Cherop is an 80-year-old married man with five children who are grown up and married. He lives in a semi-arid area where millet, sorghum, and cassava are planted as food and cash crops. He lives with his wife and a grandson who assists them with farm work. About a year ago, Cherop began to experience abdominal pain that was of gradual onset associated with irregular abdominal swelling, especially after taking meals. He initially thought the condition would better with time, this he did not visit any health facilities. However, as the pain persisted, he began to experience nausea and vomiting, preventing him from consuming solid foods. As a result, he has begun to lose weight and strength, impacting his physical and emotional health. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, has scheduled Cherop for a double hernia repair surgery on February 3rd. With the surgery, hopefully, Cherop will return to a life free of pain. Cherop and his family need help raising $737 to fund his procedure and care. Cherops’ grandson says, “My grandfather has been suffering for some time now. Sometimes we eat well and after a while, he feels pain and vomits a lot. Food has not been helping him of late. Kindly help him so that he may become healthy and happy as before.”

Erick lives in a neighborhood on the outskirts of La Paz with his mother and his grandparents, who help take care of him while his mother works in the market. He was born with three different holes in and near his heart; as a result, blood leaks through these holes, and his heart cannot deliver enough oxygen to his body. Thankfully, our medical care partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, has been of great help and has helped Erick and his family receive the right medical attention. During his surgery, doctors will close all three holes to ensure oxygen-rich blood circulates throughout his body and he is able to grow into a strong young boy. On February 17th, Erick will undergo cardiac surgery at Hospital del Niño Dr. Ovidio Aliaga Uría in Bolivia. His family needs financial assistance to cover the $1,500 cost of this life-saving procedure. His mother shared, "I almost gave up hope that my son could live, and I am so thankful to everyone who is giving him this chance!"

Rotha is a 50-year-old farmer from Cambodia. He is married with three daughters and one son. His wife works in a local clothes factory. In his free time, he helps his wife with housework and enjoys fishing with his friends. In 2018, Rotha was in a traffic accident and suffered an open fracture of his left tibia and a closed fracture of his left femur. He had surgery at a local hospital, with bone grafts and nails, but his tibia remained infected. After several surgeries and debridements, his infection has resolved, but his bone remains exposed from all the procedures. He cannot walk and is in great pain. When Rotha learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, he traveled for two and a half hours seeking treatment. On November 21st, surgeons at CSC will perform reverse soleus muscle flap of the left tibia to close the open wound and help him walk again without pain. Now, he needs help to fund this $673 procedure. Rotha shared: "I hope my left leg will finally heal, I will have no infection, and can return home to work for my family again."

Isaiah is a young husband and father of one. He lives with his family in a single-room rented house in Gachie. Isaiah is the sole breadwinner of the family. He shared that he had hopes of opening a small business for his wife too. Since his accident, Isaiah is unable to work because he uses a motorbike to do his deliveries. The income he earned from the deliveries was very limited and he works hard to support his family. Two weeks ago, Isaiah slipped and fell off a staircase. He landed with his left hand and felt a sharp pain. He went to a nearby hospital, where some scans were done, and he was told that he needed a metal plate put in his hand. He is not able to work and is in severe pain. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner can help. On November 30th, Isaiah will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation. After healing, he will be able to work again and to provide for his family. Now, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,500 to fund this procedure. Isaiah says, "It pains me that now I cannot work and provide for my family.”

Regina is a small-scale farmer from Kenya. She rears cattle on a rented piece of land. She has two cows from which she gets milk for sale. Her husband is unemployed, and the income Regina earns is not sufficient to cater to all the family's needs. Regina first experienced a painful lump in her right breast in early August when she was taking a shower. She immediately went to a local health facility for a check-up and was later referred to a local government hospital in Olkalau town, situated several kilometers from her home. She has since had several tests including a mammogram and a CT scan. The result revealed the presence of cancerous cells. She opted to visit Kijabe Hospitals’s breast clinic after a referral by a friend. After a review, doctors recommended a partial mastectomy and she needs financial assistance to go through the surgery. Without treatment, the cancer may spread to other organs. The mastectomy, a surgery to remove breast tissue, aims to rid her body of breast cancer and to prevent the cancer from metastasizing. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1110 to cover the cost of a mastectomy for Regina. The procedure is scheduled to take place on November 2nd. After treatment, Regina will hopefully return to a cancer-free life. Regina says, “This is shocking, but I know God will give me strength to overcome the cancer.”

Abraham is a 27-year-old farmer from Kenya. He is a happy and joyful man who loves smiling. Abraham is married with two sons aged six and three years. He also does construction work when he can find jobs on local building projects. His wife sells secondhand clothes at the local markets around. Abraham and his family live in a rental house which has two rooms. He works hard but it has been difficult to earn a living and pay his monthly bills. Earlier last year, Abraham was among the people who got sponsorship from the county to study in technical training institutes. He is almost done with his studies and will soon be able to work toward a better job. Abraham arrived at the hospital on Saturday afternoon with right lower limb pain. On physical examination, his lower limb had bruises and it was swollen to the knee. After the examination, the clinician recommended an x-ray and the results revealed that Abraham had sustained a fracture of the upper end of tibia and fibula. The Orthopedic surgeon met him and recommends that he undergo surgery. Abraham has no medical insurance coverage, and he is now appealing to all well-wishers to help him in order to get his surgery. Abraham shared that he was hit by a tree while cutting it down. He cannot walk easily and more and has a lot of pain and swelling. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner can help. On September 27th, Abraham will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation. After surgery Abraham will be able to continue with his studies, and he will no longer have pain. Now, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1145 to fund this procedure. Abraham says, “I cannot walk without support. I am really worried because of my family. Kindly help me so that I may be able to get back to them and offer them my support.”

Meet Djounailena, an 11-year-old girl who lives with her parents and two sisters in a small city on the west coast of Haiti. Djounailena is currently in fifth grade and shares that she aspires to become a teacher when she grows up! As a result of a bout of rheumatic fever, Djounailena developed a cardiac condition called rheumatic mitral regurgitation. Since her rheumatic fever was not treated quickly enough, one of the four valves of her heart was severely damaged. This now causes her to experience weakness and shortness of breath because her heart cannot adequately pump blood throughout her body. Fortunately, Djounailena is scheduled to fly to the Cayman Islands where she will undergo cardiac surgery at Health City Cayman Islands on September 13th. Surgeons will initially attempt to repair her damaged valve; however, if they are unsuccessful, an artificial replacement valve will be implanted. A portion of the cost of Djounailena's treatment is being supported by Have a Heart Cayman. Our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance (HCA), is raising the remaining $1,500 to cover the costs of her surgery prep, which includes all labs, medication, check-up and follow-up appointments, and the passports needed for HCA’s social workers to accompany Djounailena and her family overseas. Djounailena's mother says, "Our family is all praying for our daughter's heart to be healthy after the surgery is finished."

Zuriel is a friendly three-year-old boy from the Philippines. He loves to play with his friends in the neighborhood! His mother is a full-time mom, and his father works as a tricycle driver. Two years ago, Zuriel's mother noticed a mass on his groin. She brought him to the nearest hospital to get it checked, and it was diagnosed as an inguinal hernia. This hernia occurs when tissue, such as part of the intestine, protrudes through a weak spot in the abdominal muscles. Zuriel's parents share that his father earns just enough to support their day-to-day needs, so they are unable to fund their son's needed surgery to heal his condition. Fortunately, our medical partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines (WSFP), is helping Zuriel receive treatment. He will undergo hernia repair surgery on July 23rd at WSFP's care center, Our Lady of Peace Hospital. A portion of the cost of Zuriel's treatment is being supported by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation. WSFP is raising the remaining $845 to cover the cost of his surgery and care. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully allow him to live more comfortably and confidently. Zuriel's mother shares, "It's hard to find help for my son's treatment. Fortunately, we were able to reach out to the World Surgical Foundation Philippines. This free surgery will be a big help to our family. Thank you so much to Watsi and World Surgical Foundation Philippines. God bless you."

Zara is a bright and creative 3-year-old from Haiti. She lives with her parents and two older sisters, and she loves going to preschool. One of her favorite ways to spend her time is by exploring her creativity and doing arts and crafts projects. Zara was born with a cardiac condition called patent ductus arteriosus, in which blood leaks through a hole between two major blood vessels next to her heart. This causes her to experience weakness and shortness of breath. Our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, is seeking $1,500 to fund her procedure and care. During the procedure, doctors will use a catheter to plug the hole so blood can properly flow through her body. This will allow Zara to breath with ease. Zara's mother said, "Our family is very hopeful that after this surgery our daughter will become healthier and stronger."