Zabdiel is a young boy from Bolivia. He lives in Bolivia with his mom, who is a homemaker, his dad, who is a taxi driver, and his two older siblings. Zabdiel was born with a heart condition, as well as Down Syndrome. He has a cardiac condition called Tetralogy of Fallot. This involves several related conditions, including a hole between the two lower chambers of the heart and a muscular blockage of one of the valves. These deprive the body of oxygen and cause heart failure. On April 23rd, Zabdiel will undergo cardiac surgery at our medical partner's care center, Hospital del Niño Dr. Ovidio Aliaga Uría. During surgery, doctors will sew a patch over the hole and remove the blockage from his valve. Zabdiel's family needs help to fund the costs of cardiac care and surgery. Our medical partner, International Cardiac Alliance, requests $1,500 to cover the cost of cardiac exams and diagnostics, surgical costs, follow-up care, and medications. Zabdiel's mother shared, "He is such a sweet and expressive child, so friendly and warm. I pray the surgery will be a success and he can return home healthy."

Ketilina is 53 years old and a mother of eight from Malawi. She and her husband farm to support their family. Twenty-eight years ago, Ketilina began to experience troubling symptoms, including a small swelling on her neck. At first, she thought it would go away. But the swelling got bigger over time. In 2024, she started the swelling became worse. It started to cause pain and prevented her from performing daily tasks. She was always short of breath and unable to work on the farm. Ketilina visited our medical partner's care center, Partners in Hope Medical Center, to seek treatment. She was diagnosed with goiter which affects the thyroid. The thyroid is the gland located in front of your neck and produces thyroid hormones. These hormones are responsible for functions such as metabolism, growth, and other bodily functions. She needs surgery to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Ketilina receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on March 13th where surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. This procedure will cost $1,015, and she and her family need help raising money. Ketilina says, "I can't wait to see myself well again to get rid of all the physical pains and psychological ones. I have seen many getting better and I also have hope to be well after surgery."

Doricas is a 29-year-old single mother of four young children in Kenya. Coming from a family that struggles to make ends meet through casual domestic jobs, Doricas was on her way to a new job in Nairobi when her life changed drastically. She was involved in a severe car accident that left her with injuries on her forehead and a fractured leg. She underwent emergency surgery where an external fixator was placed to stabilize her leg. She now needs a fracture repair surgery, and is in significant pain, unable to raise the necessary funds for the procedure. Presently, she is in the hospital, while her children, aged between 2 and 8, are under the care of her mother. Unfortunately, due to financial difficulties, they haven't been able to attend school or receive the support they desperately need. Doricas is worried about their well-being and future. Despite the help of friends and relatives, the mounting hospital bills and the costs of her essential surgeries, including the upcoming procedure for her leg, are more than they can cover. Doricas is in significant pain and needs your help to get back on her feet—not just for herself but for her children who depend on her. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner can help. On January 22nd, Doricas will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation. Now, Doricas needs help to fund this $1,500 procedure. Doricas says, “My leg aches, especially at night when it’s cold, and it’s so painful I cannot sleep.”

Shirleen is an eight-year-old girl from Kenya. She has a passion for cooking and loves helping her mother with household chores when she is at home. Shirleen is in 2nd grade and dreams of becoming a pilot when she grows up. Her parents are small-scale farmers who depend on their produce for food and sell the rest to earn a living. Shirleen was born with clubfoot on both feet. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. This causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. At just five days old, she began serial casting, changing her casts twice a week. Later, she started using braces, which helped improve her condition. Eventually, she progressed to wearing inner soles. At age five, after an assessment, she was discharged from the clinic as her feet had fully healed. However, when Shirleen turned six, her mother noticed her feet starting to bend again. Shirleen began falling often, and her shoes wore out quickly due to the recurrence of her clubfoot. Concerned, her mother took her to the hospital, where she resumed treatment with a cast for a month. Unfortunately, this did not improve her condition. Fortunately, Shirleen's mother learned about our medical partner's care center, AIC Cure International Hospital. In August this year, she underwent her first surgery on her left foot, which has since healed. She is now using an Ankle-Foot Orthosis for support. Surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on her right foot on November 20th and our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,286 to fund Shirleen's clubfoot repair. After treatment, she will be able to walk, run to school, and play with her friends confidently/ Shirleen's mother shared, "I am looking forward to her quick treatment and healing. She always asks me why she was born like that. I assured her it can be resolved, and she can continue with her education like other children."

Nash is a six-year-old boy from Haiti. He lives in Port-au-Prince with his mother and younger sister. He is in the first grade and likes art and music. Nash has a cardiac condition called Tetralogy of Fallot. This condition involves several conditions in the heart including a hole between the two lower chambers of the heart and a muscular blockage of one of the valves. These conditions deprive his body of oxygen, leaving him weak, and short of breath. Nash will fly to the United States to receive treatment. On August 22nd, he will undergo cardiac surgery, during which surgeons will close the hole in his heart with a patch, and remove the blockage from his valve. Another organization, Akron Children's Hospital, is contributing $10,000 to pay for surgery. Nash's family also needs help to fund the costs of surgery prep. Our medical partner, International Cardiac Alliance, is requesting $1,500 to cover labs, medicines, and checkup and follow-up appointments. It also supports securing passports for the family and travel for the social workers from our medical partner who will accompany Nash's family overseas. Nash's mother says, "Our family is so happy to finally have this chance after waiting so long!"

Lightness is a four-year-old girl who lives with her grandmother in the remote village of Endakasi, situated in Mbulu district in Tanzania. She is one of two siblings cared for by their grandmother after their mother died and their father abandoned them. The family's daily life revolves around farming. However, due to her age, the grandmother cannot fully participate in farming activities and mostly relies on her children to help with provisions and care. Lightness was born with clubfoot on her left foot, a condition where one's foot is twisted or bent out of shape. Due to their limited knowledge about the condition, her family did not seek treatment for her. One day, a glimmer of hope emerged, when Lightness' grandmother crossed paths with someone familiar with our medical partner's program. After an assessment, it was determined that Lightness is suffering from neglected clubfoot, which will require a series of casting sessions, and surgery to complete her treatment. Lightness' care will take place at our medical partner's care center, Kafika House, beginning on July 9th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is seeking $1,119 to fund Lightness' casting and surgery, which will enable Lightness to live more comfortably. Lightness’s grandmother said: “Please help my granddaughter, because I’m too old to provide and to make sure she gets the treatment she needs.”

Poe is a 28-year-old loving mother from Burma. She lives with her husband, her daughter and her son in Karen State, Burma. Poe is the primary caregiver of the children and runs the household, and her husband is a farmer. Their family also raise chickens and pigs to feed their family. During her free time, she enjoys going out to forage vegetables in the forest and going fishing in the stream. Poe and her family are unable to pay for healthcare. Poe is eight months pregnant with her third child. Her doctors recommend that she deliver her baby via a caesarean section because of her labor pain and severe bleeding. This way, doctors can ensure the safety of both Poe and her child. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is helping Poe undergo a C-Section on February 9th. This procedure will cost $1500, and Poe needs your support. Her brother says, "Thank you to the donors and everyone who helps my sister during our difficult time."

Luz is a three-year-old girl from a mining town in central Bolivia. Her mother is a farmer and her father sadly passed away from a heart attack soon after she was born. Luz has a cardiac condition called ventricular septal defect, in which a hole exists between the two lower chambers of her heart. Blood leaks through this hole without passing through her lungs to obtain oxygen, leaving her weak and dependent on an external oxygen tank. Fortunately, our medical partner, The International Cardiac Alliance can help. Luz is scheduled to undergo heart surgery on March 21st. Our medical partners are requesting $1,500 to fund her procedure. Luz's mother says, "I am looking forward to my daughter being able to play normally and start preschool after her surgery!"

Ruhama is a beautiful two month old baby girl, who lives with her parents in Ethiopia. Both of her parents are quite young, and due to their having left school early, both work as day laborers, earning limited wages. Ruhama was born with an anorectal malformation, which is a congenital abnormality that leads to a complete or partial intestinal blockage. She needs to undergo a series of procedures to eliminate her bowel dysfunction and help her grow up healthy. Ruhama is scheduled to undergo surgery to correct her condition on February 1st, at BethanyKids Myungsung Christian Medical Centre. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of Ruhama's procedure and care. After her recovery, Ruhama will no longer experience bowel dysfunction, or be at risk of developing health complications in the future. Ruhama's mother said: “I will leave her at the hands of God. I can’t say she will heal or not, but it’s all God’s will."

Cristina lives with her mother, a food vendor; her father, a construction worker; and eight older brothers and sisters in a neighborhood of La Paz, Bolivia. As a small baby, she struggled to breathe normally, and so her mother took her to the children's hospital where she was diagnosed with ventricular septal defect, a hole between the two lower chambers of the heart. Cristina also has Down syndrome. During surgery, doctors will sew a patch over the hole so that blood can no longer leak through it. Christina needs your help to raise $1,500 to pay for her heart surgery. Her mother says, "Our family is so grateful to know that there is a way to fix our daughter's heart so that she can breathe normally."

Marie is a mother of two from Haiti. She lives with her mother and two sons in a neighborhood of Port-au-Prince; she previously worked in an apparel factory but had to stop working last year due to her cardiac illness. Marie has a cardiac condition called rheumatic mitral stenosis. One of the four valves of her heart was damaged due to an infection she suffered earlier in life, and she can no longer pump blood normally through her body. Marie needs surgery that is not available within Haiti so she will fly to the United States to receive treatment. On October 19th, she will finally undergo cardiac surgery, during which surgeons will attempt to repair her existing damaged valve; if this is unsuccessful, they may need to implant an artificial replacement. Another organization, Baylor Scott and White Heart Hospital, is contributing $25000 to pay for surgery. Marie's family also needs help to fund the costs of surgery prep and followup. The $1,500 bill covers labs, medicines, and checkup and followup appointments. "I am hopeful that after this surgery, I can stop worrying so much about my health and my heart. I want to focus instead on my beautiful family and my future," Marie shared.

San is a 43-year-mother of two from Thailand. San and her husband stay apart and San works as an agricultural day laborer. Her son lives with his own family and her daughter is a second grader. During her free time, San used to read the news on her phone. In 2020, San began to experience occasional abdominal pain and an urge to vomit, along with tiredness and unusual colored urine. She was then diagnosed with multiple gallstones and cholecystitis, an inflammation of the gallbladder. San has been advised to undergo a surgery to remove the gallbladder. If left untreated, San's 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), San is scheduled to undergo her surgery on September 14th. BCMF is requesting $1,500 to cover the cost of San's procedure and care. San cried and said, "Thank you for helping me. It is not just saving me but also saving my daughter from becoming a motherless child. You have helped me continue my life with my loved ones. I do not know how to express my heartful and profound gratitude to you all. Thank you so much.”