Kyaw is a 5-year-old boy from Burma. He lives with his parents, grandmother, and older sister. Kyaw’s father supports the family as a Wi-Fi technician, while his mother and grandmother take care of the household. Recently, Kyaw started nursery school. During his free time, he likes to play football with his friends and ride his bicycle. In June 2023, while playing outside with his friends, Kyaw was accidentally hit by a friend and injured his left eye. Since then, Kyaw began to experience blurring and watering in his left eye, sensitivity to light, accompanied by pain, itching, and redness around the eye. These symptoms have made it increasingly difficult for him to see clearly. Kyaw was diagnosed with retinal detachment, a condition in which the retina pulls away from the supportive tissue in the eye, resulting in vision loss. If left untreated, he could lose his vision completely. Kyaw is scheduled to undergo surgery to reattach his retina on March 11th. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of his procedure and care. After his surgery, Kyaw's vision will hopefully be restored and he can resume his daily activities comfortably. Kyaw’s mother said, “I am very thankful to BCMF and their donors. It was very difficult to find an organization that would help with the cost of treatment. It is good to know I can depend on others for support like this, without you, it would be very difficult for me to help my son.”

Diana and her husband Isaya just had beautiful newborn twins! Their family lives in the Arusha region of Tanzania. Diana works in the home, managing the household and caring for their children, while Isaya works diligently on their farm to provide food. In addition to farming, Isaya seeks daily work to supplement their income. Since the babies have been born the family has been working hard to try to provide them with everything they need. Diana's newborn babies were born with clubfoot. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. This will cause difficulty walking and even wearing shoes throughout his life. Fortunately, their family traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, Kafika House. There, the team will begin clubfoot treatment on February 20th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $935 to fund their baby's clubfoot repair surgery. After treatment, his feet will grow straight to be able to walk easily and wear shoes. Diana Says, “I hope both my children will grow up with no disability.”

Marise is a 13-year-old student, living in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, with her parents and four siblings. Marise has a cardiac condition called congenital aortic valve stenosis. As a result of this condition, one of the four valves in Marise's heart is much narrower than it should be, making her heart strain to push blood through the valve. This leaves Marise weak, and unable to participate in physical activities. The care she needs is not available in Haiti so Marise will fly to the Dominican Republic, where on February 9th, she will undergo surgery at Hospital CEDIMAT, during which her valve will be repaired. While another organization is helping to support the cost of Marise's surgery, our medical partner, International Cardiac Alliance, is seeking $1,500 to cover her care costs including pre and post operative medical care, and travel expenses for Marise's family, and the social worker who will accompany them for her surgery. Marise shared: "I am looking forward to being able to stop worrying about my heart after surgery."

Innocent is an outgoing and hardworking lady, who is 49 years old. She and her husband and three school age children live in Uganda. Because Innocent was orphaned, she didn't have the opportunity to pursue her education beyond primary school. Today she farms, primarily to produce food crops for the family's consumption, while selling any surplus to help generate some income. Her husband is a builder, who is also engaged in farming. One year ago, Innocent began to experience troubling symptoms, including shortness of breath, difficulty in breathing, heart palpitations with high blood pressure, and fatigue on walking even a short distance. Due to limited finances, she tried using local herbs and traditional cutting, with the hope that she would improve, but nothing has worked to alleviate her symptoms. A friend with whom she shared her concerns referred Innocent to the hospital in Nyakibale, where tests and scans were performed. Innocent was diagnosed with bilateral goiter, which impacts the thyroid gland's production of hormones critical to Innocent's metabolism, growth, and other bodily functions. She needs surgery to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Innocent receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on December 28th at Karoli Lwanga Hospital, Nyakibale, during which surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. This procedure will cost $252, and Innocent and her family need your help to raise the money. Innocent says: “I believe with your support I will be able to be operated on and will finally be relieved from all these symptoms I’ve been having.”

Valentino is a preschooler from Bolivia who lives with his mother and four older brothers. He loves to watch cartoons and enjoys his mother's s cooking. However, it is difficult for him to gain weight. Valentino has a cardiac condition called ventricular septal defect. A hole exists between the two lower chambers of his heart; blood leaks through this hole without passing through the lungs to obtain oxygen, leaving him weak and short of breath. On April 16th, he will undergo cardiac surgery at our medical partner's care center, Hospital del Niño Dr. Ovidio Aliaga Uría. During surgery, surgeons will sew a patch over the hole in his heart so that blood can no longer leak through it. Our medical partner, International Cardiac Alliance, requests $1,500 for this procedure. Valentino's mother says, "Our family will be so much happier and less stressed once we know that our son is normal and healthy."

Pork is a 92-year-old retired rice farmer from Cambodia. He is married and has one son, two daughters, and ten grandchildren. He lives with his elderly wife and his youngest daughter, who is a rice farmer and financially supports them. At home, he likes listening to Buddhist prayers on the radio. Three years ago, Pork developed a cataract in his right eye, causing him to experience itchiness, tearing, and blurry vision. Pork describes it as if there is a film covering his eye. This condition makes it difficult to see any small details clearly, and he is unable to help around the house, which causes him sadness as he considers it part of his responsibility to help as the head of his family. Overall, Pork has difficulty seeing things clearly, including colors and faces, and is worried about falling when walking, so he cannot go out on his own. When Pork learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), he traveled for three hours seeking treatment. On November 1st, doctors will perform a small incision cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in his right eye. After recovery, he will be able to see clearly. CSC is requesting $253 to fund this procedure. Pork said: "I hope, after surgery, both eyes can see better. I hope to recognize relatives, help my wife in the house, and eat and drink well."

Seng Toek lives in a rural village in Kampong Cham province, with his wife and two daughters, ages seven and one. At home, he likes to grow local vegetables to support their life together. Recently while collecting coconuts for food, a large one fell on his right shoulder. Despite being unable to use his shoulder or arm after the incident, he did not immediately seek healthcare because he could not afford it. Seng Toek is in constant pain and worried that he cannot support his family if he cannot work. A villager told him about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, where disabled Cambodians can receive healthcare. Seng Toek traveled for three hours to receive help for his shoulder and arm where surgeons told him he has a dislocated shoulder - this is an injury in which the upper arm bone pops out of the cup-shaped socket that's part of the shoulder blade. Seng Toek requires surgery to put the ball of his upper arm back into the socket and needs help to pay for the $485. This will cover all tests, surgery, post-operative care, and rehabilitation for his arm. Seng Toek said: "After surgery, I hope that I can work again and won’t have pain."

Thin is a 12-year-old girl from Burma. She lives in a village in Myawaddy Township which is in Karen State on the border of Burma and Thailand. Thin lives with her mother and elder brother. She is a fourth grader but due to her health deteriorating, she stopped attending school one month ago. Thin enjoys dancing and watching Burmese traditional dance videos when she has free time. In 2019, Thin began to experience troubling symptoms, including dull pain on the right side of her abdomen accompanied by occasional vomiting, fever, and other worrying symptoms. Following an MRI scan, the doctor diagnosed her with multiple cysts and a common bile duct (CBD) obstruction. Thin has been advised to undergo a cholecystectomy, the surgical removal of the gallbladder. If left untreated, her symptoms will continue to worsen and put her at risk for further health complications in the future. After seeking treatment through our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF), Thin is scheduled to undergo her cholecystectomy on February 13th. BCMF is requesting $1,500 to cover the cost of Thin's procedure and care. Thin said, "I am working hard to excel in my studies and regain my health. Once I am back on my feet, I aspire to become a schoolteacher."

Nak is a 48-year-old rice farmer in Kampot province from Cambodia. He is married and has two sons and a daughter. They are all farmers who grow rice, except his daughter who is employed at a nearby clothes factory. Since Nak works hard all day on the farm with his family, he does not have much leisure time. At the end of a long day, he and his wife share chores of cooking and cleaning their simple home. Last month, Nak collided with a cow on his motorbike and fractured his right femur (thigh bone). He visited a local clinic but could not afford the care, so a Khmer traditional healer placed a splint on his broken leg. However, his broken bone does not have adequate stability or blood supply and has failed to heal, known as a nonunion. It is difficult for him to walk or work outside, and he is in chronic pain. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner Children's Surgical Centre (CSC) can help. On August 4th, Nak will undergo a fracture repair procedure, where doctors will stabilize the broken bone so it can heal properly. This procedure will help him walk again. Nak is able to contribute $100 towards the cost of the surgery and needs help raising the remaining $483 to fully fund the procedure. Nake shared, "I wish to walk without help and be pain-free after surgery."

Daw Khin is a widow who lives with her three children in Yangon, Burma. She now stays at home and her elder son is often sick and unable to work. Her younger son is a day laborer, and her youngest daughter is a salesperson. The income they earn is only enough for daily expenses, and there is no extra money for basic healthcare. In March, Daw Khin began experiencing blurry vision and difficulty seeing clearly with her left eye. Despite the absence of pain or discharge from both eyes, she could not seek medical attention due to financial constraints. As her vision deteriorated, she acquired some funds from her children and visited an ophthalmologist at KBC Hospital on June 5th. The doctor diagnosed her with glaucoma in both eyes and emphasized the urgent need for eye surgery in her left eye to prevent blindness. Fortunately, Daw Khin contacted a monk from Kyaung Gyi Parahita Monastery in Yangon, who referred her to the Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF). Now, Daw Khin seeks assistance to raise the required $769 for the procedure, significantly improving her quality of life and restoring her confidence. Currently, she cannot read books, watch TV, or walk alone as she cannot see her surroundings. She and her family are apprehensive about her eye condition and are afraid of her becoming blind and depressed about not having enough money for further treatment. Daw Khin said, "I am thankful for the support from donors and BCMF for my eye operation's cost. If there is no BCMF and donors, I will be blinded, and there is no hope for me to regain my vision. I can't thank you enough for helping me, and I pray the organization will be more successful in the future."

Nekanisa is a jovial and social 11-year-old girl. She attends Marlal primary school in Kenya and loves reading and playing with her friends. She aspires to become a nurse in the future and help hospital patients. Nekanisa is the child of a single mother, who depends upon farming to earn a living. Nekanisa was healthy at birth. However, about one year ago, she developed a problem with her leg that led to the contortion of her right knee, greatly affecting her mobility. Nekanisa visited Loitoktok General Hospital in Kajiado County for review, but due to financial challenges, she was discharged before she could be treated. As she walks with a lot of discomfort and is unable to run, Nekanisa sought help from our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation. She is now scheduled to undergo a distal femur osteotomy on May 8th at AIC Cure International Hospital. She needs your help to fund this $1,224 procedure, which will enable her to walk pain-free. “I am requesting support from the donors to help me undergo surgery so that my foot can be corrected and I can resume my usual walking style,” Nekanisa told us.

Natasha Joy is a jovial six-year-old only girl living in Kenya. She is a grade 2 student and has several hobbies that she shared with us, including singing, praying, and cooking. Natasha was a healthy child at birth. However, when she turned three, her grandmother noticed that she had an unusual gait when she walked. She hoped that the condition would simply correct itself. Unfortunately, Natasha's situation has deteriorated, greatly affecting her mobility. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is seeking $1,224 to fund a surgery called an open reduction femur shortening osteotomy, which is scheduled for April 18th, at AIC Cure International Hospital. This treatment will greatly improve Natasha's mobility and allow her to play with other children and continue with her education. “I will be grateful to see my grandchild walking normally like other children with your support,” Natasha’s grandmother told us.