"Lay is a 15-year-old boy in eighth grade. He has one sister and one brother," shares our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC). In his free time, he likes to watch TV and listen to pop music. When Lay was a young child, he contracted meningitis and had a history of high fever and convulsions. As a result, he has damage to his brachial plexus nerves, a network connecting the spine, shoulder, arm and hand. "Since Lay was five years old he has experienced involuntary flexion contractures of his left wrist, elbow, and foot," CSC explains. "He has limited voluntary function of his left arm." Lay travelled five hours to CSC with his mother to receive treatment. For $450, doctors can perform a joint arthrodesis surgery in his left wrist. This will give him regained function and motion control in his left hand and arm, making it easier for him to attend school.

Meet Peth, a 19-year-old woman from Cambodia. "Peth lives alone and supports herself," Children's Surgical Centre (CSC) tells us. "She likes to do housework and [listen] to classic Khmer music." Peth has strabismus, a misalignment of the eye which makes it difficult for her to see things with both eyes at the same time. "...she is very shy with her friends and others," CSC writes. With $290 doctors can perform corrective surgery to improve the vision and alignment of her eyes. "After surgery she is excited to look good like her friends and hopefully find a job in one of the many clothes stores in the city," CSC says of Peth. Let's help to improve Peth's quality of life by funding her surgery today.

“Her mother thinks that she is the cutest baby girl in the world, but she is extremely worried that she may lose her from this condition,” our partners at African Mission Healthcare Foundation explain. This is Tikidem, a five-month-old baby girl from Ethiopia. Tikidem was born with Hirschprung’s disease, a condition that makes passing stool difficult due to intestinal abnormalities. She underwent colostomy surgery as a newborn, and has been using it to pass stool since then. This puts her at risk of infection, and will affect her social life as she grows up. Tikidem is in need of surgery that will repair her large intestine and allow her to digest and pass food properly, without risk of infection. Her parents are unable to afford the treatment she needs. For $1,500, Tikidem can receive surgery to allow her to grow and develop healthily. Let's help fund it!

Say hello to Gloria, a seven-month-old baby from Kenya. She is the youngest of five siblings and both of her parents are farmers on the quarter-acre piece of land that they own. Gloria was born with a condition called hydrocephalus, which means that she has an abnormal build-up of fluid in her brain. The buildup causes Gloria’s head to be enlarged and puts extra pressure inside of her skull. If it isn’t corrected, doctors say that the increased pressure could lead to blindness, severe headaches, brain damage, or even premature death. Because Gloria’s parents are entirely dependent on the proceeds of their farm to survive, it’s been a struggle raising funds for her surgery. Gloria’s mother says, “Both my husband and I have no means of raising the necessary funds for Gloria’s surgery, but we desire that she gets treatment as soon as possible. We pray for support.” For $980, we can fund surgery for a shunt incision to help make Gloria better. The doctors predict that with the surgery, Gloria will live a happy, normal life with no risk of blindness, brain damage, or premature death. Let’s make that a reality for Gloria!

This sweet girl is five-week-old Najma. Najma is the last born in a family of four children and lives with her siblings and parents in Kenya. Her mother is a housewife and her father works as a casual laborer to provide basic needs for their family. Najma was born with spina bifida, a dangerous condition, which leaves the spine protruding in a fluid filled sack on his back. If not treated, Najma is likely to get an infection and develop a tethered cord, kyphosis, or scoliosis. “I had lost hope, but am glad I have found a place where Najma can be treated,” says Najma’s mother. For $980, Najma will receive a spina bifida closure. “We expect that the surgery will enable Najma to live a life without the complications of spina bidifa,” write our medical partners. Let’s join together to support Najma and her family!

George is three months old and the first born child of his parents. His father has a small business that brings back very little money, while his mother is a housewife. George's head is enlarged. He was born with a condition called hydrocephalus, which means that he has an abnormal build-up of fluid in his brain. The buildup causes George's head to swell and puts pressure on the inside of his skull. If it isn’t corrected, doctors say that the increased pressure could lead to blindness, severe headaches, brain damage, or even premature death. George’s mother says, “I feel so sad for my son. He is only a few months old, yet he has suffered a lot.” If it’s treated early, most children with hydrocephalus recover successfully. George needs $980 for a shunt placement that will drain the excess fluid around his brain. However, his family cannot afford it. His mother says. “I would appreciate any help towards George’s surgery.” Your donation to George will offer him a healthy, happy future.

Say hello to Woody! With five older siblings, this little guy from Haiti is the baby of the family. At five-months-old, Woody’s main job is to eat and sleep so he can grow up healthy and strong. However, due to a condition called pyloric stenosis, he has been having difficulty with this task. Pyloric stenosis is a narrowing of the lower channel of the stomach through which food and other stomach contents pass into the small intestine. This prevents food from being digested and absorbed properly leading to weight loss, electrolyte imbalances, and dehydration. Despite eating what he can, Woody is still very malnourished and weighs less than an average newborn. Woody’s mother says she is excited to see her son receive treatment so they can go back home and be together as a family. $700 will pay for the surgery Woody needs to relieve the blockage in his lower stomach. Doctors expect he will be able to return to normal feedings quickly and catch on weight gain. Let’s give this little guy a chance to be healthy again!

Just looking at his picture, you can tell that Wood is going to blossom with personality as he grows up. Wood is a 12-month-old boy from Haiti who was born with syndactyly, a condition where two or more of his fingers are fused together. Wood's mother explained to our medical partners, Project Medishare, that she was "very scared when she delivered and saw her baby in that condition." Wood's mother takes care of her four children and is also the sole breadwinner for the family, as their father does not currently have a job. This makes money tight. Wood's parents have been unable to afford surgery for their child. For $1,500, we can help fund surgical intervention for Wood. This will allow skilled doctors to operate on Wood and free him from a life of disability. Let's work together to allow Wood to grow up and use his hands like the other children around him!

This is Ma Thein, a 37-year-old mother of three living in rural Burma. Ma Thein and her husband work as farmers to pay for their childrens' education, but this doesn’t allow them to save much money for other needs. Ma Thein has been diagnosed with cervical cancer, which causes her tenderness in her cervix, and keeps her up at night as she thinks about her condition and future. She worries about her children's future without their mother, and does not want to take draw the money saved for her children’s education for healthcare. Her doctors write that Ma Thein is worried about who will look after her children if she were to die. "Her friend says everyone who gets her condition dies. Even people with curable cancer die, because healthcare in Burma is so terrible." For $1,150, Ma Thein can undergo a hysterectomy, after which she will be able to work full time and take care of her children. Let's help Ma Thein get back in good health so she can then focus on creating a great life for her children!

Meet Hellen, an expectant 20-year-old mother from Kenya. She lives with her husband and their first child. Hellen is a gold miner and her husband has a small farm with cows and chickens, proceeds of which support their daily family needs and are put in savings for the children's school fees. Even with all of their hard work, Hellen and her husband cannot afford the extra cost of health services for her pregnancy. Hellen is having a difficult pregnancy. She is experiencing back pain, severe headaches, and frequent lower abdominal pain. “I hope to continue with my usual duties and to be an accountable parent for my children,” says Hellen. For $215, we can give Hellen the support she needs to ensure the safe delivery of her second baby. She will receive expert care in a health facility during delivery and rapid access to advanced care in case of any complications. Let’s help Hellen have a safe and successful delivery!

Florence is just six days old. She is the firstborn child to two loving parents. Her mother is a tailor and her father sells merchandise in a nearby trading center. The family owns a small piece of land, which they farm for home consumption. Florence has spina bifida, which causes an open mass on her back. Without surgery, Florence is likely to develop an infection, have a tethered spinal cord, and develop scoliosis. Florence's parents earn enough to cover the basic needs for their family but they have been unable to raise funds for Florence’s surgery. “I look forward to seeing my daughter’s back closed. It makes me feel so sad to see it open, and I pray we’ll get the support we need for her surgery,” her mother says. For $980, Florence will receive surgery to close the mass on her back. She will be at much less risk of developing an infection or other conditions caused by spina bifida.

John is a bright five-year-old boy who lives in the Philippines. John has two older siblings and two hardworking parents. He attends preschool where he enjoys playing with his friends, but due to his condition this is becoming increasingly difficult. John’s condition is known as umbilical polyp and fistula - an infected lump on his stomach that has been growing in size since he was born and is now getting in the way of his happiness at school. His classmates have begun teasing him. John’s mom wants him to be able to have the surgery but their family cannot afford it. She says, "I am in need of support for my child, John. I try to earn extra money as a laundry woman but I can't finance the surgery. I hope you understand." The doctors believe that the polyp and fistula should be removed, and for $440 we can make this treatment a reality for John and his family. Let's help John, because we do understand!