Pang is an 85-year-old man from Cambodia. His wife passed away, and he currently stays with his sixth child, who works in a garment factory. His other children are all married and live with their own families in nearby areas. He enjoys resting at home, growing vegetables, listening to Buddhist chanting, and chatting with friends in the village. Recently, Pang was struck by a motorbike while walking with his bicycle, leaving him with severe left hip pain. He has been diagnosed with a left femoral fracture — a break in the upper part of the thigh bone — which has made walking extremely difficult and greatly affected his mobility and independence. Fortunately, on April 21st, our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, will help Pang undergo a hip hemiarthroplasty, a procedure to replace part of the hip joint and relieve pain. Pang's family can contribute $50, but needs help raising $662 more to fund his procedure and care. Pang said, "I just want to be free from this pain and walk on my own again. After the surgery, I hope I can move around independently and return to my normal daily life.”

Tamiru is a 67-year-old farmer and father of seven from Ethiopia. After a lifetime of working the land to provide for his five sons and two daughters, he has become the resilient heart of a bustling household. Tamiru loves his work, but in recent years, medical issues have begun to get in the way. About five years ago, Tamiru noticed some swelling in his right elbow. The mass has grown over time, becoming increasingly painful and restrictive. It prevents him from grasping objects properly and severely limits the natural movement of his hand. Tamiru also feels a sharp tightness and deep discomfort every time he reaches, lifts, or swings a tool—movements that are essential for tilling the soil and harvesting his crops. For Tamiru, this struggle has been deeply frustrating. For him, his hands aren't just tools; they represent his livelihood, his independence, and the legacy he hopes to pass on to his children. Thankfully, Tamiru traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On March 14th, surgeons will perform an excisional biopsy to remove the mass. Now, Tamiru needs help to raise $750 to fund this procedure. Tamiru shared, "I'm excited to get back to my full strength so I can lead my family with the same energy I’ve had for decades. I can't wait to work my fields again without that tight pressure in my arm. I want the freedom to do the heavy work I love without holding back."

Ra is a 68-year-old man from Siem Reap province in Cambodia. He and his wife have two children. His wife sells biscuits, their eldest child is a grocery seller, and their youngest is a car repairer. In his free time, Ra helps his wife with household and work-related tasks. In 2019, Ra began experiencing pain in his right hip due to avascular necrosis, a condition in which bone tissue dies due to a lack of blood supply, which caused a structural failure of his hip ball joint. Ra underwent a total hip replacement through our medical partner, Children's Surgical Center (CSC), at that time. However, over the past year, his pain has returned, and walking has become difficult. His x-ray showed that some of the acetabular cup and femoral stem (components from his hip replacement surgery) have come loose, leaving him unable to walk comfortably or perform daily activities. Ra was referred back to CSC for treatment. On April 8th, he will undergo a revision hip replacement procedure on his right hip. This surgery will stabilize the hip, relieve his pain, and restore his mobility. Ra was able to contribute $100 to his care and is requesting assistance to raise the remaining $1,400 to cover the cost of prosthesis, surgery, medications, post-operative care, and rehabilitation. Roth said, "I had a hip replacement in 2019, but over the past year, the pain has returned, and it's become difficult for me to walk. I hope further treatment will fix the problem and help me move comfortably again."

Hean is 67 years old and a rice farmer from Kampong Cham province, Cambodia. She is married and has five sons and four grandchildren. She lives with her husband, who is also a farmer, and her youngest son. Three of her sons are farmers, while the other two work as steelworkers. In her free time, she enjoys listening to monks’ sermons and joining religious ceremonies. About one year ago, Hean developed a cataract in her left eye, causing her itchiness, tearing, and blurry vision. A cataract is a clouding of the lens of the eye, so it is like looking through a frosty or fogged-up window. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, including colors and faces, and is worried about falling when walking, so she is not able to go places on her own. When Hean learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for two hours seeking treatment. On April 2nd, doctors will perform a phacoemulsification cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in her left eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. She can contribute $10, but needs help raising $253 more to fund her procedure and care. Hean said, "I hope that after my eye surgery, my vision will improve so I can see more clearly, recognize my relatives easily, travel to distant places, and return to my rice farming without difficulty."

28-year-old Simion lives with his wife and child in Kenya. Despite having to drop out of school due to finances, Simion now earns a living as a welder and a motorcycle mechanic, using skills he acquired through observation and practice. On January 31st, while at work, Simion was on a motorcycle carrying spare parts when a speeding vehicle lost control and ran over his leg. He sustained a large open wound on his right foot. He received immediate first aid at the scene, and was brought to our medical partner's care center, AIC Kapsowar Hospital, where the bleeding was controlled, and the wound was washed out. A plastic surgeon was consulted, and due to the extensive soft tissue defect, a free flap and skin graft were recommended to achieve proper wound coverage and limb salvage. This is not Simion's first road traffic accident. As the result of an accident that happened when he was younger, Simion lost function of his left eye. He is currently worried that he would not be able to afford the treatment that he needs. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is helping Simion receive treatment. On February 3rd, he will undergo skin graft surgery at AIC Kapsowar Hospital to aid in the healing of his leg. While he tried diligently to raise the funds to cover the costs of his procedure, Simion needs your help to raise $1,183. Simion said: "I would be very grateful if you helped me get the surgery. Currently, I am in lots of pain and afraid when I see my leg. Please help me so that I can go back home, be able to go back to work, and take care of my young family."

Leo is an 18-year-old teenage boy and a student from Uganda. He is the second-born among six children. He enjoys playing football in his free time. He dreams of becoming a doctor. He lives with his uncle, who is cares for him and covers his school fees. Five years ago, Leo notices a swelling around his scrotal region that worsened when he was working or playing football. As months passed, the swelling increased, and started to cause him pain. His uncle took him to a nearby clinic, where he was given painkillers, which helped for a few days. The symptoms came back, preventing him from going to school. Leo was referred to our medical partner's care center, Rushoroza Hospital, where he was diagnosed with a hydrocele and was told he needed surgery. Without it, he will continue to suffer and might not even go back to school, and the condition could get worse, and many other complications may set in. Fortunately, on January 13th, Leo will undergo hernia repair surgery. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $170 to fund Leo's surgery. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully allow him to live more comfortably and confidently. Leo says, “I pray and hope to be relieved from this problem that is complicating my life. I am too worried about its complications because it has become a problem to me, as if I am carrying a basket, and I pray to get well through this surgery that has been recommended.”

Lomi is 50 years old and a mother of nine from Ethiopia. Her husband is a laborer, while she manages their household and cares for their children. Six months ago, Lomi started to experience pain in her right foot. This causes discomfort and affects her ability to complete her daily tasks. Lomi visited our medical partner, Saglan Wajee General Hospital, to seek treatment. On November 15th, surgeons will perform an excisional biopsy to remove the mass. Now, Lomi needs help to raise $750 to fund this procedure. Lomi shared, " My pain doesn't matter; I am needed. I must be strong for my babies and my husband, because they rely on me to hold our home together."

Peterson is an 18-year-old young man, the firstborn in a family of four children from Malawi. Hailing from Dowa District, Peterson had been supporting his family financially, a role he can no longer fulfill due to his current health condition. This has prompted their appeal for financial assistance towards his surgery. Five months ago, Peterson began to experience troubling symptoms, including abdominal pain, which intensified and was accompanied by vomiting of greenish substances. Alarmed by his deteriorating condition, his family rushed him to the hospital. He was diagnosed with acute appendicitis complicated by peritonitis and bowel perforation. An emergency appendectomy along with a loop ileostomy was performed. A stoma, a surgically created opening on the abdomen, was necessary to divert bowel contents and allow the injured intestines to heal before a reversal could be considered. Peterson remained hospitalized for a month and was discharged with instructions to return on May 2nd for wound debridement and secondary closure, which was successfully done. He is now fit for ileostomy reversal since healing has been confirmed. Peterson's condition has brought significant challenges to both him and his mother, who is his primary caregiver. His illness has deeply affected the family’s livelihood, as Peterson was the main breadwinner, earning a living through casual labor. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,244 to fund his surgery. On August 5th, he will undergo a laparotomy procedure at Partners in Hope Medical Center. Once completed, this procedure will complete his treatment, greatly improving his quality of life. "Kindly support my surgery treatment, this thing is terrible for me, the doctors told me that a reversal will help me to pass stool and urine normally," said Peterson.

Favour is a baby girl from Kenya, born just two weeks ago—and with her arrival, came an unexpected twist. Her mother gave birth to her at home and soon after, they were rushed to the nearest health facility, where her mother noticed a bulging sac on Favour’s back. Something wasn’t right. Doctors acted quickly, and she was diagnosed with Spina bifida, a congenital condition where the spine doesn't close completely during early development, leading to a gap in the spinal column. Favour and her mother were transferred to another facility and thereafter referred to our medical partner's care center, BethanyKids Kijabe Hospital. “Favour cries a lot, has frequent fevers, and doesn’t like being touched—she cries even more when I try,” her mother shares, her voice heavy with worry. Unemployed, she depends solely on Favour’s grandfather, a school security guard. The weight is too much, as her five younger siblings are also under his care. Favour’s father, sadly, has never been present, not once since her birth. “The grandfather does all he can, but it’s not enough. We can’t afford Favour’s surgery,” she says quietly, her eyes filled with fear and hope. All she dreams of is for Favour to get the medical help she so desperately needs, to give this brave little girl a fighting chance at a brighter tomorrow. Without treatment, Favour is at risk of lower-limb paralysis, infection of the exposed nervous tissue, development of tethered cord syndrome, and possible developmental delays. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $856 to cover the cost of Favour's spina bifida closure surgery. The procedure is scheduled to take place on April 23rd. This procedure will hopefully spare Favour from the risks associated with her condition, instead allowing her to grow and develop along a healthy trajectory. “All I wish for is that Favour receives the healing she needs, because a mother's hope is rooted in the dream of her child getting better. I will forever be grateful if my child gets a chance at a bright future,” Favour's mother says.