“We all want what is best for Kendory and hoping that this test will provide a way to fix his heart,” says Kendory's mother. Kendory is a two-year old boy from Haiti with a condition called a ventricular septal defect, in which a hole exists between the two chambers of his heart. To determine whether this condition is repairable, doctors need to insert a catheter into the chambers of his heart to diagnose his condition with confidence, and come up with an accurate treatment plan. This procedure costs $1,500, and following the procedure, Kendory's family will know with certainty whether the condition is operable or not. “If operable, plans will then be made to move forward with this surgery as soon as possible,” explains our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance (HCA). “Since this is not possible in Haiti, arrangements are being made to bring him to Dominican Republic to perform this extremely important test in the hopes that he can have heart surgery later in the year,” shares HCA. Kendory lives with his mother, father, and older sister and brother, and is a very happy child, curious about everything around him. Let's help Kendory receive the test and treatment he needs.

Meet En, a 61-year old man from Cambodia with five children and two grandchildren. En enjoys listening to monks praying at the pagoda. En has had a hypermature cataract, a clouding of the normally clear lens, in his left eye for the last 15 years. “En now finds it difficult to read or to go to the pagoda by himself,” explains our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC). “He says he feels bored and useless every day.” For just $150, En will have surgery that will remove the cloudy lens and restore his vision. CSC shares, “after surgery he hopes that he will be able to read clearly, go to the pagoda safely, and not have to bother family and friends to escort him outside.” Let's help get En back to the life he enjoys and fund this surgery!

Meet Bradley, a four-year-old boy who lives with his grandmother in Kenya. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF) tells us, “Bradley has an abnormally big head size due to accumulation of cerebral spinal fluid.” Bradley’s symptoms are caused by hydrocephalus—a condition in which too much fluid builds up and increases pressure on the brain and inside the skull, leading to an enlarged head and developmental issues. AMHF explains, “If not treated, the accumulation of cerebral spinal fluid may cause brain damage. Bradley has already lost his ability to see because of the delay in his medical treatment.” Treatment for Bradley consists of a surgery in which a shunt is placed in his head. The shunt connects to a tube that runs under the skin and empties into the peritoneal cavity (in the abdomen), where the excess fluid can be resorbed by the body. Bradley’s grandmother works as a small-scale farmer to support herself and Bradley, but she does not earn enough to pay for the surgery and does not have other family members who can help with the cost. $980 in funding pays for surgery to place the shunt, as well as five days of hospital care. AMHF tells us, “Bradley's treatment will reduce the increased intra-cranial pressure in the brain.” Bradley’s grandmother shares, “I know it’s not too late, and Bradley will get treated.”