Ruth is a two-year-old girl who lives with her parents in a neighborhood of Port-au-Prince, which is the capital of the Caribbean island nation of Haiti. She is her parent's first child. Ruth was born with a condition called patent ductus arteriosus, which causes blood to leak through a hole between two major blood vessels near her heart. The condition makes it difficult for Ruth's small heart to fully function. Fortunately, her condition is highly treatable with surgery. The care she needs is not available in Haiti, so our medical partner Haiti Cardiac Alliance has arranged to take Ruth and her mother to the Dominican Republic, where doctors will use a catheter to plug the hole near her heart. The treatment, scheduled for May 25th, will stop blood from leaking into her blood vessels and should allow her to live a full life ahead. Another organization, Gift of Life International, is contributing $5,000 toward the surgery cost. Her family is raising $1,500 to help cover the rest of her treatment and related care, including travel for Ruth and her mother. Her mother shared, "Our family is very hopeful that after the surgery, our daughter will have more energy and a better appetite."

Lisa is a three-year-old girl and the last-born in a family of three children. Lisa’s mother is currently staying at her parent’s home after her husband left her and their three children. She couldn’t pay rent and feeding her children was a big challenge thus she decided to seek help and support from her parents. Lisa was diagnosed with bilateral genu varus, where her legs bow outwards. This condition is typically caused by an excessive accumulation of fluoride in the bones, which often stems from contaminated drinking water. As a result, Lisa walks with an unusual gait and has pain when walking due to her legs curving outwards. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $880 to fund corrective surgery for Lisa. The procedure is scheduled to take place on November 9th. Treatment will hopefully restore Lisa's mobility, allow her to participate in a variety of activities, and greatly decrease her risk of future complications. Lisa’s mother says “I have watched her legs worsen day by day but there was nothing I could do due to my financial problems. Please help.”

Faison is a farmer from Malawi. He lives with his wife, and they run a small farm. Faison has a large family, and he is a leader in the church. He enjoys worshipping and working at his church in his free time. Since 2015, Faison has been experiencing pain and urinary difficulty. These symptoms are caused by an enlarged prostate, a condition called benign prostatic hyperplasia. He needs to undergo a prostate resection surgery, a procedure in which surgeons will remove part of the enlarged gland. Our medical partner, World Altering Medicine, is requesting $733 to fund Faison's surgery. On October 12, he will undergo prostate surgery at Nkhoma Hospital, our medical partner's care center. The requested money pays for supplies, medications, and two weeks of hospital stay. He says, "Thank you!"

Lovensky is a student from Haiti. He lives with his parents, brothers, and sisters in a vilage in central Haiti. He is in high school, and would like to go on to university and become an engineer. Lovensky has a cardiac condition called rheumatic mitral regurgitation. One of the four valves in his heart has become severely damaged from a rheumatic fever, and can no longer adequately pump blood through his body. Lovensky will fly to the United States to receive treatment. On December 8, he will undergo cardiac surgery, during which surgeons will replace his damaged valve with an implanted mechanical valve. Another organization, The Heart Hospital Baylor Plano, is contributing $65,000 to pay for surgery. Lovensky's family also needs help to fund the costs of surgery prep. The $1,500 bill covers labs, medicines, and checkup and followup appointments. It also supports passport obtainment and the social workers from our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, who will accompany Lovensky's family overseas. He says, "I am very excited to have my surgery and gain more energy and strength!"

Michenaida is a student from Haiti. She lives with her parents, two brothers, and two sisters. She enjoys attending school, as well as going to church and singing hymns. Michenaida has a cardiac condition called pulmonary valve atresia. Among other defects, including at least two holes in the heart, Michenaida was born without one of her four heart valves. Her multiple conditions leave her weak and short of breath. If not treated, they would lead to heart failure. Michenaida will fly to Cayman Islands to receive treatment. On November 6, she will undergo cardiac surgery, during which she will first be assessed with a catheter to determine the plan for treatment, and then if found to be operable will be taken to the operating room for closure of the defects. Another organization, Have a Heart Cayman, is contributing $22,000 to pay for surgery. Michenaida's family also needs help to fund the costs of surgery prep. The $1,500 bill covers labs, medicines, and checkup and followup appointments. It also supports passport obtainment and the social workers from our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, who will accompany Michenaida's family overseas. Michenaida's mother said, "Our family is all praying that our daughter's heart can be made normal so she can be healthy and active."