Nay Myo is a nine-year-old boy from Burma. He lives with his parents and has one older brother. Nay Myo's parents work as day laborers. They cut grasses, plant vegetation, and collect bamboo shoots. When Nay Myo was three months old, he fell very sick. He was subsequently diagnosed with thalassemia, a blood disorder characterized by an abnormal oxygen-carrying protein. Symptoms of this condition include fatigue, anemia, and trouble breathing. In order to treat these symptoms, Nay Myo has to receive oral medications and blood transfusions on a regular basis. Thalassemia has also caused Nay Myo's spleen to enlarge. After examination, his doctors decided to remove the spleen before other medical complications arise. On January 18, Nay Myo will undergo a splenectomy. Our medical partner is asking for $1,500 to fund the surgery. Nay Myo's mother is inspired by the caring hospital staff. She says, "I want Nay Myo to be an educated person and work like the staff."

Saruni is a one-month-old baby boy, born just this last January in Tanzania. His mother is a homemaker, and his father is a livestock keeper. Two of his siblings attend school, and his parents hope he will one day as well. At birth, Saruni was diagnosed with bilateral clubfoot. Without intervention, he will be forced to walk on the sides of his feet. His gait and ability to walk will be impacted long-term. However, with clubfoot surgery, which will cost $1,160, Saruni will be able to run, play, and walk pain-free. This cost includes all post-operative care and medication. Saruni's mother states: “I hope that my baby’s feet can be straightened so that when he starts to walk he can walk like other children."

Meet Caleb, a two-year-old boy who lives with his parents and elder sibling in a single roomed house in Central Kenya. Caleb’s father works odd jobs, and his mother spends her days caring for Caleb and his sister. The couple’s unsteady income has made it difficult for them to financially support their son through his medical complications. Caleb was born without an anus, making it impossible for him to pass stool. Despite their financial straits, Caleb’s parents made sure that “right after birth he got a colostomy,” says our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). A colostomy is a procedure during which an incision is made in the abdomen and the intestine or colon is routed to that opening, allowing the patient to relieve him or herself. However, colostomies are typically only temporary fixes for patients with Caleb’s condition. In order to achieve a more permanent means of passing stool, Caleb must undergo a procedure known as an anorectoplasty, or “pull-through” surgery. This operation will separate the urinary tract from the rectum, and create a new opening called a stoma, through which Caleb will be able to pass stool. AMHF reports that Caleb has already developed “inflammation around his colostomy site and is at a high risk of getting infections.” Thus, he needs this next surgery as soon as possible. Caleb’s parents have managed to raise $215 for their son’s operation, but need our help; their seven-year-old daughter recently fell and burned herself, so much of their money has gone towards her treatment. With an additional $1,260 Caleb will undergo his crucial “pull-through” operation, after which “he will be able to relieve himself normally and escape the risk of infection to which the colostomy site is prone,” explains AMHF. “We have only been able to raise a small amount of money, but without the whole amount, Caleb can't get treated. Please help make this treatment possible,” shares Caleb’s mother.

Nyamaizi is a 51-year-old mother from Uganda. She and her husband have four children, and they have taken responsibility for five additional orphans. They feed and pay for schooling for all nine children. As peasant farmers, Nyamaizi and her husband don’t have much money, but they have enough for their family to survive on. Seven years ago Nyamaizi noticed a small lump, called a lipoma mass, growing just under the surface of her skin on her right gluteal. Since then, the lipoma has prevented her from sitting comfortably, especially on hard surfaces like wooden chairs. She has tried to reduce the swelling with medications prescribed by doctors at the hospital. She has now been advised to have the lipoma surgically removed, but she is unable to afford it. “The swelling is not painful but I am uncomfortable,” says Nyamaizi. She is worried that the lipoma may still grow, causing further discomfort. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, tells us that for $200 Nyamaizi will receive a lipoma mass excision to remove the mass. Lipomas generally do not return after they’ve been excised. The procedure is routine and has minor possible side effects of scarring or bruising. The total cost covers the excision, supplies, and two weeks of inpatient care. Nyamaizi is very excited to have her lipoma removed, and once again be able to sit comfortably.

Meet Carlito, a 37-year-old man from the Philippines. "In June of 2015, Carlito underwent an operation on his left eye that later became infected," our medical partner, International Care Ministries (ICM), reports. Since the operation, Carlito has developed a perforated corneal ulcer—one that typically occurs when an infection causes the cornea to thin. The infection has greatly impacted Carlito's vision, making it difficult for him to work. As a pig farmer and factory worker, Carlito is the sole source of income for his family. He is married with three daughters, and is concerned about what will happen to his family if he should fully lose his vision due to the infection. $1,500 will cover the cost of a corneal autograft transplant, a procedure in which doctors will replace Carlito's damaged cornea with healthy corneal tissue. As the hospital, Mount Elizabeth Orchard, is located overseas in Singapore, the cost of treatment will also include two round-trip plane tickets for Carlito to access his care. Four days of post-operative care in Singapore will also be provided. After the operation, Carlito's vision will be restored, and he will be able to continue working. In his free time, Carlito is an active participant at the local church, and has even begun studying to become a full-time preacher. With the autograft transplant, Carlito will be able to continue with his lessons and "his life of learning can take its course," shares ICM. "Seeing my wife and my children smile means so much to me, and without your help, that would not be possible," Carlito says. "I am excited to follow the doctor's orders so I will be able to see again."

Say hello to Oun! Oun lives with his six children in Cambodia. He and his family are hard-working rice farmers who live in a small, rural village near the Vietnamese border. In early October, Oun was in a motorbike accident in which his foot was badly injured. Due to financial limitations, Oun didn’t initially seek treatment after the accident. Oun’s foot became infected and as a result he has had to stop working. For $300, Oun can receive treatment for his infected foot. Doctors will clean away the infected area and use healthy skin to perform a skin graft. If successful, Oun’s foot will heal and he will be able to resume his normal life. Let's help this loving father get better!