Michael Anthony is a single father who lives with his sister who supports him and his child. He used to work as a host for events but had to stop because of his symptoms. Michael Anthony needs to undergo a hernia repair procedure to relieve him of the discomfort and pain he currently experiences. Our medical partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines, has scheduled his surgery for June 14th and needs help to raise $1,265 to fund this procedure. Michael Anthony shares, "I want to help his sister in our household expenses and fully support my child. I am grateful to everyone behind this initiative. Once completed, this will greatly affect my life and my family's life so I am very grateful to all of you."

Kwangu is a farmer and a single mother of three adult children. She enjoys taking care of her grandchild and eating maize porridge with vegetables prepared with groundnut flour. Kwangu was diagnosed with a goiter, which was affecting her movement, daily activities, and health. She was referred to Partners in Hope Medical Center where she was told she needed a thyroidectomy, a procedure where surgeons remove a part or all of the thyroid glands. She is scheduled for surgery on February 27th and our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare is requesting $1,015 for the procedure. Kwangu believes that the surgical operation will help her get back home and be with her children. She looks forward to getting better after surgery so she can continue her farm work and support her family as a single parent.

Saw Ta is a 36-year-old farmer who lives with his wife and eight children in a village in Karen State, Burma. Saw Ta plants chili and cardamom and volunteers as a community development worker in his area. The family also raises chickens, goats, and pigs. Saw Ta has a heart condition that requires the replacement of the aortic and mitral heart valves and the repair of the tricuspid valve. These valves control the blood flow between the chambers of the heart and are necessary to prevent long-term damage to the heart and lungs. Saw Ta gets tired easily and experiences heart palpitations when he is working, requiring him to take frequent periods of rest. As he cannot work long hours on the farm, he stays home to take care of his children while his wife goes out to work. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 for the complex surgery that Saw Ta's condition requires. The procedure is scheduled to take place at Kasemrad Prachachuen Hospital on April 10th, and once completed, will hopefully allow Saw Ta to live a fuller and healthier life. Saw Ta said: "After treatment, I will go back to help my wife on the farm, and also continue to volunteer in my community. Now, because of my heart condition, my wife has to do all the work at home and I feel sorry for her."

Hassan is an only child whose parents separated before he was born. Prior to his birth, Hassan's mother worked alongside his grandmother, doing farm work to earn income. After Hassan was born, his mother had to stop working so she could take care of him. Hassan was diagnosed with spina bifida at birth, a condition that occurs when a developing baby's spinal cord fails to develop or close properly while in the womb. Hassan had a swelling on his back that was open and leaking. He was admitted in hospital for a few days while his mother was taught how to dress the wound. An MRI and a CT scan were done and he was scheduled for surgery weeks later. While home, his mother continued with the wound dressings as instructed until the leaking stopped. During one of the post-natal clinics, Hassan and his mother were referred to our medical partner's care center, BethanyKids, for treatment. Upon arrival at BethanyKids, Hassan was examined and was additionally diagnosed with hydrocephalus, a build up of fluids in the brain. He was then scheduled for a spina bifida repair surgery, and the mother was told that once he recovered, he would be scheduled for a shunt insertion surgery. Due to financial challenges and a loss of income for Hassan's mother, the family is unable to meet the medical expenses. Without treatment, Hassan is at risk of lower-limb paralysis, infection of the exposed nervous tissue, development of tethered cord syndrome, and possible developmental delays. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Hassan receive treatment. On March 15th, surgeons at BethanyKids will conduct a spina bifida closure surgery to promote Hassan's healthy growth and development. Now, Hassan's family needs help to fund this $1,151 procedure. Hassan’s mother says, “A while back, I had already given up on Hassan's treatment. Because the community had never seen such a condition, I was told that I would always get children who have different medical conditions. After coming to this facility, I realized that this was not the case. My hopes were raised again and now I’m looking forward to the best outcome in Hassan’s treatment.”

Christopher, who is 12 years old, lives with his parents and three siblings in a small fishing village in southwest Haiti. As a young child, Christopher suffered from a bout of rheumatic fever, which severely damaged one of his heart valves. As a result, it is difficult for his heart to efficiently pump blood through his body. The Gift of Life International will be subsidizing Christopher's heart surgery, which is scheduled to take place on February 5th, at Welcare Hospital. During this procedure, surgeons will remove the damaged valve, and implant an artificial replacement. Our medical partner, International Cardiac Alliance, is requesting $1,500 to fund the preoperative testing that Christopher will need, his post-operative care, and the travel expenses for Christopher and his family. Christopher shared: "I am very excited to have a healthy heart after waiting for so long!"

Sandi is a young monk from Burma. He lives alongside his fellow novices and monks in a monastery. As a novice, Sandi does not have a personal income, but his family support him and the monastery provides him with food and shelter. In his free time, Sandi enjoys listening to the Dhamma. In February 2022, Sandi began experiencing blurred vision in both eyes. A CT scan revealed a cystic lesion in his brain, indicating a fluid-filled tumor, craniopharyngioma. Sandi experiences significant blurred vision in both eyes, occasional headaches and dizziness, and pain at the nape of his neck. Due to his poor vision, he cannot read books and cannot walk without assistance. Sandi sought treatment through our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund. He is now scheduled to undergo mass removal surgery on January 10th. Our partner is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of his procedure and care. Sandi said, "I want to express my gratitude to BCMF and donors for helping me. I would love to request continued assistance throughout my entire treatment. My desire is to fully recover my vision. Once I recover, I aspire to dedicate myself to studying and trying to become a monk."

Nwe is a 44-year-old woman from Thailand. She lives with her husband, and they both work as migrant school teachers. During her free time, Nwe enjoys watching movies on her phone. Nwe was diagnosed with a heart condition that requires valve replacement. Valves control the flow of blood between the chambers of the heart, but certain conditions may narrow the heart valve or cause the blood to flow backwards. Normal valve function is necessary to prevent long term damage to the heart and lungs. Nwe experiences rapid heartbeat, fatigue, and difficulty breathing. This prevents her from engaging in physical activities. Nwe is scheduled to undergo a valve replacement surgery on December 13th. Our medical partner Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF) is requesting $1,500 to fund her procedure and care. Once completed, Nwe will be able to live more comfortably. Nwe said, "I can’t sleep at night because I am worried about paying for my surgery because I don't have enough money. I feel very sad because I cannot help my husband with the household chores, and I can’t teach my students since my condition has worsened. However, I'm very happy and I feel relieved now. I would love to say thank you to BCMF and donors for giving me a chance to recover."

Felix is a young man from Haiti. Felix lives with his parents, older sister, and younger brother in a neighborhood of Port-au-Prince. His father is a maintenance worker at a local hospital, and his mother is a market vendor. He attends high school and would like to become a teacher. Felix has a cardiac condition called rheumatic mitral stenosis. One of the four valves in his heart is severely damaged as the result of an infection he suffered earlier in childhood. As a result, his heart cannot adequately pump blood through his body, leaving him weak and short of breath. Felix now has the opportunity to fly to United States to receive treatment as the care he needs is not available anywhere in Haiti right now. On October 21st, he will undergo cardiac surgery, during which surgeons will remove Felix's damaged valve and implant an artificial replacement. Another organization, Baylor Scott and White Heart Hospital, is contributing $26,000 to pay for surgery, but Felix's family also needs help to fund the costs of surgery prep and follow up. The $1,500 bill covers labs, medicines, and checkup and followup appointments. It also supports passport obtainment and the social workers from our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, who will accompany Felix's family overseas. Felix is excited for the future, and says "I am looking forward to being able to re-enroll in school once I have recovered from my surgery."

Simeona is a 65-year-old woman, living in the Philippines. She lives alone, and works selling clothing outside of the church. While she has two adult children, they have families of their own, and Simeona is determined to be financially independent, even as there are many days when she doesn't earn very much. Three years ago, Simeona began to experience stomach aches that would radiate to her back. These symptoms made it difficult for her to take care of her daily chores, and as she lives alone, there was no one to help her. It was determined that Simeona needs to have her gallbladder removed, in order to alleviate her symptoms, and to ensure that she does not experience further health complications. While a portion of Simeona's surgical procedure is being covered by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, our medical partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines, is seeking $1,128 to cover the remainder of what is needed for Simeona's cholecystectomy, which is scheduled for October 18th, at Our Lady of Peace Hospital. Simeona said: "It is a significant help for me to receive medical treatment without any expenses. Even if I sell clothes everyday for the rest of my life, I would have never earned the money needed for this treatment. So, thank you very much to all the donors who will make this surgery possible for me."