Mu is a 45-year-old woman from Burma. Mu and her husband are farmers who own land and harvest rice and beans. They use most of their crops to sustain their family, and sell any additional harvest for profit. March 2019, Mu has been experiencing pain and discomfort in her lower abdominal area. She has been diagnosed with an ovarian cyst. She has been advised to undergo a total abdominal hysterectomy, the surgical removal of her uterus and cervix. If left untreated, Mu's symptoms will continue to worsen and put her at risk for further health complications in the future. Fortunately, Mu is scheduled to undergo her hysterectomy on June 10. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of her procedure and care. “I really hope the mass is not cancerous. I am so grateful that I am able to have this surgery, but I am scared that I’ll need further treatment,” Mu says.

Cherenet is a toddler from Ethiopia. He loves to play and laugh with kids in his age. His mom is a single mother. Cherenet was diagnosed with cryptorchidism, a condition in which one or both of the testicles remains undescended. If left untreated, Cherenet has an increased risk of developing hernias, testicular cancer, and fertility problems in the future. Cherenet will be receiving assistance from our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). Fortunately, he is scheduled to undergo corrective surgery on May 2. AMHF is requesting $1,021 to cover the total cost of his procedure and care. His mothers says, “All I want is for him to be cured. I hope my child will get the treatment and be healed.”

Lekishon is a baby from Kenya. He is the youngest of two children. Lekishon has been diagnosed with hydrocephalus, a condition in which excess cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the brain and increases intracranial pressure. Without treatment, Lekishon will experience severe physical and developmental delays. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $685 to cover the cost of surgery for Lekishon that will treat his hydrocephalus. The procedure is scheduled to take place on April 11 and will drain the excess fluid from Lekishon's brain. This will reduce intracranial pressure and greatly improve his quality of life. With proper treatment, Lekishon will hopefully develop into a strong, healthy young boy. “Please help my son get better. I wish to see him normal just like other children,” says Lekishon’s mother.

Ant Htoo is a seven-year-old boy from Thailand. He is a first grade student. When he was six, his mother noticed a mass on his thigh. It is not currently painful, but his mother worries that the mass will get bigger as he grows. Ant Htoo's family sought treatment through our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund. He is now scheduled to undergo mass removal surgery on March 8. His family is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of his procedure and care. Ant Htoo says, “I want to be a policeman."

Vorn is a rice farmer from Cambodia. He has nine children and four grandchildren and likes to visit the pagoda in his spare time. In September 2017, he fell in the rice field and developed pain on his left side. He is not working anymore and is experiencing chronic pain. He can only walk about three meters. Fortunately, Vorn learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre. At CSC, surgeons can perform a total hip replacement to relieve Vorn of his pain and allow him to walk easily. Treatment is scheduled for January 11, and Vorn needs help raising $1,025 to pay for this procedure. He says, "I hope I can walk again."

Po is a 44-year-old woman from Burma. She lives with her husband and two children in a rural village. She and her husband are subsistence farmers, growing peanuts and beans. Po was diagnosed with a heart condition that involves a malformation of the mitral valve, the valve between the left atrium and left ventricle. This valve controls the flow of blood, but certain conditions may cause blood to flow backward or the valve to narrow. She began to experience frequent tiredness in 2014, and her symptoms intensified in 2017. She could not walk long distances due to heart palpitations. She often feels dizzy and even loses her appetite during extreme tiredness. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund a mitral valve replacement for Po. The treatment is scheduled to take place on December 13 and, once completed, will hopefully allow her to live more comfortably. Po says, “I hope to continue to work on the farm with my husband. And bring my children back to take care of them. I want to be cured of my condition and I am not worried about having to go through a surgery. I believe in the surgeon who will take care of my condition.”

Melisa is a two-year-old living in Tanzania with her mother, father, and two siblings. She is currently in nursery school and loves to sing and play with her friends. Melissa's mother works as a tailor, and her father works in construction. When Melissa turned one and began to take her first steps, her mother noticed that her legs were bent at an odd angle. Her parents took her to the local hospital for medical attention, where she was diagnosed with genu varus. Genu varus is a congenital musculoskeletal condition in which the knees angle towards one another and touch when the legs are straightened. If left untreated, the condition can cause pain and result in difficultly walking. Doctors have suggested that Melisa undergo surgery to correct her condition so that her legs grow and develop normally. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $835 to fund her operation, which will be performed on August 18. Melisa's family is concerned about her condition but hopeful that with treatment she will have a bright future.

Evenson is a 14-month-old little boy from Haiti. He lives with his parents in Port-au-Prince. His mother stays at home to take care of him, and his father works to support their family. Evenson was born with Tetralogy of Fallot, a heart condition involving several defects, including a hole between two of his heart's chambers and a muscular blockage in one of the heart's valves. As a result, not enough oxygen is delivered to his body, leaving Evenson feeling weak. On August 9, Evenson will be flown to our medical partner's care center, Health City Cayman Islands. Our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, is asking for $1,343 to cover the cost of Evenson's transportation from Haiti to Cayman Islands where he will receive heart surgery. Eveson's family is looking forward to him being healthy!

Alice is a five-month-old girl from Kenya who lives with her parents and two older siblings in Kenya's Central Region. Her mother works at home, and her father is a cleaner at a local company. When Alice was three months old, her mother noticed that her head was growing more rapidly than the rest of her body. When taken to the hospital, Alice was diagnosed with congenital hydrocephalus—a buildup of cerebrospinal fluid in the cranium that can increase pressure on the brain, causing severe mental and physical health problems. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $685 to cover the cost of Alice's operation, which is scheduled to take place on June 21 at our medical partner’s care center, BethanyKids Kijabe Hospital. The surgery entails installing a shunt in Alice's brain that will drain the excess fluid. If not treated, Alice is at risk of severe developmental delays, loss of sight, and potentially even death. The little my husband gets is not enough for our basic needs, leave alone cater for her surgical care. Please help us," Alice's mother says.

Abigael is a one-month-old baby girl from Tanzania. She lives with her parents who look after and care for her. Her grandparents on both sides work as farmers to help support the family. Abigael was born with clubfeet, a condition in which the feet turn inward making it difficult to walk. Seeking help through our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, Abigael is scheduled to start a treatment plan to correct her clubfeet on June 13. Her family is requesting $890 to cover the cost of her care. "I give all my gratitude for this help," says Abigael's grandmother. "Thank you all so much.”

Morm is an 87-year-old woman from Cambodia. She is married with two sons and 15 grandchildren. She works at the local pagoda and loves listening to the monks pray. About two years ago, Morm developed a cataract in her right eye. Over time, she's experienced increasingly blurred vision and frequent tearing, as well as extreme sensitivity to light and cloudy lenses. It's now become so difficult for Morm to recognize faces and see objects clearly that she can no longer work at the pagoda or go anywhere by herself. On May 19, ophthalmologists will remove the cataract from Morm's right eye, allowing her to regain her sight. Because Morm can't afford the surgery, our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $153 to fund the treatment. Morm is excited about getting back to work at the pagoda, regaining her independence, and being able to see her grandchildren's faces again.

Emmanuel is a "boda-boda" or motorcycle taxi driver in southwest Uganda. He and his wife, Naume, have four children. The eldest two are currently in school. Emmanuel also has a small food stall, where he sells roasted meats on weekends. Naume works as a subsistence farmer. While driving on a slope a few days ago, Emmanuel's brakes failed. He crashed, sustaining an open fracture to his left tibia that needs to be repaired. He is scheduled to undergo repair surgery on March 11. Emmanuel works hard to support his wife and children, but there is very little left over to pay hospital bills. Our medical partner, The Kellermann Foundation, is requesting $358 to fund Emmanuel's treatment. He is also contributing $7. “I appreciate so much what the donors are doing for me," says Emmanuel. "I know it will take a while, but I look forward to my leg healing so I can continue working for my family.”