Chong is a nine-year-old boy from Thailand. He lives with his mother, who works as an agricultural day laborer, planting and harvesting corn and beans for a plantation owner. They live in a hut on the plantation owner’s land. Chong’s mother supports the family as a single parent. She cannot afford to send any of her children to school. Chong helps his mother with household chores, cooking meals or collecting water from a nearby pond. Some days, he accompanies his mother to work, where he helps her carry bags. A year after Chong was born, his mother noticed an abnormal condition in a sensitive area of his body. Chong complained of pain, so his mother brought him to the hospital. There, the family learned about our medical partner. Chong was diagnosed with a right inguinal hernia and hydrocele. He is scheduled to undergo a repair surgery on January 4, 2017. Our medical partner is requesting $1,500 to fund this procedure. Chong loves to play games of marbles with his friends. He also loves to cook. His mother says that his best dishes are fish paste salad, stir fried dishes, and soup. Even when he is not feeling well, Chong always wants to help his mother. In the future, Chong hopes to stay in Thailand to support his mother. “I would like to find a job here,” he says, “so that I can help my mother.”

Yar Blu, a 16-month-old girl, lives in a refugee settlement with her parents and eight older siblings. The family has resided in the camp for ten years. The father works as a medic at the clinic in the camp and the mother previously taught in the camp until the birth of Yar Blu. The father’s income is not sufficient to meet the basic financial demands of such a large family. Yar Blu was born in a hospital, rather than the camp clinic, because her mother had a medical condition called eclampsia that dictated the delivery should be done in a fully equipped hospital. At the time of birth, her mother and physician noted the presence of a small mass on the bridge of her nose. Fluid was also leaking from the mass. However, Yar Blu received no care as they were unable to afford it. At the present time, Yar Blu is not displaying symptoms, other than the increasing size of the mass. She is very active and alert; however, the risk of cognitive impairment increases over time. The mother has no predetermined ambitions for her child; she said that Yar Blu could do whatever she wishes when she grows up. Successful surgery will give Yar Blu the chance in life that she deserves.

19-month-old Jose is from rural Guatemala. He has a history of malnutrition, and his mother recently brought him to our clinic because he has still not spoken a word. He seems to follow only the simplest of commands, but it is unclear if he can hear or if he just follows others' gestures. His mother is worried that if he does not receive a workup and therapy he will not be able to ever speak or attend school. Jose lives with his parents and two older siblings. His parents work as farmers, harvesting bananas on a plantation. Jose's favorite food is beans, and he loves to play with his one toy, which is a ball. His parents work hard to give Jose the best, and fight to make sure he eats well, but his mother is worried that he will never learn to talk because they can't afford expensive medical care to diagnose him and give him the opportunity to go to therapy to learn to speak. Treatment will provide Jose with a full diagnostic workup to determine the extent of his inability to hear. He will receive transportation, and lodging so they can receive care in the capital, which is many hours away from the rural coastal community in which they live. This will help Jose's mother feel more confident that her son can attend school on day, and be a good student. "Thanks for the collaboration of all the people that will help my son move forward," Jose's mother said. "I hope he can study and be a good man when he is bigger."

Meet 43-year-old Tach from Cambodia. Married and a mother to one son, Tach is busy at home but also works as a farmer. In her free time she likes to sell items at home, watch Thai movies on TV, and cook food for her family. In December of 2015, Tach fell and fractured her left forearm. After the accident, she sought treatment at a private clinic but ran out of money to cover her expenses after three months. Tach was referred to our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC), who shares, "Our doctors discovered that Tach still has elbow and wrist stiffness and limited flexion/extension of the thumb, index, and pinkie finger of her left arm." Without full use of her left hand, Tach has difficulty working and taking care of her family. For $405, Tach will receive an open reduction and internal fixation surgery. Doctors will make an incision to open up the areas around Tach's broken bones and proceed to realign and secure the bones with metal plates. She will also receive x-rays, physiotherapy, and a week-long stay in the hospital to ensure proper recovery. “After surgery Tach will regain mobility of her left hand and arm,” reports CSC. “I hope I can use my hand again,” says Tach. “When I am healed I will go home and continue my work."

Thaw is an 18-year-old student from Burma. Thaw is in the 11th grade and hopes to one day become a building engineer. His favorite pastime is playing football. "In November 2010, Thaw and his mother noticed signs that he was not healthy," shares our medical partner, Burma Border Projects (BBP). His symptoms, often exacerbated by playing football, included shortness of breath and tiredness on exertion. After being diagnosed with a heart condition by a local clinic, he and his mother traveled to a specialist who told Thaw that he would require cardiac surgery for his condition. BBP tells us, "Thaw is suffering from lethargy, back pain, abdominal and chest pain, and sometimes has difficulty breathing. Sometimes when he is unwell with fever, his lips and fingertips turn a little blue." Due to Thaw's condition, he is no longer able to go to school. Thaw lives in Burma with his mother, aunt, and grandfather. Their combined income is just enough to cover the cost of food. $1,500 will cover the cost of complex cardiac surgery for Thaw's congenital heart valve defects. Burma Children Medical Fund has contributed $13,525 towards his treatment cost. "I hope I can get help with my problems so I can continue my studies in the future," says Thaw.

Sabianca is an eight-month-old baby from Haiti, and the first born in her family. Her mother is 29 years old, and attends school with the dream of becoming a doctor. “[Sabianca's mother] lives with her family and is not working; she explains that her family is poor," says our medical partner, Project Medishare (PM). “Sabianca was normally born and healthy when after two months, her head started swelling and getting abnormally large,” PM explains. A CT scan revealed that Sabianca has hydrocephalus. Hydrocephalus is condition that affects the brain. It is produced by a blockage of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain ventricles. These enlarged ventricles cause the brain to swell and thin. $1260 will fund the treatment Sabianca needs to treat her condition. The treatment includes placing a shunt in her brain to allow the cerebrospinal fluid to drain, so that her head will return to normal size. Without this intervention, Sabianca will have difficulty reaching developmental milestones. This procedure will have a "direct positive impact on the little girl's life," PM continues. "After the treatment the baby will be healthier and live a good childhood."

Say hi to Samuel, a 28-year-old man from Kenya! According to our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF), "Samuel is married and a father of a two-year-old beautiful girl. His wife stays at home taking care of their daughter while Samuel works as a welder. He is working very hard so that he can set up his own welding garage." Unfortunately, "Samuel was on a motorbike taxi when the driver lost control and threw him off,” continues AMHF. “Samuel suffered a broken right tibia and zygoma (cheekbone). He also suffered some flesh wounds and abrasions." Without proper treatment, Samuel will continue to deal with chronic pain that will prevent him from working and he is at risk of developing an infection. For $660, Samuel will receive surgery to repair his fractures, after which it is expected that he will no longer be in pain and can return to work.

“This is our first born and we want the best for her. We hope to see her able to walk properly and not miss out on opportunities because of her foot,” said Ajanati’s mother. Meet Ajanati, a happy, seven-month-old girl from Tanzania. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, reports, “Ajanati has a congenital deformity of the left foot. If not treated, Ajanati will use the lateral aspect of her left foot for walking, which will be painful and affect her gait.” It also puts her at risk of osteoarthritis later in life. “Ajanati’s mother is a home maker and her father makes clay blocks which are used for building houses. As much as they want to help their baby girl, finance has been an obstacle,” continues African Mission Healthcare Foundation. For $1160, we can correct Ajanati’s clubfoot. African Mission Healthcare Foundation expects the treatment to allow Ajanati to walk on both feet without any pain and her chances of developing early osteoarthritis will also decrease. Ajanati can continue being the happy child she is.

Meet Anjolina, a bubbly three-year-old girl from Haiti. Anjolina “makes friends easily and likes to dance with people she meets and hold their hands,” according to our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance. “She is her mother’s only daughter and she loves to be with her mother whenever she can.” Anjolina was born with a heart condition called supravalvar aortic stenosis, “a condition in which the aorta is too narrow, causing blood to back up into the heart and pressure to build up, causing shortness of breath and fatigue and eventually leading to heart failure.” $1,500 pays for Anjolina to undergo surgery that will fix her aorta, allowing her to dance for many years to come. “My husband and I would like to say thank you to everyone who is helping to fix Anjolina’s heart,” her mother says. Let's make it happen for her!

"Wesly lives in the mountains of central Haiti with his parents, two brothers, and one sister," Haiti Cardiac Alliance (HCA) tells us about this vibrant, 17-year-old young man. "The family has a small farm, and when he has enough energy, Wesly likes to help with the family's cow, goats, and chickens. He also likes playing soccer, and is excited to be able to go back to school after his surgery." Wesly needs surgery to treat a heart condition he's been living with for years. "Since the age of 13, Wesly has suffered from a heart condition called severe rheumatic mitral regurgitation, likely as a result of an untreated strep throat. The mitral valve of Wesly's heart is severely damaged, limiting the heart's ability to pump blood through the body. As a result, his feet and stomach swell, and he cannot be active and is too sick to go to school." HCA is prepared to provide Wesly the valve replacement he needs to continue moving forward with his life. "Following surgery, Wesly's heart will gradually return to full strength over a period of several months," HCA writes. "He should be able to participate in all activities, will gain weight and strength, and should not require another surgery in the future." HCA has managed to raised funding for Wesly's care. But they need $1500 to cover the cost of overseas transport to the United States. "I am excited to go to the United States for surgery, but I am afraid it is going to be very cold there!" Let's fund Wesly's transportation and help him move forward in life.

Ansley is an intelligent 14-year-old boy living in Haiti. Ansley’s mother is a primary school teacher and his father is a small farmer, both working hard to provide for Ansley and his siblings. Ansley loves school but had to put his schooling on hold after he lost the function of his right hand and leg, leaving him unable to walk and lift his hand. His mother took him to the doctors and the result of a CT scan revealed Ansley has a brain tumor. Ansley is now also losing his ability to talk and see well. Let’s raise $1500 for Ansley to travel to the Dominican Republic and receive the four-week radiation therapy. Ansley is excited to get back to school so let’s help him get the treatment he needs to have restored health!

Meet Veasna, a hardworking father from Cambodia! One year ago, Veasna got in an accident while driving his tuk tuk and broke his arm. Since then, he has been waiting for it to heal with a bamboo splint, but unfortunately the bone has yet to unite. Since his accident, Veasna does odd jobs to earn an income because driving is too painful. By raising $300, we can provide Veasna with open reduction and internal fixation surgery. This surgery will unite the broken bone in Veasna’s arm. With your help, and this surgery, Veasna's arm will fully heal and he can return happily to work!