Leonard is a 41-year-old lumberjack from Kenya. He is a bachelor, has no children, and lives alone in his grandfather’s place. His work as a lumberjack is seasonal and he sometimes works on peoples' farms to earn money for basic needs. His relatives live in faraway places and are of limited socio-economic status. Leonard has no medical coverage and cannot raise the money required for his needed medical treatment. Leonard was injured while felling trees. One of the trees fell on Leonard, hitting him on his right hip. He fell, and the people with him ran away, thinking he had died. Leonard was unable to walk and slept at the scene. Luckily one of his neighbors passed by and found him. Leonard's neighbors carried him to the hospital for treatment as he could not stand or walk. An x-ray revealed that he had a complete fracture of the upper end of his right femur. He is now admitted to the surgical ward on bed rest because his fracture is at a weight-bearing joint. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner can help. On October 2nd, Leonard will undergo a fracture repair procedure called an open reduction and internal fixation. A surgeon will make an incision, realign the bones, and insert hardware to hold the bones together. Subsequently, after recovery, Leonard will be able to walk again. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,247 to fund this procedure. Leonard says, “It is so sad that I cannot now walk but I thank God that I am alive because that tree was big. Please help me so that I may be able to work and be able to sustain myself because I have nobody to depend on.”

Abnet, a precious 9-month-old baby girl from Ethiopia, has captured our hearts with her beauty and spirit. She is the only child of her young 20-year-old parents. Her father works alongside his own father as a coffee farmer, while her mother lovingly tends to their home. Despite not having had the opportunity for formal education, they pour their efforts into providing for their family through the limited farming they do, though it yields barely enough to sustain them. From the very beginning, Abnet's parents demonstrated their determination to seek medical care for their daughter, even in the face of financial challenges. Abnet was born with a congenital anorectal malformation, a condition that disrupts bowel function due to a partial or complete blockage of the intestines. In order to alleviate her suffering and restore her health, she must undergo a series of intricate procedures. Their family initially went to a government hospital, where they were referred to another medical facility. Sadly, their hopes were dashed as they were asked to return two years later. Recognizing the worsening state of Abnet's health, they reached out to a local social worker, sharing their child's condition. Fortunately, the social worker was able to introduce them to our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH). Abnet underwent a thorough evaluation leading to a recommendation for the necessary surgery. Abnet is now scheduled for surgery on August 15th. AMH is requesting $1500 to help fund her procedure. Following her successful recovery, Abnet will be a healthy little girl, able to resume normal activities. Abnet's mother shared, "When we first learned of our daughter's condition, a sense of worry and helplessness engulfed us. The path forward seemed uncertain and daunting. Despite the challenges we faced, we relentlessly pursued treatment for our beloved child. Though previous avenues turned us away, the administrative office introduced us to this lifeline of support. We embraced it with hope, and it has brought us to this moment, filled with gratitude and anticipation."

Hlaing is a 55-year-old man from Thailand who lives with his wife, two sons, mother-in-law, and grandson. He is a construction worker, but he stopped working five months ago due to his health deteriorating. In his free time, Hlaing enjoys listening to music and taking walks in the forest to gather wood for the house. In February, Hlaing noticed a mass developing in his right nostril, which has grown big enough to block the nostril completely. He experiences difficulty breathing due to his right nostril being obstructed by the mass, has persistent coughing and loss of appetite, and sometimes has hot and watery eyes. He underwent a CT scan and was diagnosed with an inverted papilloma in his right nasal cavity, meaning that he has a non-cancerous tumor in the right side of his nose. Hlaing sought treatment through our medical partner Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF) and is scheduled to undergo surgery to remove the mass from his nose on July 12th. Hlaing and his family need help to raise $1,500 to cover the cost of his procedure and care. Hlaing said, “Thank you BCMF and the donors for paying for my treatment. I can’t afford it by myself. I have wanted to receive the surgery. I am happy to get support from you.”

Dormaha is a four year old preschooler from Haiti. She lives with her parents in a neighborhood of Port-au-Prince, and likes dancing and watching cartoons. Dormaha suffers from a cardiac condition called ventricular septal defect. Blood leaks through a hole that exists between the two lower chambers of her heart, bypassing her lungs without obtaining the oxygen Dormaha requires. She needs surgery to prevent her from experiencing the weakness and shortness of breath that she currently lives with. The surgery that Dormaha needs is not currently available in Haiti, so she will be flying to the Dominican Republic to receive treatment. Fortunately, on May 18th, she will undergo cardiac surgery at Hospital CEDIMAT, during which surgeons will sew a patch over the hole to close it. Our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, is contributing $8,000 to pay for the surgery. However, Dormaha's family also needs help to fund the costs of many other aspects of Dormaha's care. They are seeking $1,500 to pay for the lab tests, medicines, checkup and follow-up appointments, that are all part of Dormaha's critical treatment. This money will also go towards obtaining passports, and for the social workers from our medical partner, who will accompany Dormaha's family overseas during her care. Dormaha's mother said: "Our family has been hoping for this surgery ever since our daughter was a small baby, and we are very glad the chance has arrived!"

Nhoeb is a 67-year-old retired rice farmer from Kompong Cham province in Cambodia. She has three sons, four daughters, and ten grandchildren. Nhoeb's husband is a monk and he and Nhoeb live in the pagoda, where Nhoeb helps with the cooking. About two years ago, Nhoeb developed a cataract in her right eye, causing her photophobia, itchiness, tearing, and blurry vision. She experiences discomfort and, because of her impaired vision, she is uneasy about going out on her own. When Nhoeb learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for three hours to seek treatment. On April 26th, doctors at Kien Khleang National Rehabilitation Centre will perform small incision cataract surgery and implant an intraocular lens in her right eye. After recovery, Nhoeb should fully regain her ability to see clearly. Now, she needs your help to fund this $253 procedure. Nhoeb shared: "I hope after surgery my eye can see clearly again. I want to easily cook and read again."

Zerubabel is a 17-month-old, energetic baby boy from Ethiopia. He is the only child of his mother. He already loves to run and play football with other children. Bread is his favorite food. Both of his parents currently have no income. His father used to work at Mekele University at the student's café, but lost touch with their family after the war broke out. Zerubabel's mother has no income and has moved to Addis Ababa where she stays with relatives. Zerubabel was born with hypospadias, a congenital abnormality that causes urinary dysfunction. Without treatment, he will continue to experience uncomfortable symptoms and will be at risk of cancer and infertility. A year ago, Zerubabel's mother noticed his condition but was unable to take him to the hospital sooner. The neighbor of her relatives told her about our medical parter at BKMCM and she came to the hospital with hope. The doctors have recommended surgery to treat Zerubabel, his mother is appealing for financial assistance. Fortunately, Zerubabel is scheduled to undergo corrective surgery on April 4th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,293 to cover the total cost of his procedure and care. Zerubabel's mother said, “I look forward to seeing him completely healthy. I want to see him grow up. I hope he will be a professional football player. ”

Yusufu is a bright student. He is a young 8-year-old boy from Mpanda, Tanzania, with dreams of attending school. His parents work as farmers supporting their large family of ten children. As the ninth child in his family, his parents have made every effort to make ends meet. Yusufu has clubfoot of the right foot. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. This causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Yusufu finds it hard to go to school because it is far from home, and he cannot help much on the farm. Financial hardships have made it nearly impossible for his parents to provide Yusufu with the urgent care he requires. Fortunately, Yusufu's family traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, The Plaster House NGO. There, the team will begin clubfoot treatment on September 15. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $935 to fund Yusufu's clubfoot repair. After treatment, Yusufu’s ability to walk will be restored and he will no longer experience severe pain. Yusufu can't wait to be treated so that he can go to school easily and help his family work on their farm. Yusufu says, "I wish to be able to play with my friends comfortably and help my parents around the farm.”

Rayan is a baby from Tanzania with two siblings. Their parents are small-scale farmers and cattle breeders who cultivate maize and wheat, and cattle for milk production. The family's livelihood has been impacted by drought, and recently the cost of maintaining the farm exceeds any profit they make. When Ryan was 11 months old, he crawled to the kitchen where his mother had started an open fire, and burned his right hand on a piece of firewood. The scars from the wound have since made it difficult for Rayan to use his right hand because the skin around the fingers is webbed together. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, will help Rayan with treatment. On March 9th, surgeons at their care center will perform a burn contracture release surgery. After the procedure, Rayan will be able to open his fingers fully and use his hand. Now, Rayan and his family need help to fund this $832 procedure. Rayans’s mother says, “I hope this surgery will be a big step in helping my son’s condition.”

Michael is a beautiful baby who likes playing with blocks and waving his arms in time to music. Michael has a cardiac condition called tricuspid atresia: he was born without one of the four valves that is normally present in the heart. As a result, blood cannot flow through his lungs and body normally, leaving him sick and short of breath. On March 1st, Michael will undergo cardiac surgery, during which doctors will perform a technique called a Glenn procedure to create a conduit to allow blood to bypass the missing valve and more easily circulate through Michael's body. Another organization, Gift of Life International, is contributing $5,000 to pay for surgery, but Michael's family is still in need of $1,500 and have turned to the Watsi community for support. Michael's mother says: "It has been very frightening to see my son have such difficulty breathing, and I am so glad we can finally find a way to help him."

Simon is an 11-month-old baby and the second born in his family. He also has a twin sister. They all came together to our medical partner because the mother couldn’t leave Simon’s twin at home. Their family lives in a remote area in the western part of Tanzania. They are from a community that mainly depends on small-scale subsistence agriculture, depending on the rainy season as their major source of agriculture. They have had a good rice harvest that enables them to provide food for their family. And then they sell the little harvest surplus they have, to afford other basic needs. Simon has clubfoot of both feet. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. This causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Fortunately, they visited our medical partner's care center, Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre where surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery to heal his condition. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $935 to fund Simon's clubfoot repair. After treatment, he will be able to wear shoes and walk easily. Simon’s mother says, “I wish my son to be free from this disability so that he will be able to play with his twin sister as they grow old.”

Tola is a bright eleven-year-old student in grade five. He lives in Kampong Chhnang province with his family. He has a younger sister in grade one and a younger brother who is not yet in school. His parents are rice farmers. At home, he enjoys playing with his siblings and likes to eat any food his mother makes that has chicken! In school, Khmer is his favorite subject, and he would like to be a policeman when he grows up. When Tola was one year old, he had an infection and was given several intra-muscular injections in his right thigh. He subsequently developed muscle contractures that inhibit his ability to flex or straighten his right leg. If not properly managed, this can progress over time and further compromise his walking ability. When Tola and his family learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, they traveled for two hours seeking treatment. On January 20th, surgeons at CSC will perform a quadricepsplasty procedure on his right thigh. This will release the quadriceps muscle and improve the range of knee flexion. After he recovers, Tola will be able to walk and run alongside his friends. Tola and his family need help raising $482 to fund his procedure and care. His mother said: "After surgery, we hope that Tola can bend and straighten his knee like other children, and won't feel ashamed that he looks different."

Six-year-old Tay lives with her mother, sister, and brother in a village in Shan State in Burma. Tay's mother is a teacher. When Tay was three years old, she was frequently ill with a rapid heartbeat and fingertips that would turn blue. Her mother brought her to a nearby hospital, where the doctor told them that Tay had congenital heart disease and would need to be treated in Yangon. However, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Tay's mother did not feel it was safe to take Tay to Yangon. When she turned five, Tay's symptoms worsened, and her mother brought her to a hospital in Yangon in August 2022. At the hospital, Tay was diagnosed with an atrial septal defect, and her mother was told that Tay would require surgery- which the family could not afford to pay for. Fortunately, Tay's aunt referred her to our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, for help. Now Tay is scheduled to undergo atrial septal defect closure at Pun Hlaing Hospital on May 13th. As Tay is becoming progressively more ill- with episodes of rapid breathing and weight loss due to a lack of appetite- this procedure is critical for her health and well-being. Burma Children Medical Fund is seeking $1,500 to cover the cost of Tay's care. “When I learned that my daughter [Tay] needs surgery, I felt very sad and I cried because I cannot afford to pay for her surgery. But when I learned that the organization [BCMF] will support the cost of my daughter’s surgery, I felt very happy and thankful to all the donors and that organization. I want to see her healthy,” said Tay's mother.