was born, doctors found fluid in her lungs and diagnosed her with a congenital heart condition called a ventricular septal defect (VSD). A VSD is a hole between the two lower chambers of the heart that causes blood to leak as the heart pumps. Isabel's condition prevents blood from circulating in her body normally, leaving her weak and short of breath. She has been hospitalized since her diagnosis. On March 24th, Isabel will undergo cardiac surgery at our medical partner's care center, Hospital del Niño Dr. Ovidio Aliaga Uría. During surgery, a patch will be sewn over the hole in her heart so that blood can no longer leak through. Isabel's family needs $1,500 to help cover the cost of her treatment. Our medical partner, International Cardiac Alliance, will need the funds to cover the cost of cardiac exams and diagnostics, surgery, follow-up care, and medications. Isabel's mother said, "I pray my daughter improves so she can gain weight and become healthy!"

Gilbert is 65 years old and a retired secondary school teacher from Malawi. He is married and a father of five children. His wife is a farmer. Six years ago, Gilbert began to experience troubling symptoms, including a small swelling on his neck. He visited the hospital, where he was diagnosed with recurrent follicular neoplasia of the thyroid. His medical history shows that he previously had a goiter in 1978, which was surgically removed, and he remained well afterwards. In 2023, Gilbert's condition worsened. After several tests, he was then started on chemotherapy for follicular thyroid disease and completed six cycles. He was referred to our medical partner's care center, Partners in Hope Medical Center, for surgery and specialized care. He was diagnosed with a goiter, which is an abnormal swelling of the thyroid gland. The thyroid is the gland located in front of your neck and produces thyroid hormones. These hormones are responsible for functions such as metabolism, growth, and other bodily functions. He needs surgery to prevent his symptoms from getting worse. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Gilbert receive treatment. He is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on February 7th. Surgeons will remove all or part of his thyroid gland. This procedure will cost $1,015, and he and his family need help raising money. Gilbert shared, "My condition has brought in more pain to my retirement life, ending up draining all my resources on hospital support; kindly help me to get better and get away with the stigma around me, said Gilbert during assessment."

Yonas is a quiet and shy 10-year-old from Ethiopia who loves playing football, making handmade crafts, and helping his mother around the house. Yonas lives with his parents and his youngest cousin. His mother is a teacher at a government school, and his father is a security guard at a bank, though he will be stopping work this month. Together, his parents work hard to support the family and meet their basic needs. Most of their income is spent on food, making it challenging to afford medical bills and medication. Yonas was born with hypospadias, a condition that causes urinary dysfunction. His mother was unable to find a health center to address his needs and was advised by relatives to leave the condition as it was. However, when Yonas was four years old, another relative noticed the condition and informed his mother that the symptoms were unusual. Distressed for her son and fearful of the stigma associated with this condition, she felt overwhelmed and hopeless. After moving to Addis Ababa, Yonas's mother took him to a hospital, where they were referred to a pediatric specialty hospital. The doctor reassured her that surgical intervention could correct the condition, which gave her hope; however, they were also informed that there was a waiting list for the surgery. Yonas's mother continued to worry whenever he fell ill, fearing it might be related to his condition. After waiting five months, she finally received a call from the referral hospital informing her that Yonas had been referred to our medical partner's hospital, BKMCM Hospital. Fortunately, Yonas will undergo corrective surgery on January 15th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,293 to cover the cost of his procedure and care. Without treatment, he will continue to experience uncomfortable symptoms and will be at risk of future complications. Yonas's mom said, "I wish my child could be as healthy as other children and safely complete his surgery. I long for the day when we can put this ordeal behind us."

Catherine is a 37-year-old mother of five children in Kenya. Her husband, the family's sole breadwinner, runs a small electronics repair shop. His income supports the family's basic needs and the children's education. Catherine was in good health until four months ago, when she began experiencing persistent headaches that did not subside. She initially took pain medication, but when the pain failed to improve, she sought medical attention. Further medical scans revealed a brain tumor accompanied by fluid buildup, which was responsible for her severe and continuous migraines. Two months later, Catherine’s condition had significantly worsened. She was no longer able to walk independently, and her body gradually became paralyzed. She lost the ability to speak and is now confined to a chair, fully dependent on her husband and children for feeding and movement from one place to another. She underwent a surgical procedure to drain the fluid from her brain and was later referred to our medical partner's care center, AIC Kijabe Hospital this month, for specialized care. Catherine now urgently requires a craniotomy to resect the brain tumor to prevent further neurological damage and deterioration of her condition. Since the onset of her illness in August, the family has endured immense emotional and financial strain. Despite multiple treatments, Catherine has not shown significant improvement. Her health insurance coverage has been exhausted, and the family is unable to raise the funds required for the surgery. Catherine’s family is seeking support to enable her to undergo the needed surgery and begin her journey toward recovery. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Catherine receive treatment. On October 18th, she will undergo a craniotomy at AIC Kijabe Hospital. Now, Catherine's family needs help to fund this $1,500 procedure. Catherine’s daughter says, “Watching our mum go through this has been incredibly painful. We are doing everything we can for her and hold on to hope that she will recover.”

Toe is a retired 68-year-old man from Burma. He lives with his wife, two sons, his daughter-in-law, and his grandson in the refugee camp in Sob Moei District, Mae Hong Son Province, Thailand. One of Toe's sons is enrolled in school, and his daughter-in-law works as a nutritionist in a hospital in the camp. The family also receives monthly cash support from a charity at the camp. In 2022, Toe began suffering from burning and aching pain caused by an irreducible inguinal hernia. His hernia has grown larger and become increasingly painful. Now, Toe needs surgery to live more comfortably and regain his quality of life. Fortunately, on November 10th, Toe will undergo hernia repair surgery at Mae Sariang Hospital, our medical partner's care center. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,468 to fund the procedure. Toe shared, “I would like my discomfort to disappear. I cannot do whatever I want to do, and I cannot walk properly.”