“Chit is extremely fatigued and feels heart palpitations on the left side of her chest,” explains our medical partner, Burma Border Projects. “She has a hard time taking care of her niece and parents because she is so weak and tired.” Chit, a 19-year old woman who lives with her family in Thailand, has a congenital heart condition called atrial septal defect (ASD). ASD refers to a hole in the wall separating the top two chambers (atria) of Chit’s heart, allowing oxygenated and deoxygenated blood to mix. The defect forces her heart and lungs to work harder to provide oxygenated blood to the body, causing fatigue and heart palpitations. Without treatment, the right side of Chit’s heart will grow larger and become weaker, and the blood pressure in her lungs will increase. Chit’s two older brothers work as day laborers near the Thai-Burma border, but the work is inconsistent, and all of the money that they earn is needed to buy food for the family. As a result, Chit, who had to stop working when she got sick, has no money to pay for the life-saving surgery that she needs. For $1500, Chit can receive cardiac catheterization to repair the ASD. In this surgical procedure, doctors use imaging to thread a catheter (a thin, flexible tube inserted into a blood vessel) from the groin to the hole in the heart. They position a mesh patch contained within the catheter to close the hole between the atria and then remove the catheter. Over time, heart tissue grows into and around the mesh to permanently close the hole. Funding for Chit's treatment also includes transportation and post-operative hospital care. “Chit hopes that after surgery she can return to normal life without being tired and in pain,” says Burma Border Projects. “She plans to work again and take care of her elderly parents.” Let’s help Chit achieve her goals!

Meet Richard, a cute, one-year old baby boy from Tanzania. Richard likes to play with cars and crawl around. He is an only child and his parents “love him very much," says our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). Richard was born with bilateral clubfoot. This congenital deformity has delayed his ability to begin walking, and if not treated, Richard will not have the ability to walk on the sole of his foot or wear normal shoes. For $1,160, we can fund treatment that will allow Richard to walk normally for the rest of his life. The cost of the treatment includes cost for the surgery as well as a fiberglass cast. Richard's parents are small-scale farmers and have “already spent a lot of money trying to look for the right treatment for their son without success. Now that they have found where the clubfoot can be corrected, they do not have enough funds to cover the treatment,” says our partner, AMHF. Let's help Richard get walking. As Richard's mother says, “I would like my son to be able to walk, go to school, study well, get a good career and live a better life.”

"Daudi is the 11th born in a family of twelve children," says our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). "He lives with his family in the coastal region of Kenya. He was enrolled in school (class two) but dropped out of school in 2014 due to persistent headaches. In May 2015, he lost his ability to walk and he has to be assisted to move about." Daudi, a nine-year-old boy from Kenya, was subsequently diagnosed with a brain tumor. "Daudi is at a high risk of intra-cranial pressure, which may cause brain damage or death," AMHF continues. "It can lead to decreased cardiac respiratory function, and eventually loss of consciousness. In addition, the tumor can also result to visual impairment if not treated and may not regain his walking ability." For $1260, Daudi can undergo a craniotomy to remove the tumor. His mother is a farmer and his father is older, and cannot work. Together they are unable to raise the funds for their son's treatment. “It has been a difficult few years watching our son lose most of his functionalities and drop out of school," shares Daudi’s mother. "I pray that he gets well." Let's support Daudi and his family, and help this young boy heal.

Meet Yin, a 34-year-old mother of three from Burma. Yin is married with one son and two daughters. “She works as a market vendor selling fruits and vegetables, and her husband is a rickshaw driver. They have never been able to save money, because it is very expensive to send their three children to school,” reports our medical partner, Burma Border Projects (BBP). “Despite the financial barrier, Yin insists on making sure her children are educated, because she was only able to attend school until grade 3 and wants more for them.” Yin was born with congenital heart disease, a defect in the heart’s structure that results in loss of normal function, and eventually heart failure. “Yin first learned of her condition when she was 17, but never sought treatment because she knew she could not afford it,” continues BBP. “Yin’s condition causes her to experience weight loss, dizziness, severe heart palpitations, fatigue and chest pains. She finds she needs to rest for longer and longer periods after physical activity, and the financial burden of disease is causing her stress.” “In August 2014, her symptoms became so severe that she took a loan of 500 USD from a money lender and went to see a doctor who told her she would need surgery,” explains BBP. “Yin has been unable to work for the past year and worries about how she will pay back her loans.” For $1500, Yin can receive a complex cardiac surgery that will correct the congenital heart defect and fully resolve her current symptoms. This cost covers the procedure, hospitalization (x-rays, medication, laboratory testing, meals), transport, and pre and post-surgery outpatient visits. Yin remains positive and looks forward to a bright future. “Yin plans to go back into business after treatment and sell goods in many different markets,” says BBP. “Her dream is to one day run her own company. She believes that treatment will allow her to be a better wife and mother.”

Phete is a seventeen-year-old young woman from Haiti. Our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance (HCA), shares, “she is an excellent student and would like to go to medical school. When not in school she enjoys singing in her church choir, and spending time with her friends.” Phete has had difficulty pursuing these dreams due to a congenital heart defect. “She was born with a heart defect called patent ductus arteriosus, in which a hole remains open between the aorta and the pulmonary artery, allowing blood to pass through without obtaining oxygen,” HCA explains. “In developed countries, this would be fixed in the first few months of life," HCA reports. However, "Phete has been living with it into adulthood, depriving her body of the oxygen and blood flow it needs. This leaves her fatigued and sickly.” University Hospital of Martinique is subsidizing Phete's treatment with a $7,500 donation. For $1,500, we can provide overseas preparation and transportation for Phete. Surgery will consist of a small cut between her ribs to reach her heart, allowing for repair of the open duct. "Following closure of the defect, Phete should be able to live a normal life with no further symptoms from her heart condition,” HCA explains. With better overall health and restored energy, Phete will be able to enjoy her studies and friends, while continuing on her path to become a doctor. Phete tells us, "I have been worried about my heart problem for many years, and I want to thank everyone who is going to help fix it for me!"

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."