Dachena is a student from Haiti. She lives with her parents, grandparents, and siblings in a neighborhood of Port-au-Prince. She likes going to school and singing in her church choir. Dachena has a cardiac condition called rheumatic mitral regurgitation. One of the four valves of her heart was severely damaged by a rheumatic fever she suffered in childhood, and can no longer adequately pump blood through her body. Dachena will fly to the Dominican Republic to receive treatment. On October 29th, she will undergo cardiac surgery, during which surgeons will attempt to repair her valve; if they are unable to do so, they will implant an artificial replacement. Another organization, The Mitral Foundation, is contributing $7500 to pay for surgery. Dachena's family also needs help to fund the costs of surgery prep. 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 Dachena's family overseas. Dachena said, "I hope that after surgery I will have more energy to do the things I enjoy!"

Eh is an eight-year-old boy from Thailand. He lives with his family in a small village in Tak, a province on the nation's western border. Since birth, Eh has suffered from a blood disorder called thalassemia, which means that he has less hemoglobin and fewer red blood cells than a typical, healthy blood system. This year, Eh developed a cough and headache. He and his family sought treatment at a nearby hospital, where doctors diagnosed him with an enlarged spleen. Eh's family was unable to pay for the surgery and Eh received medication to control his symptoms instead. He returned to the hospital several times, after which he was referred to our medical partner's care center for treatment. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund Eh's operation. He is scheduled for surgery on August 21 at our medical partner's care center, Mae Sot General Hospital. After treatment, Eh's mother is hopeful that he will be able to attend school and pursue his dreams. "I want to be a doctor when I grow up," Eh says.

Elvis is a child from Tanzania. He loves school and enjoys playing with his friends. Elvis’s parents are subsistence farmers. Elvis has clubfoot of both feet. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. This causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Fortunately, Elvis traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, AIC Cure International Hospital. There, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on December 19. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $890 to fund Elvis's clubfoot repair. After treatment, he will be able to walk well and attend school regularly. Elvis’s mother says, “Please help my son get better. He is in pain when walking to school or playing. I am worried he will eventually lose his ability to walk.”

To the donors, Grace says, “I would like to thank you all so much. I will ask God to bless you.” Grace, a 48-year-old woman from Uganda, has had ten children, and she is pleased that she and her husband have managed to send all of them to school. However, during the birth of her first child 31 years ago, Grace experienced a perineal tear. This injury has never been repaired and has gotten worse with the birth of each additional child. As a result of this wound, Grace now experiences side effects that have a significant impact on her day-to-day life. So, when Grace heard about the gynecological surgical camp at Bwindi Community Hospital, our medical partner's care center, she took a long journey by bus from her village to the center. Grace’s doctor told her that she needs to undergo a perineorrhaphy, or surgical repair of the perineum, to improve her symptoms. However, she and her husband, who are rice and sunflower farmers, cannot afford to pay for her treatment. That’s where you come in. For $215, you can sponsor the full set of medical services Grace needs: from her operation on November 2, to her lab tests, to her three-day hospital stay. Grace’s birth injury has been causing her embarrassment and discomfort for too long. She is looking forward to recovering from the operation and getting back to normal life.