Daw Soe is a 43-year-old woman from Burma. She lives with her husband, younger son, and daughter-in-law in a Burma village. Her husband is employed as a carpenter in a furniture shop, while her elder son works as a cleaner at a hotel in Bangkok. Daw Soe and her daughter-in-law are homemakers. Her younger son is in fourth grade. Their combined income is enough to cover daily expenses and able to pay for basic health care needs. They usually go to the internally displaced people (IDP) camp clinic run by the Karen Department of Health and Welfare close to her village. In her free time, Daw Soe enjoys listening to religious sermons by Buddhist monks. In April 2024, Daw Soe began to experience troubling symptoms, including difficulty breathing, discomfort in her neck, and difficulty swallowing solid food. She was diagnosed with non-toxic goiter. The thyroid is the gland in front of your neck and produces thyroid hormones. These hormones are responsible for metabolism, growth, and other bodily functions. She needs surgery to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF), is helping Daw Soe receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on January 22nd at Mae Sot General Hospital where surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. This procedure will cost $1,500, and she and her family need help raising the funds. Daw Soe shared: “There is a sensation of something in my neck that is causing me much discomfort. I am hoping to get surgery treatment, and I look forward to a quick recovery. I am so thankful for your help. I pray for the donors, BCMF, and the staff to be healthy and wealthy and to continue helping patients like me who cannot afford surgery.”

Yohana is a 12-year-old boy from Kenya. He was born and raised in Alale, a remote village in West Pokot County near the border of Uganda. He is the firstborn in a family of five children. Unfortunately, Yohana has never had the chance to go to school as there are no schools in his village. Both parents are farmers. Yohana takes care of the family's livestock. A year ago, while tending to the cattle in the forest, Yohana was bitten by a snake on his right leg. His family rushed him to the nearest health center, where he was given an antivenom injection. However, his foot began to change its form and has worsened. Fortunately, Yohana traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, AIC Cure International Hospital. There, surgeons will perform corrective surgery on his foot on December 9th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,286 to fund Yohana's treatment and care. After this procedure, he will be able to stand upright, wear shoes, walk, run, and play like other children. His self-esteem will also improve, and he will be able to continue with life like other children. Yohana's grandmother shared, "I am looking forward to seeing him walk and live an active life just like other children."

Zaw is a 46-year-old man living in Thailand. He fled to Thailand from his village in Karen State, Burma in April 2024 due to fighting in the area. In his free time, Zaw used to enjoy exercising a lot but nowadays, he prefers to take long walks since he cannot lift anymore. Zaw can move normally and do most chores himself, but he is unable to work. Early in May 2024, Zaw experienced severe pain in his abdomen for the first time. He visited a clinic and the doctor treated him with an intravenous injection after diagnosing him with gastritis. The pain went away but came back as soon as he left the hospital. He feels pain in his abdomen that comes and goes and worsens when he lies down, making it impossible for him to sleep well. After several visits to clinics and hospitals, Zaw was diagnosed with a pancreatic pseudocyst and needs surgery to remove it. Zaw is now at a clinic in Mae Sot, Thailand, as he awaits further treatment. The clinic also helps provide shelter, food, and financial aid for health care. Zaw traveled to our medical partner's care center, Mae Sot General Hospital, to receive care, and on November 21st, surgeons will remove the cyst. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund Zaw's procedure and provide him relief from the impact of the cyst. Zaw expresses his worries saying, “Right now, I do not even want to think about my future. I hope I will be able to find a good job after I am healthy again, where no heavy lifting is needed. Thank you to BCMF and the donors for your help.”

Linn is a ten-year-old boy from Burma who lives with his parents in Thailand. They moved when Linn was a small child as they were looking for better job opportunities. Linn is in third grade. His father works at a pork shop, and his mother works at a shop that sells curry. On October 6th, 2022, Linn’s father noticed that Linn’s left ear was slightly swollen, painful, and itchy. When his father touched Linn's ear, it felt hard. Three days later, Linn had a fever and the area around his ear became very painful, even to the slightest touch. A few days later, his father took him to the local hospital where he was admitted straight away. Linn received a computerized tomography (CT) scan, and the doctor diagnosed him with a possible deep neck infection or lymphangioma with an infection at that time. Linn has been receiving treatment for two years, but nothing has stopped the pain. Doctors now told Lin that he needs surgery to remove the tumor. Currently, Linn experiences pain in his left ear and a sense of tightness around the left side of his face. His ear feels itchy and the left side of his face, especially around his ear is swollen. Linn sought treatment through our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund. He is now scheduled to undergo mass removal surgery on October 21st and is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of his procedure and care. “I worry about my son’s problem because I have only one son and I also cannot afford to pay for my son’s treatment,” Linn's father said.

Meet Sithorn, a 14-year-old girl who lives with her parents and three siblings in Prey Veng province in Cambodia. Her father is a construction worker, while her mother works in a clothing factory. Her oldest brother is a waiter, while her younger siblings are in primary school. Sithorn dropped out of eighth grade at the start of the school year, due to back pain, which made it difficult for her to sit comfortably at her desk. She now stays at home to help her mother with cooking, cleaning the house, and taking care of her younger siblings. Several months ago, Sithorn's mother noticed an abnormal curvature of her daughter's spine, which was later diagnosed as Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS). This condition, which typically develops between the ages of ten and 18, causes Sithorn's spine to curve sideways in an "S" shape. Sithorn complains of back pain that extends to her neck, making it hard for her to sit for long periods. She also experiences fullness in her chest, and difficulty breathing, especially at night. Fortunately, our medical partner, the Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC), can help. On September 11th, surgeons will perform posterior spinal fusion surgery to correct the curvature of Sithorn's spine. Sithorn's mother can only afford $100 toward her daughter’s care and needs your help to raise the remaining $1,400 for the surgery, hospitalization, post-operative medication, and physiotherapy. This surgery will help alleviate Sithorn's pain, improve her posture, and enable her to return to school again. Sithorn shared, "I hope my surgery will be successful so I can return to school and focus on my studies."

Bertha is a 45-year-old woman from Malawi. She runs a small restaurant in the village, while her husband is a motorcycle taxi driver. Their only daughter moved to South Africa to work. Bertha likes resting after doing house chores and enjoys eating nsima, a traditional Malawian porridge, served with chicken. For two years, Bertha has been experiencing abdominal pains associated with dizziness. In January 2024, her symptoms got worse and she experienced heart palpitations with some bleeding making her unable to continue running her business. A week ago, she visited our medical partner's care center, Partners in Hope Medical Center, and was examined by a gynecologist. She has been diagnosed with uterine fibroids, which are non-cancerous tumors in the uterus. 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 Bertha's surgery. On August 20th, she will undergo gynecological surgery at Partners in Hope Medical Center. Once recovered, Bertha will be able to resume her daily activities free of pain. Bertha said, “I am looking forward to that surgery day for me to regain my peace of mind and resume my business after surgery. I am tired of being supported by my young brother when I can support myself.”

Juanita is a widow with two children who is currently unemployed due to her physical limitations as a senior citizen. She is financially dependent on her daughter who is a single parent. Her daughter's income working as a factory worker is barely enough for the family's needs. Four years ago, Juanita began to experience troubling symptoms, including abdominal pain and vomiting. She endured the pain for the past years but in the past two months, it occurred more often. Juanita has been diagnosed with gallstones and was advised to undergo a cholecystectomy, which is the surgical removal of the gallbladder. If left untreated, her symptoms will continue to worsen and put him at risk for further health complications. After seeking treatment through our medical partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines (WSFP), Juanita is scheduled to undergo surgery on July 13th. A portion of the cost of the procedure is being supported by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation and WSFP is raising the remaining $1,128 to cover the cost of Juanita's surgery and care. Juanita said, "Thank you very much for your help. I hope you will continue helping more patients like me because it really is a huge help. Private hospitals are very expensive and there is no way we can afford it so I am very grateful."

Reaksa is a 12-year-old student from Cambodia. She lives in Phnom Penh with her parents and brother. Her mother works in a clothing factory, and her father is a tuk-tuk tricycle driver. Reaksa is the oldest and is currently in sixth grade, while her brother is in kindergarten. In school, she enjoys mathematics class and dreams of becoming a police officer when she grows up. At home, she likes to eat egg-fried rice, read books, and do her homework. For several months, Reaksa had an ear infection. This infection caused a cholesteatoma, or an abnormal skin growth, to develop in the middle ear behind the ear drum. For this reason, Reaksa experiences poor hearing and left ear pain, accompanied by ringing in the ear. The pain in her ear makes her feel very uncomfortable at school, often leading to her absence from class. Reaksa traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On June 20th, she will undergo a mastoidectomy procedure in her left ear. During this procedure, ENT surgeons will remove the cholesteatoma. Reaksa's family was able to contribute $75 towards her medical care but needs help raising the remaining $851 to fund the procedure. Reaksa's parents shared: "We hope Reaksa will no longer be in pain and her hearing will be normal in the future."

Two-month-old Dayana is the first child of her mother, who is a food vendor, and her father, who works in construction. She battles a condition called coarctation of the aorta. One of Dayana's major blood vessels connected to her heart is too narrow, this causes blood to back up into her heart, which can lead to heart failure. Fortunately there is a treatment than can cure her condition. During surgery, doctors will expand the aorta to allow blood to flow normally. She is scheduled for treatment on February 8th and our medical partner International Cardiac Alliance is helping her family to raise $1,500 to support the cost of care. Dayana's mother says, "We have been very afraid for our daughter's life ever since she was born, and so we are so glad to have this opportunity!"

Genesis is a 14-year-old girl from a city in central Bolivia. She is in eighth grade and lives with her mother, who raises her independently. Her mother works as a food vendor. Genesis' father passed away when she was younger. In her free time, she enjoys art and music. When Genesis was younger, she was diagnosed with coarctation of the aorta, a condition in which a major artery connected to the heart is too narrow to operate properly. When she was younger, doctors felt that the condition was not severe enough to operate; as she has grown older, however, she has felt weaker become increasingly tired, so surgery is necessary. Fortunately, our medical partners, The International Cardiac Alliance can help. Genesis is scheduled to undergo Congenital Cardiac surgery on March 21st. Our medical partners are requesting $1,500 to fund her procedure. After surgery, Genesis should make a full recovery. Genesis said, "I am hopeful that after my surgery I will feel stronger and have more energy to do things."

Belta is a 14-year-old girl from Kenya. Belta's father operates a boda-boda taxi in town, while her mother sells clothing in a nearby market. Belta is the second of three children and she aspires to become a pilot. When Belta was 10 years old, her mother noticed a change in how she walked. Belta would complain of pain while walking, which emanated from her back to her legs. Belta's family heard about our medical partner's care center, AIC Cure Hospital, through a friend, whose child had been successfully treated for a similar condition. The doctors found that Belta has a curvature of the spine and scheduled her for posterior instrument fusion surgery to take place on March 20th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,500 to fund Belta's life-changing surgery which will enable her to walk without pain and discomfort. Belta shared, “I am looking forward to a complete recovery, continuing and finishing my studies well, and becoming a better person in the future who will greatly impact society.”

Hsar is a 67-year-old grandmother from Tak Province, Thailand. She lives with her daughter, son in-law and her granddaughter. Her granddaughter is in primary school. Her daughter works in a coffee shop and her son in-law is a teacher. Hsar is retired and helps her daughter in the home. In her free time Hsar loves to clean and takes pride in her tidy home. Since 2020, Hsar has been experiencing nausea, jaundice, back pain, and exhaustion. She has trouble walking because of the pain. She was diagnosed by physicians at Mae Sot General Hospital with kidney stones and kidney failure. Her doctors have determined that Hsar needs undergo a kidney surgery to remove part or all of her right kidney. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund this procedure. The treatment is scheduled to take place at Mae Sot General Hospital on February 10th. Once completed, the surgery will hopefully improve Hsar's quality of life. Hsar's daughter says, "I want her to recover and be free from pain. I am sad to see her with this condition that I cannot help."