Naw Wah is a 22-year-old living in a refugee camp in Mae Hong Son Province in Thailand. Naw Wah lives with her husband, grandmother, two sons and a daughter. Her grandmother is retired, while her husband is a day laborer. The family receives some financial support from The Border Consortium, and free basic health care in the refugee camp through Malteser International Thailand. During Naw Wah's third pregnancy, she had to undergo an emergency Caesarean section when her amniotic sac ruptured prematurely. Nah Wah discovered that she is pregnant with her fourth child in May 2023, and during one of her antenatal visits, the doctors informed her that would have to deliver via a C-section again, in order to protect the health of both mother and child. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is helping Naw Wah undergo a C-section on January 9th, at Mae Sariang Hospital. This procedure will cost $1,500, and Naw Wah's family needs your support. “I feel tired sometimes looking after two of my children with disabilities. My husband has to earn more money for our living expenses, and he cannot stay with us at home a lot,” she said.

Irene is a 43-year-old mother dedicated and resilient mother from Philippines who diligently cares for her family, despite facing the challenges of stomach pain and financial constraints. Her dedication is evident as she strives to provide for her five children by taking on various chores. Her husband works as a room attendant and is the sole provider of the family. The burden of her health issues not only affects her but also weighs heavily on the concerns of her entire family. Five years ago, Irene began to experience troubling symptoms, including severe stomach and back pain. When she was examined, the attending physician recommended an open cholecystectomy, the surgical removal of the gallbladder. If left untreated, her symptoms will continue to worsen and put her at risk for further health complications in the future. After seeking treatment through our medical partner World Surgical Foundation Philippines (WSFP), Irene is scheduled to undergo a cholecystectomy on December 8th. A portion of the cost of the procedure is being supported by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and WSFP and Irene need your help raising the remaining $1,128 to cover the cost of Irene's surgery and care. Irene shared, "I am hoping to be one of the beneficiaries for this surgery. This would be an immense blessing not just for me but also for my family who also suffers greatly from my illness. I would never be able to afford an expensive surgery and so I am very grateful to everyone who will make this possible for me."

Kalar is a 53-year-old woman from Burma. She lives with her mother and daughter in Htantabin Township, Yangon Division village. Kalar used to sell vegetables, but she stopped in October because her condition was worsening. Kalar's mother is a homemaker. Kalar's daughter left school three years ago because she couldn't afford the school fees. Currently, she is working in a restaurant. Their monthly income is not enough for their daily expenses, and they have to borrow money from their friends to make ends meet and pay for basic medical costs. In 2017, Kalar's upper abdomen was in pain, and she went to a hospital in the village. There, she received an ultrasound, and the doctor told her that she had a small stone in her gall bladder and she would need medication to reduce the stone. She felt much better after taking the medication, and she didn't go to any clinic or hospital after that. In October 2023, Kalar's symptoms returned, and she visited the hospital in the town where she received the ultrasound. At the hospital, the doctor confirmed that Kalar had a large gallstone and would require surgery to heal. She could not afford to pay for the surgery, so she received medication and returned home. Her condition gradually got worse. Kalar has not been eating or sleeping well and is in pain. After seeking treatment through our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF), Kalar will be able to undergo gallbladder removal surgery on November 18th. BCMF requests $1,487 to cover Kalar's procedure and care costs. Kalar said, "I was upset because I couldn't work and support my mother and daughter. Now, I am so happy! I want to say thank you to all of the donors for supporting my surgery."

53-year-old Aye lives with her husband, son and two daughters in a refugee camp in Thailand. Her husband is a teacher, and Aye is a homemaker. All of the children go to school. In her free time, Aye loves to plant different types of flowers around her home. One day in the middle of 2018, Aye's friend told her that her neck looked a bit swollen. Aye did not seek medical attention, as she wasn't experiencing any symptoms. Gradually, however, she began developing mood swings, anxiety, and fatigue. Although she was put on medications by the doctor, her symptoms worsened, and she was referred to Mae Sot General Hospital. At the hospital, she was diagnosed with a left thyroid mass and for the next three years, she returned to the hospital for multiple follow-up appointments. During her appointment on September 28th, the doctor told her that she will need surgery to remove her thyroid and cure her worsening condition. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is seeking $1,500 to fund Aye's thyroidectomy, which is scheduled for October 11th, at Mae Sot General Hospital. Aye is looking forward to her surgery, as she feels as if the mass is increasing in size, and is causing her to have fatigue and chest pain. Aye said: “Because of my condition, I feel sad and angry without reason. Afterwards, I feel bad for my family. I believe that after my surgery, I will have normal emotions again, and I will be able to help my family more.”

Saw Htoo is an 11-year-old boy from Burma who lives with his parents, 4 brothers and a sister in a refugee camp, in Mae Hong Son Province, Thailand. His parents fled to the camp from Karen State, Burma, due to the civil war in 2010. Saw Htoo is in grade 4 and his favorite subject is English. His father used to work as a day laborer before travel restrictions were imposed on camp residents after the outbreak of covid-19. Since then, both of Saw Htoo’s parents are homemakers. Although they receive a small monthly cash card to purchase food in the camp, as well as free basic health care and education, they struggle to make ends meet. For the past 5 years, Saw Htoo has been brought frequently to the hospital in the camp due to having urine in his blood. He has also experienced pain while going to the bathroom, developed a fever and pain in his bladder area. He received an ultrasound, an x-ray of his kidney, ureter and bladder (KUB) and an intravenous pyelogram (IVP) and was diagnosed with a renal stone in his right renal pelvis. At a follow-up appointment in August 2023, he received another IVP which indicated that the stone was increasing in size and doctors recommended Saw Htoo have surgery to remove the stone. Saw Htoo has been experiencing pain in his back, and he often needs to take leave from school because of the pain. Fortunately, our medical partner Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF) can help. Saw Htoo is scheduled for surgery on September 8th, and BCMF is asking for help to raise $1,500 to fund the procedure. Saw Htoo said, “I want to become a football player [in the future] because I love to play football.”

Linn's Baby is a four-day-old girl who lives with her parents and three older sisters in a village in Thailand. She is so young, that she is not yet named. Her parents are day laborers. Linn's Baby was born with multiple health challenges including Down syndrome and congenital heart disease. In addition, her mother noticed that she wasn't passing stool, and when the doctors examined her, they discovered that she also has a condition known as imperforate anus. What this means is that Linn's Baby was born without an opening, which is a birth condition that occurs while the fetus is still developing in the womb. To address her condition, Linn's Baby will undergo surgery on August 4th at Mae Sot General Hospital, to place a colostomy, that will allow her to pass stool until she grows bigger and stronger, and better able to tolerate additional surgeries. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is seeking $1,500 to cover the costs of this procedure. Her mother said: "I cannot watch my daughter suffer from these conditions. I think she is crying because she wants breastmilk. She is my first baby born with such conditions. My other daughters are all healthy. I feel very sad for her.”

Ya is a 41-year-old woman from Burma. She currently lives with her father who is retired, her brother who is a student, and her son who works on the family rice farm with her. Their farming sustains their family, as they have no other source of income. They also forage for plants and vegetables from the forest. In her free time, Ya enjoys weaving traditional Karen (her ethnic community) bags. As a result of COVID-19 and the February 2021 coup, it is no longer feasible for Ya’s family to have traditional jobs. Her family faces extreme instability due to ongoing fighting in their area. Often, they must escape to nearby forests to avoid the conflict. They spend around a week at a time displaced in the forests. After the fighting has moved, they return to their village. Recently they had to sell their two cows to support themselves. In September 2020, Ya began experiencing back pain, and it was uncomfortable for her to walk and do regular activities because she cannot put pressure on her abdomen. She was diagnosed with myoma, or uterine fibroids. She has been advised to undergo a total abdominal hysterectomy, the surgical removal of her uterus and cervix. If left untreated, Ya's symptoms will continue to worsen and put her at risk for further health complications in the future. Fortunately, Ya is scheduled to undergo her hysterectomy on July 10th with the help of our medical partner Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF), who is requesting $1,500 to cover the cost of her procedure and care. Once recovered, Ya will no longer be in pain and will be able to walk without discomfort and work on the farm with her son. Ya said, “I want to get the surgery and recover quickly so I can go back to my family and help with the farm.” She is not sure what the future will hold as the fighting in her village is still happening, but she said, “I just want to be happy and stay with my family for the rest of my life.”

Jeremy is a two-year-old toddler from Haiti. He lives with his parents, who run a small grocery kiosk in Port-au-Prince. He is their only child. Jeremy was born with ventricular septal defect (VSD). VSD is a cardiac condition where there is a small hole in the wall that separates the heart's lower chambers. Due to this hole, oxygen-rich blood mixes with oxygen-poor blood, causing weakness and shortness of breath. On June 12th, Jeremy will undergo cardiac surgery in the Dominican Republic. During this procedure, surgeons will sew a patch over the hole in Jeremy's heart so that his blood can't leak through it. Our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance (HCA), is contributing $8000 to pay for surgery. However, Jeremy's family needs help to fund the costs of surgery prep and transport. Jeremy's family is requesting $1,500 to cover labs, medicines, and preoperative and postoperative appointments. This sum will also support passport obtainment and the social workers from HCA who will accompany Jeremy's family overseas. Jeremy's mother said: "Our family is very excited to know that our son has been chosen for surgery. We're all praying for him."

Lolutori is a 7-year-old boy from Tanzania. He and his two siblings live with their parents, who are nomads. For the past two years, the family has been going through a difficult time due to a severe drought, which has made water and food scarce. The family has had to move frequently in search of better pastures for their animals. Lolutori has been diagnosed with genu valgus, or bow legs. This condition is typically caused by an excessive accumulation of fluoride in the bones, due to the consumption of contaminated drinking water. Because of this condition, Lolutori experiences difficulty walking. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $880 to fund corrective surgery for Lolutori. The procedure is scheduled to take place on April 17th at Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre. Treatment should restore Lolutori's mobility, allow him to participate in a variety of activities, and greatly decrease his risk of future complications. Lolutori’s father says: “With our living condition, him not being able to walk properly makes it hard for the family. We hope he will be able to walk properly like his siblings.”

Wedstanley, who is 10 months old, lives in a small village in northern Haiti, with his parents and three older siblings. Both of his parents are farmers. Wedstanley was born with a condition called patent ductus arteriosus, in which blood leaks between two major blood vessels next to his heart. As a result of this condition, Wedstanley is weak and short of breath. Surgical intervention is required in order to restore him to good health. Our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, is requesting $1,500 to fund Wedstanley's interventional heart catheterization. The procedure, during which surgeons will close the leak in his heart - allowing for normal blood flow - is scheduled for April 17th, at Clinica Corominas. Wedstanley's mother said: "Our family is praying that this surgery will go well and that our son will be normal and healthy!"

Fikir is a thirteen-month-old baby from Ethiopia. He is playful and loves spending time with his mother, playing with other children, and watching cartoons. He loves drinking milk and eating foods made from corn flour. Fikir has an older brother who is three years old. His father works as a shoe-shiner and sells plastic bags and socks. His mother used to sell coffee and tea and now stays at home taking care of the children. Fikir was born with hypospadias, a congenital abnormality that causes urinary dysfunction. Without treatment, he will continue to experience uncomfortable symptoms and will eventually be at risk of cancer and infertility. Fortunately, Fikir is scheduled to undergo corrective surgery on March 6th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,293 to cover the cost of his procedure and care. Fikir's mother said, “Once he gets well, I will educate him. I want him to help people in the future. I hope he will be a doctor.”

34-year-old Beatrice lives with her husband and four children in Malawi. Beatrice uses the income from the saloon that she owns to take care of the needs of her children. Her husband, who is a businessman, uses his income to take care of their home, a three-bedroom house that has neither running water nor electricity. In 2020, some of Beatrice's friends noticed a swelling in her neck. Beatrice- who was pregnant at the time- went to the hospital to be evaluated. She was told that the swelling might be related to her pregnancy and that she should come back after giving birth if the swelling hadn't subsided. The swelling continued to grow; ultimately, Beatrice was diagnosed with a goiter- a swelling of the thyroid gland- and told that she would need to have her thyroid surgically removed. Beatrice's surgery continued to be postponed, but her symptoms of breathlessness and coughing- which often kept her from going to work- continued to worsen. Finally, her sister suggested that she visit Partners in Hope Medical Center, where doctors scheduled her for surgery on January 31st. As Beatrice is unable to cover the costs of her treatment, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is seeking $1,015 to fund Beatrice's thyroidectomy. Beatrice believes the removal of her thyroid will help her to return to her home in Blantyre, and to rejoin her family in good health. She believes her children are the reason why she lives, and she knows that she has to be healthy in order to continue supporting them. Beatrice said: “I am looking forward to getting back to normal.”