Yhair is the third child of his mother and father, who farm and raise cows in a rural area in central Bolivia. Shortly after being born, his mother noticed he struggled to breathe and took him to the doctor. Yhair was diagnosed with coarctation of the aorta, a condition in which the blood vessel leading from the heart is too narrow, causing blood to back up. This can lead to difficult breathing, heavy sweating, and irritability in an infant. Without treatment, it can lead to brain bleed, stroke, and enlarged heart. Our partner International Cardiac Alliance is looking to raise $1,500 to fund surgery for Yhair. During surgery, doctors will open the aorta up to a more normal size. After surgery, he will hopefully have improved breathing and activity tolerance. Yhair's mother shared: "I was very afraid to come to La Paz for the surgery, but I gathered all my courage and I am hopeful everything will be ok."

Solomon is a two-year-old boy from Ethiopia. His parents are both students, and while they are in school, Solomon is cared for by his grandparents. In addition to pursuing their studies, Solomon's parents plant fruit and corn primarily for home consumption, while some is sold to help support the family. Solomon was born with hypospadias, a congenital abnormality that causes urinary dysfunction. Without treatment, he will continue to experience uncomfortable symptoms, and he will be at risk of cancer and infertility. Solomon has been to different health facilities in search of treatment, but this process has been hindered by a lack of sufficient funds for surgery and transportation. The family visited their district office, and were linked up with a charity organization, that facilitated their transportation costs to BethanyKids Medical Centre. Now Solomon is scheduled to undergo corrective surgery on December 19th, at BethanyKids Myungsung Christian Medical Centre. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,293 to cover the total cost of his procedure and care. Solomon's father says: “After the surgery, I hope he will be normal and just like other children. I worried too much since he is a boy that he might not have children in the future. And I hope after the surgery he will grow and be well."

Felix is a young man from Haiti. Felix lives with his parents, older sister, and younger brother in a neighborhood of Port-au-Prince. His father is a maintenance worker at a local hospital, and his mother is a market vendor. He attends high school and would like to become a teacher. Felix has a cardiac condition called rheumatic mitral stenosis. One of the four valves in his heart is severely damaged as the result of an infection he suffered earlier in childhood. As a result, his heart cannot adequately pump blood through his body, leaving him weak and short of breath. Felix now has the opportunity to fly to United States to receive treatment as the care he needs is not available anywhere in Haiti right now. On October 21st, he will undergo cardiac surgery, during which surgeons will remove Felix's damaged valve and implant an artificial replacement. Another organization, Baylor Scott and White Heart Hospital, is contributing $26,000 to pay for surgery, but Felix's family also needs help to fund the costs of surgery prep and follow up. 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 Felix's family overseas. Felix is excited for the future, and says "I am looking forward to being able to re-enroll in school once I have recovered from my surgery."

Jeremy is a seven-year-old playful boy from Kenya. He is the second and the last born in the family and a hard working grade 1 student; his mother shared that despite his challenges he likes riding bikes and playing football. The family hails from a semi-urban area in the capital city. His mother is a housewife, caring for the home and family, while his father works as a laborer in the infrastructure department of their county. Jeremy has clubfoot of both feet. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape because the tissues connecting the muscles to the bone (tendons) are shorter than usual. Jeremy was examined at our medical partner's care center, AIC Cure International Hospital. The doctors determined that Jeremy could be helped, hopefully enabling Jeremy to eventually walk like other children he knows. The surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on October 18th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,286 to fund Jeremy's bilateral clubfoot repair. After treatment, he will be able to walk much more easily and live a higher quality life free from disability. Jeremy's mother said, “I will be happy to see my son walking like other children.”

Titus is a young man from Kenya. He and his sibling live with his grandmother in a semi-arid area and they depend on jobs whenever they can get work to earn a living. Titus shared that he knows nothing about his parents because they left him under his grandmother's care when he was little. He studied up to class 7 in primary school and then dropped out because of the state of his family. Titus recently fell from a mango tree while harvesting mangoes, and he injured his left thigh, leaving him in pain and unable to use or move his leg. Doctors determined that he needs a nail to fix his fracture and enable him to walk again as soon as possible. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner African Mission Healthcare (AMH) can help. On September 7th, Titus is scheduled to undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation. AMH is requesting $1,247 to fund the procedure, which will enable Titus to walk again and return to work. Titus says, “Life has become hard for me and my grandmother at home. I have been the provider through casual jobs, and now I am bedridden. I have nobody to look up to, and I also don’t have any assets that can be sold to help me pay for my surgery. My wages are very low, but I thank you for giving me the strength to work and be able to put food on the table. Please help me fix my broken bone so that I can continue working as I did before.”

Thu Zar is a 47-year-old woman from Thailand. She lives with her daughter and son-in-law. She is a homemaker, her daughter is a babysitter and her son-in-law is a construction worker. Thu Zar spends most of her time doing household chores, allowing her daughter and son-in-law to concentrate on their work. Since March 2023, Thu Zar has been experiencing occasional heavy bleeding and a gradual enlargement of her abdomen which she had initially thought was caused from gaining weight. Now, she has been diagnosed with leiomyoma--a tumor in the uterus, also known as uterine fibroids. She has been advised to undergo a total abdominal hysterectomy, the surgical removal of her uterus and cervix. If left untreated, Thu Zar's symptoms will continue to worsen and put her at risk for further health complications in the future. Fortunately, Thu Zar is scheduled to undergo her hysterectomy on August 21st. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF), is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of her procedure and care. Once recovered, Thu Zar will no longer have her worrying symptoms. Thu Zar said, “Because of my condition, I feel worried, fearful, and sad. At the same time, I feel relieved and happy that my condition is treatable through surgery and that it is not cancerous. I am grateful to everyone for their support in facilitating my treatment."

Agnes is a mother of three children, aged between 3 to 7 years old. She works as a tailor who mends clothes for a living while her husband works on construction sites. Income from this job is inconsistent and often negligible. They live in a one-room rental house in a semi-rural town. Earlier this month, Agnes was involved in a road accident while traveling from church. She reports that the brakes of the car they were traveling in failed and they rolled off the road. She was rushed to Kijabe Hospital where she was stabilized and an X-ray revealed a right distal radius fracture. It is difficult for her to use her hand, and she is in constant pain. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner can help. On July 14th, Agnes will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation. This procedure will help her heal without a deformity. It will also enable her to use her hand again. Now, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,500 to fund this procedure. Agnes says, “This accident got us unaware. I broke my arm but I am glad it can be rectified. I thank God my life was saved but I still need this treatment to avoid having a deformity. ”

27-year-old Naw Lah lives with her husband, their two year old daughter, and other members of their extended family from Burma in a refugee camp across the Thai border. Naw Lah has a small mohinga shop, where she sells the traditional Burmese fish based soup. Her husband is a leader of their church meeting group. Naw Lah is currently expecting her second child. Because she delivered her first child via a Caesarean section - and because she is currently suffering from pre-eclampsia - a dangerous elevation of her blood pressure - her doctors recommend that she deliver via a C-section to ensure the safety of both mother and child. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is helping Naw Lah undergo a C-section on May 17th, at Mae Sariang Hospital. This procedure will cost $1,500, and Naw Lah needs your support to raise this money. Naw Lah said: “Thank you BCMF and donors for helping me. I would love to relocate to another country for a better future for my babies. We are waiting for the chance to go.”

Ko Thaw, who is 27 years old, lives with his extended family in Burma. In early June 2022, Ko Thaw- who was working in a factory in Malaysia- developed a headache. Later that day, he also experienced chest pain, a racing heart, and an episode of vomiting. His employer brought him to the hospital, and after some testing, Ko Thaw was informed there was a problem with his aortic valve. He was given medications and a follow-up appointment. In January 2023, Ko Thaw's health deteriorated, and he was brought back to the hospital. An echocardiogram showed aortic valve regurgitation, and Ko Thaw was told that he would need surgery. His employer wouldn't pay for the surgery, and as Ko Thaw couldn't afford to pay for this on his own, he tried to manage his condition with medication. But when the medications stopped working, Ko Thaw decided to move back to Burma. Ko Thaw was referred to our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund. With their help, he is now scheduled to undergo mitral valve replacement surgery on May 14th at Pun Hlaing Hospital. For Ko Thaw, who currently experiences chest pain, insomnia, muscle stiffness, and headaches with fever, this surgery can't happen soon enough. Now he is seeking your help to raise $1,500 to cover the cost of his treatment. "I hope I can find suitable work soon after my surgery. I would like to say thank you so much. You all do incredible work for poor people who need assistance," said Ko Thaw.