Rickson is a four-year-old boy from Kenya. His mother is a stay-at-home mom, and his father is a teacher. Since birth, he has had difficulty perceiving sound. This has caused him to miss developmental milestones. Rickson has been diagnosed with hearing loss and requires hearing aids. If not treated, he will continue to have delayed speech development, and his social and academic performance will be impacted. Fortunately, Rickson is scheduled to receive his hearing aids on November 15. Our medical partner is requesting $929 to fund the devices. Rickson’s mother says, “I wish to see my son develop his speech and be able to attend a normal school."

Shama is a toddler from Haiti. She lives with her mother and father in a neighborhood of Port-au-Prince, and is their first child. She is getting ready to start preschool once her surgery is behind her. Shama has a cardiac condition called patent ductus arteriosus. A hole exists between two major blood vessels near the heart. Blood leaks through this hole, leaving her short of breath and causing heart failure. On October 7, she will undergo cardiac surgery at St. Damien Hospital, our medical partner's care center. During surgery, surgeons will tie off the hole so that blood can no longer flow through it. Another organization, Gift of Life International, is contributing $5,000 to pay for surgery. Shama's family also needs help to fund the costs of surgery prep. The $1,500 requested by our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, covers cardiac exams and medications. Her mother says, "I am very excited that my daughter can have this surgery and become normal!"