Gilbert is 65 years old and a retired secondary school teacher from Malawi. He is married and a father of five children. His wife is a farmer. Six years ago, Gilbert began to experience troubling symptoms, including a small swelling on his neck. He visited the hospital, where he was diagnosed with recurrent follicular neoplasia of the thyroid. His medical history shows that he previously had a goiter in 1978, which was surgically removed, and he remained well afterwards. In 2023, Gilbert's condition worsened. After several tests, he was then started on chemotherapy for follicular thyroid disease and completed six cycles. He was referred to our medical partner's care center, Partners in Hope Medical Center, for surgery and specialized care. He was diagnosed with a goiter, which is an abnormal swelling of the thyroid gland. The thyroid is the gland located in front of your neck and produces thyroid hormones. These hormones are responsible for functions such as metabolism, growth, and other bodily functions. He needs surgery to prevent his symptoms from getting worse. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Gilbert receive treatment. He is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on February 7th. Surgeons will remove all or part of his thyroid gland. This procedure will cost $1,015, and he and his family need help raising money. Gilbert shared, "My condition has brought in more pain to my retirement life, ending up draining all my resources on hospital support; kindly help me to get better and get away with the stigma around me, said Gilbert during assessment."

Cecilia is 47 years old and a mother of five from Malawi. She bakes and sells potatoes and is married to a tailor who is also a pastor. Her husband pastors a small church. For two years, Cecilia has been experiencing severe bleeding associated with abdominal pain, dizziness, weakness, and heart palpitations. The condition has worsened over time, and she has been in and out of the hospital for blood transfusions. She has been diagnosed with uterine fibroids. She was reviewed by a gynecologist who confirmed the diagnosis and emphasized the importance of undergoing a Total Abdominal Hysterectomy (TAH). She needs to undergo a hysterectomy, a procedure in which surgeons will remove her uterus. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,363 to fund Cecilia's surgery. On October 7th, she will undergo gynecological surgery at our medical partner's care center, Partners in Hope Medical Center. Once recovered, Cecilia will be able to resume her daily activities free of pain. Cecilia shared, "The profuse bleeding keeps me indoors because I don't want to be seen with stains of blood. This condition brought psychological torture to my life."

Juan José is a four-year-old student from Colombia. He deeply enjoys family time and especially values the company of his younger sister, with whom he shares moments of great joy. From the age of two and a half years-old, Juan José has had an umbilical hernia. Despite this preventing him from performing certain activities and causing him frequent pain, he faces each day with courage. Some activities and games cause him more discomfort, so he must avoid them, but that does not stop him in his daily efforts to achieve his dreams and desires. Fortunately, on June 26th, Juan José will undergo repair surgery at our medical partner's care center. Our medical partner, Clínica Noel, is requesting $786 to fund Juan José's surgery. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully allow him to live more comfortably. Juan José's mother shared, "I want to express from the bottom of my heart my most sincere gratitude to the person who, without knowing my son, has decided to donate the necessary resources for his surgery. Your unconditional support comes at a time when we need it the most, and I do not have enough words to describe the gratitude I feel. I will always wish you blessings, and I will be eternally grateful for giving my son the opportunity to regain his health and live free of pain. Thank you so much for this generous and humane gesture!"

Nang is a 28-year-old mother of three from Cambodia. She lives with her husband and their three children in Kampot province. Her husband works as a construction worker to support the family, while her two older children are in primary school, and her youngest son is 3 years old and not yet in school. At home, she enjoys playing with her son and cooking for the family. When she was 13 years old, Nang had an ear infection. This infection caused the tympanic membrane, or the eardrum, in her left ear to perforate. For this reason, Nang experiences discharge and tinnitus, which have worsened in the last four months. The condition makes it hard for her to hear clearly and communicate with others. Nang traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On May 15th, she will undergo a myringoplasty procedure in her left ear. During this procedure, surgeons will close the perforation. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, requests $475 to fund this procedure. This covers medications, supplies, and inpatient care. Nang shared, "I hope I can have surgery and hear more clearly with my family."

Sovannara is an 8th-grade student and the only child in his family. He lives with his 80-year-old grandmother, two aunts, two uncles, and four cousins in Prey Veng province. His mother works as a garment factory worker in Phnom Penh, while his father passed away years ago. Sovannara enjoys studying Khmer and dreams of becoming a teacher when he grows up. His favorite meal is traditional sour soup, and he loves playing with his cousins during his free time. Sovannara was born with a small skin mark on his left knee. Over the years, this mark gradually developed into a mass, and he began experiencing pain, especially when walking. In the past week, the area became tender and painful. He was diagnosed with a hemangioma on his left knee, a benign growth made up of blood vessels. In his case, the hemangioma has become infected, and a necrotic lesion has developed. Due to the pain and swelling, Sovannara now finds it difficult to move around and walk comfortably on his own. Our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre, is helping Sovannara receive the treatment he needs. He is scheduled to undergo an excision procedure to remove the hemangioma on April 24th. This procedure will cost $726, and Sovannara and his family need your support. The cost will cover the surgery, hospital stay, medications, physiotherapy, and follow-up care. Sovannara said, “I want to walk without pain in my knee and hope the mass stops growing.”

Song is a 36-year-old father of two from Cambodia. Previously, Song worked in a meat-packing factory, but unfortunately, due to a motorbike accident three months ago, he can no longer work and has been relying on extended family for support. In his free time, Song enjoys spending time with his wife, son, and daughter, as well as watching Cambodian boxing. In January, Song was in a motorbike accident that impacted his left arm and shoulder. He has been diagnosed with a brachial plexus injury on his left side. The brachial plexus is a nerve network that transmits signals from the spine to the shoulder, arm, and hand. Injuries to this nerve network can result in loss of function and sensation. Song has no movement in his left shoulder, elbow, wrist, or fingers, which prevents him from being able to work. Song traveled to our medical partner's rehabilitation center, the only center in the country where this treatment is available, to receive help. On April 3rd, he will undergo a brachial plexus repair surgery. After recovery, he will be able to regain strength and movement in his left arm, allowing him to perform daily tasks more independently and return to work. Song's family contributed $100 to his care and needs assistance with the remaining $609 to fund this procedure. Song said, "I hope I can have surgery and help support my family again."

Armando is a farmer from Malawi. He is 89 years old but remains passionate about farming, using a cane to help him move around his small plot of land. For years, he’s cultivated crops to feed his family and finds peace in the rhythm of his work. Five months ago, Armando started experiencing severe lower urinary tract symptoms. This included frequent urination, difficulty starting urination, and a constant feeling of incomplete emptying of his bladder. These symptoms have significantly impacted his daily life, preventing him from working on his farm as much as he used to. His condition worsened over time, but despite his best efforts, there was no improvement. Concerned for his health, Armando’s family encouraged him to seek medical help at our medical partner's care center, Nkhoma Hospital. He was diagnosed with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) - a condition in which the prostate gland enlarges, causing urinary problems. While BPH is common among older men, it can lead to complications if left untreated. He needs a prostatectomy, surgery where doctors will remove part or all of the prostate. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $530 to fund this procedure. The treatment is scheduled to take place on March 13th and, once completed, it will hopefully improve Armando's quality of life. Armando says, “I am grateful for any help I can receive. After the surgery, I hope to return to my farm and continue growing food for my family. It is all I have known all my life. I believe with the surgery, I will be able to live without pain and feel like I have my strength back. Thank you for your consideration to help me. Your support will mean everything to me.”

Samantha is an intelligent and studious 15-year-old girl who lives with her mother and grandmother in Vereda el Banco, Colombia. Samantha enjoys playing basketball. Since 2023, Samantha has been experiencing chronic tonsillitis, which has caused her pain and discomfort. She cannot carry out her activities and eat comfortably. She is often feverish, weak, and has difficulty speaking. If not treated, her symptoms will persist and possibly intensify over time. Our medical partner, Clinica Noel, is requesting $1,022 to fund a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy for Samantha, scheduled for March 31st. Surgeons will remove her tonsils, hopefully relieving Samantha of his symptoms and helping her live much more comfortably. Samantha's grandmother said, "My granddaughter deserves this surgery to give her a more dignified living. And, being a young athlete, she has been very depressed. There are moments of encouragement, but because when her tonsillitis attacks begin she cannot participate in what she likes the most or eat. Samantha is a happy, smiling girl, a good daughter. A good sister. A good granddaughter. I know and I am sure that this surgery will help Samantha be happy again, she will no longer feel discomfort so often, she will play basketball again, and she will be able to eat everything without having any discomfort in her throat."

Saw Myint is a 53-year-old man from Burma. He lives with his retired mother, a niece, and a nephew in the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp in Karen State, Burma. As an agricultural day laborer and occasionally as a motorbike taxi driver, Saw Myint is the sole provider for the family. His income does not cover the household expenses, let alone medical needs. For his medical consultations, Saw Myint has to miss work and is forced to borrow small amounts of money from his neighbors. In mid-2023, Saw Myint noticed a small growth on his lower lip that did not go away. He visited the IDP camp clinic, where the medic checked his lower lip and mouth area. He gave him one month's medication and asked him to return when the medicine was used up. However, the growth continued to increase in size and started to cause pain. Saw Myint was referred to our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, where he was diagnosed with cancer. He is scheduled to undergo mass removal surgery on February 13th and needs your help to raise $1,500 to cover the cost of his procedure and care. “I do not have much free time since I am the only contributor to the family, but I really wish for things to go back to the way they were before this,” Myint explained. “Thank you BCMF and donors for helping and supporting me, I could not have paid for the surgery by myself.”

Grace is a 45-year-old woman from Malawi. She is a small-scale vendor whose business is on hold due to her pain. Her husband is a security guard, and they live in a rented house. For 8 years, Grace has been experiencing abdominal pains. She visited a nearby hospital, where, after scanning, a diagnosis of uterine fibroids was made. Grace was notified that the fibroids were still small and was put on medications to try to make them shrink. The pain however continued, and after some time, she started bleeding heavily. She visited different other hospitals for help, but to no avail. Grace visited our medical partner's care center, Partners in Hope Medical Center, and was seen by a gynecologist, who confirmed her earlier diagnosis. To treat her condition, she needs to undergo a hysterectomy, a procedure in which surgeons will remove her uterus. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,363 to fund Grace's surgery. On May 9th, she will undergo gynecological surgery to enable her resume her daily activities free of pain and uncomfortable symptoms. Grace says, "I cannot wait to be healthier again. Your support will go a long way in helping me to resume my business and improve my life."

Lorn is a 43-year-old construction worker from Cambodia. He lives with his wife and three children in Kandal province. His oldest son works as a glass fitter, his middle daughter is a garment factory worker, and his youngest daughter is in grade six. In his free time, Lorn assists his wife with household chores and takes care of the exterior maintenance of their humble home. One year ago, he was in a motor vehicle accident and fractured his left shin bone. He had surgery at a public hospital in Phnom Penh, where surgical hardware was inserted to stabilize the bone. He now has an imbalanced gait because his right leg is about 1 cm shorter than his left. He experiences pain when walking and has chronic hip pain due to a previously dislocated right hip, which has been an issue since he was about 13 years old. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, can help. On February 4th, Lorn will undergo a surgical hardware removal procedure to correct the imbalance in his gait, reduce pain, and improve his mobility. He and his family are able to contribute towards the cost of his treatment but need help raising $292 more to fund the procedure. Lorn says: "I hope that after surgery, I can walk well again and find work in construction as soon as possible."

Kakvey is a 12-year-old student from Cambodia. He is the middle child in his family and lives with his father, grandparents, and two siblings in Kampong Spueu province. His father, a widower, sells groceries from a small stall outside of the house, while his siblings are in primary school. He is currently in third grade, and dreams of becoming a teacher or police officer when he grows up. He likes to eat rice with fried pork, and in his free time, he helps his father organize the grocery shop. When he was 11 years old, Kakvey suffered an electric burn that caused contractures in his left ring finger. Burn scar contractures have tightened his finger, leaving it permanently bent. It is difficult for him to grasp objects and play games at recess in school. His father hopes that Kakvey will regain mobility in his finger and be able to use his hand easily again. Fortunately, our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), can help. On December 2nd, surgeons at CSC will perform a burn contracture release surgery to restore mobility to his finger and reduce the tightening caused by the scar contracture. His family can contribute $50 but needs help to raise $495 more to fund Kakvey's procedure and care. Kakvey shared. "I hope I can straighten my finger and use it more easily so I can play with my friends and go back to school."