Phalleap is a 17-year-old blacksmith. His parents are farmers, and he has four siblings. In his free time, Phalleap enjoys playing football and listening to music. When Phalleap was five years old, he developed an ear infection that caused the tympanic membrane, or the eardrum, in his right ear to perforate. As a result, he experiences pain, hearing loss, and ear discharge, and he cannot communicate clearly with others. Fortunately, Phalleap was able to travel to our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), to receive treatment at the care center. On April 21st, he will undergo a myringoplasty procedure in his right ear. During this procedure, surgeons will close the perforation. CSC is requesting $487 to fund this surgery, which covers medications, supplies, and inpatient care. Phalleap shared, "I really hope my hearing improves after surgery."

Benjamin is a middle aged man from Kenya. Benjamin was on his weekly routine, heading to the city to buy stock for his upcountry retail shop on Friday, 1st November. Unfortunately, their van was hit from behind by a speeding lorry hurling them down a steep cliff some few kilometres from our hospital. He sustained head injuries. Together with the other passengers, Benjamin was rushed to our emergency room for first aid. Upon CT scanning, the surgeon diagnosed him with a mandible fracture that requires an open reduction and internal fixation. If not treated, Benjamin who is in alot of pain will be at risk of further complications on the fracture. Benjamin and his wife rely on their small retail shop in the village to make ends meet. From there, they are able to educate their five children and at least meet their basic needs. The family lives in central Kenya and with no medical insurance, they fear the cost of surgery will be high for them. He appeals for financial assistance. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner can help. On November 4th, Benjamin will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation. The surgery will fix the fracture allowing him to feed easily and with reduced complications. Now, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $640 to fund this procedure. “Please help us as we plan on raising other funds required,” says Benjamin’s wife.

Myint a 53-year-old woman from Burma. She sells items made from amber in the market. Over 10 years ago, Myint started to feel tired often and would frequently have a fever. She was also unable to sleep well at night because her back would hurt a lot. After she went for a check-up at a hospital, she was told she has a heart condition that needs to be fixed with surgery. Because she could not afford to pursue surgery, Myint lived on medications. A few months ago, Myint went to another hospital in Mandalay because she was not feeling very well. There, the doctor again told her that she needs surgery. When she told the doctor that she does not have money, the doctor connected her with a former patient of Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF), and she was later referred to BCMF. She will have surgery on October 6th. Myint said, “I went to send my son to school so he can graduate and I hope my son will become an engineer.”

Ben is a toddler from Haiti. He lives with his mother and father in the mountains south of Port-au-Prince; his parents are both farmers. Ben has a cardiac condition called ventricular septal defect. A hole exists between the two lower chambers of his heart; blood leaks through this hole without passing through his lungs to obtain oxygen, leaving him weak and short of breath. Ben will fly to Cayman Islands to receive treatment. On September 24th, he will undergo cardiac surgery, during which surgeons will perform open-heart surgery to close the hole with a patch.. Another organization, Have a Heart Cayman, is contributing $17,000 to pay for surgery. Ben's family also needs help to fund the costs of surgery prep. 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 Ben's family overseas. His mother said, "We are excited for this surgery so our son can gain weight and have energy."

Saw Zaw is 39-years-old. He was recently diagnosed with several kidney and urological problems; he has multiple stones blocking his bile ducts and a benign tumor causing dizziness, fatigue, jaundice, and fever. He's unable to work because of the condition. Saw Zaw first noticed his health problem seven years ago, while he was living in Burma. He and his wife are both school teachers, but after spending their savings on medical bills and taking out risky loans, they ultimately lost their home. They now live in a refugee camp near the Thai-Burma border where our medical partner works. For $1,000, we can help Saw Zaw receive treatment to permanently resolve his condition and enable him to work, take care of his family, pay back his loans, and get his life back.

Sweet three-month-old Paulo was born without the ability to pass stool. Just after he was born, he was diagnosed with Hirschsprung’s disease, a condition that affects the nerves in the large intestines and causes intestinal blockages. Because of the urgent nature of his condition, Paulo was given a colostomy, an alternative waste disposal opening located in his abdomen. In order to live a normal life, Paulo needs surgery to remove the affected intestines and create a normal passage to replace the preliminary colostomy. Paulo’s parents are very poor and cannot pay for his treatment. “Although we don't have much, our prayer is for our son to survive and live a normal life,” they told our medical partner. For $1,200, we can raise the funds to pay for Paulo’s surgery and give him the chance to have a normal childhood!