Gladys is a strong, hardworking mother from Kenya who is raising her five children on her own. Her oldest child is 14 years old, while her youngest is only three. To support her family, she works as a casual laborer plucking tea. She currently lives in a single-room rental house, which costs Ksh.1200 (~10 USD) per month. Gladys shares that her income is inconsistent and not enough to cover her needed medical treatment. She also does not have active medical coverage and currently has a large accrued bill due to her recent hospital admission. Recently, Gladys was involved in a road traffic accident that caused several fractures. One of the fractures she sustained in this accident was of her left tibia. As a result of this injury, she is currently unable to walk. In order to properly heal her fracture, she must undergo an open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) procedure. She also has facial fractures, which will require another ORIF later the same week. However, undergoing an ORIF for her fractured tibia is the current priority. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner can help. On August 8th, Gladys will undergo fracture repair surgery so she can walk easily again. Now, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,500 to fund this procedure. Gladys says, “I cannot walk and my face is in pain. I am the only breadwinner of the family, and I cannot work if my leg is broken. All my five children depend on me for upkeep and survival. I need this treatment to get back on my feet.”

Aung is a nine-year-old boy from Burma. He lives with his parents and his two sisters in a village in Karen State, on the Thai-Burma border. Aung's father is a carpenter and his mother is a homemaker. Aung also has two sisters and used to go to school until their school closed in August 2022 due to armed conflict in their area. In his free time, Aung enjoys watching football matches. Aung was born at a clinic in Thailand with a mass between his eyes. As he grew, the mass increased in size and started to cause him pain. The area around the mass is red, swollen and irritated. His eyes will frequently water and will turn red whenever he looks down or reads for a longer period of time. Doctors want Aung to undergo a CT scan, a procedure in which x-ray images taken from several angles are combined to produce cross-sectional images of the body. This scan will hopefully help doctors diagnose his condition and formulate an appropriate treatment plan. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $414 to cover the cost of Aung's CT scan and care, scheduled for November 10th. He shares, "I want to be a football player when I grow up. But I also want to help my father earn more money for our family, maybe by building houses."

Lida is a bright and motivated ten-year-old student from Cambodia. She has two younger brothers, who are twins. To support their family, her parents sell electronic appliances from their home. Some of Lida's favorite activities include playing with her brothers, reading books, and watching cartoons. She also loves eating her favorite meal: fried fish and fresh milk! In school, her best subjects are Khmer literature and math. She aspires to be a lawyer when she grows up. For some time, Lida has complained of hip pain and weakness, which have progressively intensified over time. She has been diagnosed with multiple epiphyseal dysplasia, a condition that affects cartilage and bone development. Fortunately, she will undergo hip hemi-arthroplasty surgery on August 2nd at our medical partner's care center. During this procedure, surgeons will replace half of her right hip joint. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $544 to fund Lida's surgery at Kien Khleang National Rehabilitation Centre. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully alleviate her pain and discomfort, allowing her to live more comfortably and confidently. Lida's father says, "I hope she gets well soon and can be comfortable again."

Safia is a bright student - she is an orphan who is still mourning the loss of her mother who passed on in February 2022. Her father died a few years ago, and she lives with her relatives in Moyale. She has not been able to attend her classes since she started feeling unwell. She is the last born in a family of five children. She does not have medical coverage and is unable to raise the required amount for the surgery. She first experienced a small itch on her leg at the beginning of April 2022. She later experienced swelling in that area, and she did not have any feeling on the infected leg. Over time, the situation worsened and developed pus. She now has a chronic wound on her left leg that requires debridement and skin grafting. Safia was referred to our medical partner's care center Kijabe Hospital by friends after her condition did not improve. She visited the facility and underwent a sequestrectomy on the 8th of September and now needs a debridement and skin graft procedure. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Safia receive treatment. On September 14th, surgeons will perform a debridement and skin graft procedure so she can walk without straining and be able to attend school and continue with her studies. Now, Safia needs help to fund this $1,185 procedure. Safia's aunt says, “She has been away from school for almost five months now. Her condition keeps getting worse that she is unable to walk. We even have to carry her to the bathroom. She needs this surgery, or she will lose her leg.“

Neylan is a three-year-old girl and the first-born child in a family of two children. She is a charming girl who loves to play with her baby brother. Her father is a teacher at a local college while the mother is a housewife. Despite having a job, it is hard for her father to earn enough to provide and care for his wife and two children. Neylan was diagnosed with bilateral genu varus, her legs bow outward at the knee. This condition is typically caused by an excessive accumulation of fluoride in the bones, which often stems from contaminated drinking water. As a result, she has difficulty walking and playing. Her baby brother is also in need of treatment, which causes stress and worry for their family. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $880 to fund corrective surgery for Neylan. The procedure is scheduled to take place on July 8th. Treatment will hopefully restore Neylan's mobility, allow her to participate in a variety of activities, and greatly decrease her risk of future complications. Neylan’s mother says, “Please help me, my children's legs are being deformed and we are worried."

Patience is a sweet 8-year-old from Uganda. She is in primary school class two and has three siblings. Her father passed away four years ago, and her mother practices small-scale farming to provide for their family. About eight months ago, Patience developed a small, painless swelling on her right axilla near her armpit. The swelling slowly increased over time, so her mother took her to the nearest health center for treatment. Although the mass initially disappeared, the swelling returned and was progressively larger than before. Patience's mother took her to our medical partner's hospital for review, and the doctors determined that she needs to undergo surgery. Currently, Patience experiences some pain, and her family is concerned about the mass. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), can help Patience receive treatment. On October 15th, surgeons will remove the mass. AMH is requesting $145 to fund this procedure. Patience's mother shared, “I pray that my daughter gets well through surgery so that she may be able to continue her education comfortably for a better future.”

Winne is a small-scale farmer from Uganda. She has two sons, who work on the police force, and one daughter, who works as a teacher. Winne shared that her husband passed away thirteen years ago, making her the sole provider for her family as her children grew up. Winne began farming to sustain herself and her family. Seven years ago, Winne began to experience troubling symptoms, including anterior neck swelling and trouble breathing. She was diagnosed with a goiter and managed her symptoms with traditional herbs. As her symptoms progressed, she visited the hospital for review, and doctors recommended that she undergo surgery to prevent her symptoms from worsening. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is helping Winne receive treatment. On October 11th, she will undergo a thyroidectomy at AMH's care center, during which surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. AMH is requesting $252 to fund Winne's surgery. Winne shared, "I've passed through a lot of struggles over the period, but I have hopes that, with your support, I will be relieved from this condition."

Blessing is a beautiful toddler from Kenya and the only child in his family. His mother stays home helping to raise him, often relying on Blessing’s grandparents for financial help. His father works as a broker in their local market where he is involved in the cattle selling business. The family cannot raise the required amount to cover Blessing’s hospital bill for the treatment she needs. Blessing has been diagnosed with hydrocephalus, a condition in which excess cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the brain and increases intracranial pressure. As a result of his condition, Blessing's head has been growing in circumference since birth. It took his mother almost four months before she could take him to the hospital for examination, where he was diagnosed with hydrocephalus and was recommended surgery. They, however, could not afford the procedure until they heard about our medical partner's surgery program at BethanyKids. Blessing's surgery has now been scheduled. Without this vital procedure, Blessing will experience severe physical and developmental delays. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, needs $720 to cover the cost of this surgery. The surgeons, who will drain the excess fluid from Blessing's brain, are scheduled to operate place on November 23rd. This will reduce intracranial pressure and greatly improve his quality of life and, with proper treatment, Blessing will hopefully develop into a strong, healthy young boy. Blessing’s mother says, “It is very hard for me to work and help around as I cannot leave him alone.”

Phearun is an 18-month-old toddler. He has three siblings - two older sisters, and one older brother. His parents are farmers in Kampot province, about three hours from the capital of Phnom Penh in Cambodia. He enjoys playing with toys with his siblings, taking long naps on his mother's lap, and drinking milk. Phearun was born with polydactyly of his right hand. This means that he was born with an extra digit on his hand, but is otherwise healthy. As he has grown, it is difficult for him to use his hand, and this may affect the function of the other fingers as he becomes more active. Fortunately, on October 18th, surgeons will perform a polydactyly repair procedure to remove the extra digit. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $299 to fund this procedure. After surgery, the appearance of his hand will improve and he can develop normally. Phearun's mother said: "I hope my son will be able to use his hand more easily and will not be ashamed when he goes to school."

Oudam is a 9-year-old student who enjoys math and wants to be a policeman when he is older. Oudam has two older siblings, a 15-year-old brother, and a 16-year-old sister. At home, his favorite meal is soup and fried vegetables. Three months ago, his mother died from an acid burn assault, which was very traumatic for him as he was also splashed with some of the acid. After their mother's death, the three children moved in with their aunt, who now supports them. The acid burned Oudam's body and his right arm. His aunt took him to the local charity hospital for wound care, but he has developed scar contractures and an open wound on his right elbow. It is painful and difficult for him to bend his elbow and to use his right arm due to the burn scars and a chronic wound. He feels ashamed about how his skin looks and doesn't want to attend school. When Oudam's family learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, he traveled with his aunt for two and a half hours seeking treatment. On October 17th, surgeons at CSC will perform a procedure to remove the injured tissue and replace it with a skin graft to allow his elbow to heal. He will be able to flex and straighten his arm and to eventually have full use of his arm. Now, his family needs help to fund this $487 procedure. Oudam's aunt said: "We hope the doctors can repair Oudam's damaged skin and he can use his arm again. He would like to ride his bike and play with his friends again."

Edith is a 49-year-old mother from Kenya. To support their four children, she works as a homemaker, and her husband works as a driver. She shares that her husband earns enough to support their family's basic needs. As Edith does her family chores, she enjoys socializing with friends and neighbors. Two months ago, Edith began to experience troubling symptoms, including neck swelling. After seeking medical attention at a hospital, she was diagnosed with thyroid hyperplasia, a condition that leads to thyroid enlargement. In order to alleviate her symptoms and prevent them from worsening, she must undergo thyroid surgery. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is helping Edith receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on August 15th at our medical partner's care center. During this procedure, surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. The surgery will cost $657, which she and her family need help raising. Edith shares, “The doctor said that with this surgery, this problem will be solved. I kindly request help so that I can be operated on soon. I also pray that the surgery will go on well.”