Etchna is a toddler from Haiti. She lives with her parents and several siblings in the mountains of southwest Haiti, where her parents are both farmers. Etchna has a cardiac condition called Tetralogy of Fallot. This birth condition involves several related defects, including a hole between the two lower chambers of the heart and a muscular blockage of one of the valves. These defects prevent enough blood from passing through Etchna's lungs, depriving her of oxygen and leaving her weak and short of breath. The care that she needs is not available anywhere in Haiti, so Etchna will fly to the Cayman Islands to receive treatment. There, on June 28th, she will undergo cardiac surgery, during which surgeons will close the hole in Etchna's heart with a patch and remove the blockage from her valve. Another organization, Have a Heart Cayman, will also contribute $18,000 for her surgery. However, Etchna's family needs help to fund the costs of surgery prep, travel, and follow-up. The $1,500 bill covers labs, medicines, checkups, and follow-up appointments. It also supports passport obtainment and the social workers from our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, who will accompany Etchna's family overseas. Her mother said: "Our family is praying that Etchna will be able to become healthy and normal after this surgery."

Victoria is a 22-month-old baby girl that lives in Port-au-Prince with her parents. She is a happy child that enjoys dancing and playing dress-up. Victoria was born with a condition called Patent Ductus Arteriosus, where an extra blood vessel (passageway) called the ductus arteriosus (DA) allows blood from the right side of the heart to flow to the aorta and back out into the body without going through the lungs. This leaves Victoria feeling weak and short of breath. Fortunately, our medical provider, Haiti Cardiac Alliance (ACH), has diagnosed Victoria and created a treatment plan involving surgery to repair the issue. During the procedure on April 17th, doctors will use a device attached to a catheter to plug the hole so that blood can no longer leak. ACH is requesting $1500 to fund the procedure. Victoria's mother says, "Our family is very thankful to everyone who is making this possible for our daughter!"

Mary is a grade two pupil from Kenya and the fifth child in her family. Her mother is a single parent raising six kids on her own while also taking in work washing clothes. A little while ago, Mary broke her dominant arm while playing with her classmates at school. She was rushed to a health facility nearby, where an x-ray revealed a right supracondylar fracture that needs surgical attention. Her right arm is currently in a sling and she is unable to use it or attend school. Mary's mother pooled her resources with close relatives to bring Mary to our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare. On March 15th, surgeons with African Mission Healthcare will perform a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation. This procedure will help to join the bone and enable Mary to use her arm again. Now, Mary and her family need $979 to fund this procedure. Mary’s mother said, “Mary is unable to go to school because of the fracture. She uses this hand that is broken and needs treatment.”

Michael is a beautiful baby who likes playing with blocks and waving his arms in time to music. Michael has a cardiac condition called tricuspid atresia: he was born without one of the four valves that is normally present in the heart. As a result, blood cannot flow through his lungs and body normally, leaving him sick and short of breath. On March 1st, Michael will undergo cardiac surgery, during which doctors will perform a technique called a Glenn procedure to create a conduit to allow blood to bypass the missing valve and more easily circulate through Michael's body. Another organization, Gift of Life International, is contributing $5,000 to pay for surgery, but Michael's family is still in need of $1,500 and have turned to the Watsi community for support. Michael's mother says: "It has been very frightening to see my son have such difficulty breathing, and I am so glad we can finally find a way to help him."

Christine is a five-month-old baby girl from Kenya. She is the youngest child in a family of three children. Her parents separated before she was born, and she and her siblings went to live with her mother and grandmother. Sadly, her grandmother has passed away, and the family now relies on other family members. Unfortunately, a while ago, her mother was involved in an accident that makes it difficult for her to work. Christine has been diagnosed with hydrocephalus, a condition in which excess cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the brain and increases intracranial pressure. As a result of her condition, Christine has been experiencing an increasing head circumference. Without treatment, Christine will experience severe physical and developmental delays. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is helping Christine receive treatment. On January 18th, she will undergo a procedure where doctors will drain the excess fluid from her brain. This will reduce intracranial pressure and greatly improve her quality of life. With proper treatment, Christine will hopefully develop into a strong, healthy young girl. Now, Christine and her family need help raising $720 to fund her procedure and care. Christine’s mother shared, “it is very stressful as sometimes she cries a lot and I cannot tell what’s wrong.”

Anthonie is a student from Haiti. He lives with his aunt and uncle and their family in a small town in northern Haiti. He enjoys going to school and church. Anthonie has a cardiac condition called Tetralogy of Fallot. This condition involves several related defects including a hole between two chambers of the heart, and a muscular blockage of one of the valves. These prevent blood from flowing normally through his body, leaving him weak and short of breath. The care Anthonie needs is not available in Haiti so he needs to travel for surgery. He will fly to the Cayman Islands and on January 9th will undergo cardiac surgery. During surgery, surgeons will sew a patch over the hole to close it, and remove the muscular blockage in his heart. Another organization, Have a Heart Cayman, is also contributing $16,000 to pay for his treatment. Anthonie's family also needs help to fund the costs of surgery prep, travel, and follow-up care. The $1,500 bill covers labs, medicines, and checkup and followup appointments. It also pays for obtaining his passport, and for the social worker from our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, who will accompany Anthonie's family overseas. Anthonie's aunt says, "Anthonie has been very sick for a long time, we are all praying that this is the miracle that will make him better!"

Mbula is a young girl from Tanzania. She has one sibling and lives with her family in a remote area far from the city; it’s hard for them to access basic social services. Mbula is raised by two loving parents who are farmers. They depend on their harvest to provide for their family. With the recent years' weather changing and droughts, it has been hard for them because they cannot depend on the rainy season for agriculture. This has made it difficult to sustain food at home. Mbula was diagnosed with genu varus, which causes her legs to bow outward. This condition is typically caused by an excessive accumulation of fluoride in the bones, which often stems from contaminated drinking water. As a result, she has difficulty walking and running.. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is asking for $880 to fund corrective surgery for Mbula. The procedure is scheduled to take place on December 2nd. Treatment will hopefully restore Mbula's mobility, allow her to participate in a variety of activities, and greatly decrease her risk of future complications. Mbula’s mother says, “I feel sorry for my daughter, she has to go through pain almost every day.”