Kamaganju is small-scale farmer from Uganda. She is a mother to 8 children. Her husband is also a small-scale farmer and together they work to pay for their children's school fees. For the last 10 years, Kamaganju has been experiencing lower abdominal pain. She has been diagnosed with chronic pelvic inflammatory disease. She needs to undergo a hysterectomy, a procedure in which surgeons will remove her uterus. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $228 to fund Kamaganju's surgery. On July 21st, she will undergo gynecological surgery at our medical partner's care center. Once recovered, Kamaganju will be able to resume her daily activities free of pain and her quality of life will improve. Kamaganju shared, “I am in severe pain, I am helpless. My husband and I have lost hope because we cannot afford the surgery charges. After the surgery, I believe I will be able to work harder through farming to be able to sustain myself and my entire family.”

Staniel is a 56-year-old father of seven. He works as a groundnut and maize farmer to support his family in Malawi. He has been experiencing symptoms related to his enlarged prostate for two years, but has been unable to access surgical treatment until now. For $742 our medical partner, World Altering Medicine (WAM), will be able to perform a surgery to remove part of Staniel's prostate gland. This will help treat some of Staniel's symptoms and allow for a better flow of the urinary tract. His symptoms have prevented him from being able to accomplish some of his farming tasks, and he is excited to return to his work. "I am happy I can receive the operation, and feel like I can have a healthy life now," shared Staniel.

Sotherith is a 19-year old-girl who lives with her parents in Cambodia. She stopped going to school after first grade. She has three sisters, and is the youngest in her family. She enjoys watching TV and listening to music. Sotherith began experiencing hearing loss and discharge from her right ear two years ago due to a cholesteatoma in her right ear. This causes her recurrent ear discharge, hearing loss, and pain. "I am unhappy that I have right ear pain and it is difficult for me to communicate with other people. I cannot go to school," Sotherith shared with our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC). Sotherith traveled to CSC with her mother seeking treatment. $809 will fund the mastoidectomy she needs to eliminate pain and restore her hearing. After a mastoidectomy surgery, Sotherith's cholesteatoma will be removed. "I hope after the operation is done, my daughter can have good hearing and health," her mother shared.

Meet Layoni, a two-year-old boy from Tanzania. Our medical partner, African Mission Health Foundation (AMHF), tells us that Layoni was born to a large, loving family. His parents are both small scale farmers and tend a few livestock to support their five children. "Layoni was born with multiple deformities; Spina bifida, hydrocephalus and bilateral clubfoot," AMHF tells us. His neural tube defects were addressed with surgery when he was young, and he is doing much better because he received the medical treatment he needed at the time. "He likes to crawl and sit together with other children drawing on the ground," shares AMHF. He is getting eager to stand and walk, but with clubfeet, a musculoskeletal malformation where the feet are twisted out of shape, his feet and ankles are unable to support weight. With $1160, Layoni will receive surgery, stretching, and casting to reshape and strengthen his muscles. AMHF will provide a surgeon and hospital respite for his recovery, so that Layoni will be able to run around and play with other children. "I hope my grandson will one day be able to walk," Layoni's grandmother shared in their pre-operative interview with AMHF. With our help, Layoni will be able to walk normally.

Darline is a 15-year-old student living in Haiti with her older sister’s family. Her sister is her primary caregiver. Darlene likes to listen to music and cook, and enjoys writing and drawing at school. Darlene has not gone to school for the past two years due to heart disease. Darline was diagnosed with a condition called severe mitral regurgitation, the result of an illness she suffered earlier in childhood. Her mitral valve does not function properly, allowing the abnormal leaking of blood backwards from the left ventricle, through the mitral valve, into the left atrium. People with mitral regurgitation often have symptoms of congestive heart failure, such as shortness of breath, pulmonary edema, painful breathing, fatigue, and swelling of the legs. "If left untreated, the condition could be fatal," shares our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance (HCA). Darline needs surgical intervention to repair or replace her mitral valve. However, this surgery is not safe to attempt in Haiti. HCA works to maintain a network of overseas referral hospitals in the United States, Canada, and elsewhere that are capable of accepting cases too complex to be attempted in-country. They organize not only the cost of the surgery, but also host family stay, airline fees, food, and travel insurance for the patient and parents for the duration of the medical care. Through HCA, $5,000 of the total cost has been subsidized by the Health City Cayman Islands, a medically advanced tertiary hospital located in Grand Cayman. HCA tells us that Charles’s family needs an additional $1,500 to complete payment for his surgery and stay abroad. Afterwards, Darline will have near-normal heart function with few to no cardiac symptoms. "I am a little bit afraid of having surgery but I know it will help me get better,” Darline shares. “I will be glad when it is over!"

Rorng, a 37-year-old woman, works as a farmer in Cambodia. She is married with one son and one daughter, and “in her free time she cooks for her family, watches Khmer movies on TV, and listens to Khmer traditional music,” shares our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC). In August of 2015, Rorng was in a moto accident and fractured her left ankle. “She received Khmer traditional medicine treatment in the province but her ankle did not improve,” continues CSC. Rorng is in pain whenever she tries to walk. After traveling three hours with her husband to reach CSC, Rorng was told that she will need an open reduction internal fixation surgery, a procedure that will reset the bone and ensure that it heals properly. The surgery will cost $405 and includes post-operational care. “After surgery, Rorng will be able to walk again without pain. Her left ankle will be healed and she can return home to work on the farm," CSC shares. “I hope after surgery I can walk properly again,” says Rorng. “I will go back home and work to support my family.”

“I just want to have a healthy baby,” says the mother of Marvin, a two-month-old baby boy who lives with his parents and six siblings in Guatemala. “Marvin has no access to breast milk or formula. His mother says that after having six children over 17 years, she simply does not have enough breast milk left," says our medical partner, Wuqu’ Kawoq (WK). "Marvin is always crying because he is hungry.” Because of this lactational failure, Marvin has limited access to nutritious food, which has impeded his development. "Marvin is very underweight for his age, and his height is far below the average as well," WK says. Marvin's father works as a day laborer, and doesn't earn enough to afford formula. Without intervention, Marvin is not only at risk for acute malnutrition, but also starvation. For $1,016, Marvin can receive treatment to avoid the adverse effects of lactation failure. “This treatment will supply Marvin with the formula he needs to grow and develop well, both mentally and physically,” WK explains. WK also has a program for his mother in order to ensure that this treatment will produce long term improvements. "His mother will receive education on how to prepare the formula, and our staff will help her prepare for when he starts to make the transition to solid food in a few months," WK adds. "All in all, this treatment will save Marvin’s life and help him get his health back on track.”

Three-year-old Neymarah lives in Haiti with her mother, who works as a tailor, and her grandmother. She likes to help her mother prepare the fabric for the school uniforms that she makes. Our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance (HCA), tells us, “Neymarah was born with a condition called complete atrioventricular canal defect, in which blood mixes between all four chambers of the heart without fully obtaining oxygen. This leaves her weak and out of breath and would eventually be fatal.” Neymarah needs surgery to create two functioning valves between the upper and lower chambers on both sides of the heart and to place patches over the existing defects (holes). “Following surgery,” says HCA, “Neymarah should have normal circulation restored to her heart. She should not need further surgery in the future.” For $1500, HCA will provide the overseas preparation and transportation required for Neymarah’s surgery. MECENAT is donating $5000 to cover the remaining treatment costs. Neymarah is excited to start preschool after surgery. Her mother shares, "I want Neymarah to be able to walk to and from school like the other children."

“What I wish the most is for my baby to be able to walk,” says Aisha’s mother. Aisha is a cheerful 16-month old baby girl who lives in Tanzania with her parents and two siblings. Her father is the sole provider for their family, and relies on selling used clothing for an income. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF), tells us that Aisha’s parents began noticing abnormalities with her head when she was three months old. She was later diagnosed with hydrocephalus, swelling of the head that is caused by a buildup of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in the brain. Aisha’s head has become so swollen that the weight of it prevents her from walking. If left untreated, Aisha may also lose her vision. For $775, Aisha will receive hydrocephalus surgery to drain the CSF in her brain and prevent future swelling. The cost also includes includes surgical expenses, medication, a five day stay at the hospital, and a two week stay at a rehabilitation center. AMHF shares that after surgery, “Aisha’s head will be lighter allowing her body to support the head giving her the balance to walk. She will also be out of the risk of losing her eyesight.”

Meet Timothe, a three-year-old boy from Haiti. Timothe lives with his parents and five siblings. Timothe has a congenital neurological condition called hydrocephalus, which causes excess cerebrospinal fluid to build up in his brain. According to our medical partner, Project Medishare (PM), Timothe’s head first began to swell a month after he was born. “The situation of my son affects me very badly,” shares Timothe’s father. “The other kids of his age are now going to school while my son cannot even sit to carry his own head. This makes me very sad.” If untreated, hydrocephalus can lead to long-term health complications, including delayed mental development. For $1,260, Timothe will receive brain surgery to treat his hydrocephalus. A shunt will be inserted into his head, draining the excess fluid and releasing the intracranial pressure from his brain. Timothe’s mother works as a saleswoman while his father teaches at the local school. Together, they produce a modest income that is not enough to cover the cost of Timothe’s medical expenses. “I will be very excited to see my son doing well after the surgery,” Timothe’s father tells us. “I just want him to be healthy.”

Meet Eunice, she is a 33-year-old woman who lives in Kenya with her husband and their two children. "Eunice had been selling vegetables at her home until April 2015, when she was hit by a motorbike as she walked home," our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF), shares. She fractured the tibia bone in her left leg. AMHF continues, "Eunice has [an] inability to use the left leg and is in pain. If not treated, the bones may remain separated leading to mal union. The dislodged plate may affect other tissues and Eunice may become disabled." $1,125 in funding will provide Eunice with open-reduction internal fixation surgery. This procedure corrects a severe, misaligned fracture where the two ends of broken bone are far apart. After the surgery, AMHF expects "the bones will unite. After Eunice is fully recovered, she will be able to walk again. Eunice will be able to work and provide for her family." Eunice shares, "I am suffering a lot and I don’t know what to do. I was hoping to get well and expand my small business. Now, my only wish is to be well so that I can be able to walk again.'' Let's help Eunice get the surgery she needs!

Meet Chan! Chan is 39 years old and lives with his wife and son in Cambodia. Our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Center (CSC), tells us that Chan enjoys watching TV and listening to classic Khmer songs. “About a month ago, Chan was in a moto-on-moto accident,” CSC reports. “It left him with a broken patella. Now, bending his leg causes excruciating pain, making it impossible for him to walk and unable to work to help support his family.” When Chan was injured, he knew he could not afford the care he needed from a hospital so his injury has gone untreated. Now, he has travelled for four hours to CSC to seek care. Doctors at CSC can repair Chan’s broken knee with our help. In a procedure called an open reduction internal fixation, doctors will realign the bone fracture into the normal position. Then, doctors will use plates and screws to keep the bone stable to ensure that the bones heal in place. $405 in Watsi funding will cover Chan’s surgical costs, physiotherapy, and follow up appointments to ensure that the patella is healing properly. After the surgery and physiotherapy, Chan will be able to walk without pain. This will allow him to return to work and continue to earn money to support his family. Let’s help Chan get the care he needs to live without pain!