“I just want her to grow normally,” share the parents of Christy, a 13-month-old girl living in Guatemala. Christy is currently afflicted with acute malnutrition and, as a result, is much below the healthy height and weight for a girl her age. Due to her weakened immune system- a symptom of malnutrition- Chrisy has been getting sick often. Although Christy loves playing with her favorite toy - a play dish set - she has had trouble reaching other developmental milestones, including walking and talking. If not treated soon, the negative effects of malnutrition could affect Christy for the rest of her life and she will have a greater chance of developing chronic diseases as an adult. Christy lives in a rented adobe house with her parents and two older siblings. Christy’s father works as a farmer, cultivating corn and coffee on the plot of land that they own. Christy’s mother takes care of the family and occasionally weaves traditional Mayan textiles to earn extra money for the family. Although Christy’s parents work very hard, they do not have the resources to provide Christy or her siblings with the fruit, vegetables, or eggs that they need to be healthy. For $512 Christy will receive treatment for her malnutrition. This treatment will provide food supplementation and deworming medication that she needs to gain weight and grow taller. Additionally, her parents will receive nutrition education so that they know which foods to buy for Christy and her siblings in the future.

Van Inh is a cheerful girl who loves life. Her parents say they often find her singing to herself happily. When Van Inh was 10 months old, her parents noticed that her eyes looked different. They didn’t know what was wrong, but they thought it might go away as she got older. More than 3 years later, Van Inh’s parents have brought her to Children’s Surgical Centre for treatment. Doctors at CSC immediately diagnosed her with strabismus, a condition that will cause life-long problems with depth perception and severe headaches if left untreated. They tell us it is critically important to correct Van Inh’s condition early to prevent it from worsening over time. Van Inh’s mother is a housewife and her father is a construction worker. They make just enough money to support themselves, but finding the money needed to treat their daughter’s condition is nearly impossible. We need to raise $300 so that CSC can fully cover the cost of Van Inh’s care.