Samen is a 39-year-old rice farmer from Cambodia. He has one son and two daughters, all of whom are students in public school. He and his wife have a rice farm. However, he works in construction during the off-season in order to support his family. In his free time, Samen enjoys listening to music and watching Khmer boxing. Two years ago, Samen developed a pterygium in his right eye, causing him to experience burning, irritation, and itchiness in his eye. Pterygiums are non-cancerous growths of the conjunctiva, a mucous layer that lubricates the eye. The growths occur when the conjunctiva is exposed to excessive sun damage and the cells grow abnormally over the pupil. As a result, he has difficulty seeing things clearly, recognizing faces, working, and going anywhere outside. When Samen learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, he traveled for four and a half hours seeking treatment. He needs a surgical procedure to remove the abnormal conjunctiva from the cornea surface and replace it with a conjunctival graft to prevent recurrence. The total cost of his procedure is $225. This covers supplies, treatment, and inpatient care for two days. The procedure is scheduled for August 8th. Samen says, "l hope after surgery my eye will feel better and I won’t worry about it anymore. I want to be able to see better when I am outside."

Kyaw Zin is a ten-year-old student from Thailand. He lives with his parents in Mae Taung, Mae Sot, Tak Province. Three years ago, Kyaw Zin began to experience blurry vision. These symptoms have made it increasingly difficult for him to see clearly. Kyaw Zin was diagnosed with retinal detachment, a condition in which the retina pulls away from the supportive tissue in the eye, resulting in vision loss. If left untreated, he could lose vision completely. Kyaw Zin is scheduled to undergo surgery to reattach his retina on October 25. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of his procedure and care. After surgery, Kyaw Zin's vision will hopefully be restored, and he will resume his daily activities comfortably. Kyaw Zin said, “I want to see my parents clearly. I want to play with my brother and I also want to go back to school.”

Jibens is a student from Haiti. He lives in a very rural area in the mountains of southwest Haiti with his parents and three siblings. His parents are farmers. Jibens is in the second grade and enjoys going to school. Jibens has a cardiac condition called pulmonary stenosis. One of the four valves in his heart is too narrow, preventing blood from flowing through it and causing the blood to back up into his heart. Jibens will fly to the United States to receive treatment. On November 14, he will undergo cardiac surgery, during which surgeons will insert a catheter with a balloon on the tip into his valve, and then inflate the balloon to stretch the valve open to a more normal size. Another organization, Gift of Life International, is contributing $12,000 to pay for surgery. Jibens'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 Jibens's family overseas. His mother says, "I am very happy that Jibens can have this surgery so that he can walk to school without getting tired."

Levis is a young boy from Kenya. He is an only child and lives with parents in a one-room house in the Rift Valley region of Kenya. His mother is a stay-at-home mom, while his father operates a motorbike taxi to support the family. Levis was born with hypospadias, a congenital abnormality that causes urinary dysfunction. Without treatment, he will continue to experience uncomfortable symptoms and will be at risk of infertility. Fortunately, Levis is scheduled to undergo corrective surgery on September 27. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $700 to cover the total cost of his procedure and care. “I am happy we can finally get help at BethanyKids," says Levis’s mother.

Filipina is a mother and grandmother from Malawi. She spends her days caring for her grandchildren, who live with her in her village, where she also maintains a small farm. Since last year, Filipina has been experiencing back and abdominal pain. She has been diagnosed with cervical cancer. She needs to undergo a hysterectomy, a procedure in which surgeons will remove her uterus. Our medical partner, World Altering Medicine, is requesting $650 to fund Filipina's surgery. On August 24, she will undergo gynecological surgery at Nkhoma Hospital, our medical partner's care center. The requested money pays for supplies, medications, and seven nights of hospital stay. She is relieved to be helped through this surgery. Her family looks forward to her recovery, with her grandchildren waiting for her return home. She says, "I will be able to care for my grandchildren again who depend on me, thank you so much!"

Bo is a 10-month-old baby boy from Burma. He lives with his family in a village in Hlaingbwe Township, Karen State. When he was born, his mother noticed a lumbar bump near his spine. The bump grew larger, and his mother brought him to our medical partner's care center. A medic examined Bo and informed his mother that Bo has a meningocele. Doctors want Bo to undergo an MRI, an imaging procedure that uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce images of bodily organs. This scan will hopefully help doctors formulate an appropriate treatment plan. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $968 to cover the cost of Bo's MRI and care, scheduled for August 8. His mother says, "I hope that my son will receive the treatment for his meningocele and he will be able to grow up well like other children."

Iden is a baby from Tanzania. He is the second born in a family of two children. His father is poultry farmer and owns a small shop that helps him to provide for his family. Iden has clubfoot of her right foot. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. This causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Fortunately, Iden traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, AIC Cure International Hospital. There, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on June 6. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $890 to fund Iden's clubfoot repair. After treatment, he will be able to walk when he gets older.. Iden’s father says, “Please help my child get the treatment for his legs. We really do not want him to grow up with a disability that is going to hinder him from living a normal life and having same opportunity like other kids."

Kennedy is a casual laborer from Kenya. He sells hats along the streets to make ends meet. Kennedy has a closed femur fracture. He is not able to walk or move and is in a lot of pain. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner can help. On June 5, Kennedy will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation. This procedure will enable Kennedy to heal and walk again. Now, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,451 to fund this procedure. Kennedy says, “I would like to be treated and resume my duties to secure my future."

Devison is a farmer from Malawi. He lives with his wife of many years, and together they run a small farm. Devison spends his days tending goats, and he enjoys spending time with his wife and their children and grandchildren. For three years, Devison has been experiencing pain and urinary difficulty. These symptoms are caused by an enlarged prostate, a condition called benign prostatic hyperplasia. He needs to undergo a prostate resection surgery, a procedure in which surgeons will remove part of the enlarged gland. Our medical partner, World Altering Medicine, is requesting $733 to fund Devison's surgery. On May 3, he will undergo prostate surgery at Nkhoma Hospital, our medical partner's care center. The requested money pays for supplies, medications, and two weeks of hospital stay. Devison was thrilled to find out his surgery would be funded. He says, "I am so happy! Thank you so much."

Sao Teah is a street food vendor from Cambodia. She has three daughters and one son. She likes spending time with her grandchildren. Two months ago, Sao Teah fell outside and fractured her left forearm. She has pain in her elbow and has difficulty using her arm. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, can help. On April 3, Sao Teah will undergo a fracture repair procedure, which will cost $430. This procedure will help her use her arm easily again. She says, "I look forward to having improved mobility in my arm and spending time with my family."

Sophat is a father of three from Cambodia. He works as a nurse in a remote provincial hospital. He is busy with three kids, and enjoys gardening around his house, particularly his flowers and mango trees. For the last three years, he has been experiencing hip pain due to avascular necrosis. He can only walk about ten meters, which isn't suitable for his job. He's in pain and it's also affecting his sleep. Fortunately, Sophat learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre. At CSC, surgeons can perform a total hip replacement to relieve Sophat of his pain and allow him to walk easily. Treatment is scheduled for January 10, and Sophat needs help raising $1,025 to pay for this procedure. He says, "It's difficult to work and I want to support my family."

Christ-Love is a student from Haiti. Christ-Love lives in Port-au-Prince with her mother. She is in the ninth grade and enjoys going to church and helping her mother around the house. Christ-Love has a cardiac condition called severe aortic regurgitation. One of the valves in her heart is severely damaged from a rheumatic fever she suffered as a child, and it cannot adequately pump blood through her body. Two years ago, she had open-heart surgery to replace another valve that was also damaged; at the time, she was too weak to try to replace both valves at the same time, and so now that her heart is stronger after the first surgery, the team can go back to replace the second valve. Christ-Love will fly to Cayman Islands to receive treatment. On December 27, she will undergo cardiac surgery, during which surgeons will replace her damaged valve with an artificial implant.. Another organization, Have a Heart Cayman, is contributing $24,000 to pay for surgery. Christ-Love'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 Christ-Love's family overseas. She says, "I am glad that I can be almost normal once my second valve is fixed!"