Rebecca is a young woman from Haiti. She lives with her parents and younger sister in a neighborhood of Port-au-Prince; she graduated from a local college with a business degree but has been unable to work for the past ten years because of her heart condition. She enjoys cooking and listening to Haitian music. Rebecca has a cardiac condition called rheumatic mitral regurgitation. One of the four valves of Rebecca's heart was severely damaged due to an infection she suffered as a teenager; her heart could not adequately pump blood through her body, leaving her weak and short of breath. The surgery that she needs is not available anywhere in Haiti. Rebecca need to fly to the United States to receive treatment. She will undergo cardiac surgery, and doctors will remove Rebecca's damaged valve and implant an artificial replacement. Another organization, Baylor Scott and White Heart Hospital, will contribute $26,000 to pay for surgery. Rebecca's family also needs help to fund the costs of surgery prep and follow-up care. The $1,500 bill covers labs, medicines, checkups, and follow-up appointments. Rebecca shared with us: "Once I am fully healthy, I would like to return to Haiti and adopt a child to start my own family."

Rosita is a 71-year-old food vendor from Philippines and lives with her daughters and sister. Despite her diligent efforts to provide income, it is difficult to earn enough for their daily needs and expenses. Things are more difficulty now because her daughter is taking medication due to a recent accident. Four years ago, Rosita began to experience troubling symptoms, including severe abdominal pain and excruciating stomach discomfort. Oftentimes, her pain prevented her from working. Rosita has been advised to undergo a cholecystectomy, the surgical removal of the gallbladder. If left untreated, her symptoms would be expected 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), Rosita is scheduled to undergo a cholecystectomy on September 8th. A portion of the cost of the procedure is being supported by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and WSFP is raising the remaining $1,128 to cover the cost of Rosita's surgery and care. Rosita said, "This support for surgery will provide massive assistance to me because it will allow me to get better and save money that we can use to pay for my daughter's medicines so I am very grateful to all the people who made this possible for me."

Mey Horng is a 19-month-old toddler from Cambodia who lives in Prey Veng province with his parents and older sister. Both of his parents work in a nearby clothing factory, and his sister attends first grade in the local elementary school. Mey Horng's favorite things are playing with toy cars, running around with his sister, and drinking milk. In December 2022, Mey Horng accidentally put his hand in a pot of boiling rice. During the healing process, burn scar contractures have developed, tightening the skin around his burn and fusing three of his fingers together on his left hand. It is difficult for him to use his hand and his parents are worried he won't develop his fine motor skills. When Mey Horng's parents learned about our medical partner Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), they traveled two hours seeking treatment. On August 3rd, surgeons at CSC will perform a burn contracture release surgery to improve his hand function. Mey Horng's parents are able to contribute $100 towards the cost of the surgery and need help with the remaining $495 to fully fund the procedure. His mom shared, "I hope my son can use his hand again so I don't worry anymore."

Naiduka is a 14-year-old boy from a large family in Ngorongoro, Tanzania. His father, a livestock keeper and being the eldest child of his family, Naiduka has always harbored a strong desire to attend school. Unfortunately, his aspirations have been thwarted, as most of his siblings were fortunate enough to receive an education, while he was left behind to care for the family’s livestock. At the tender age of 4, Naiduka’s legs began to bow inward, marking the onset of a mild condition that has since worsened as he grew older. While attending church, Naiduka received news of an upcoming clinic for children with treatable disabilities, which would be staffed by visiting doctors and nurses. He was excited to hear of this clinic and hopeful for a chance at receiving the treatment he needed. On July 6th, a kind priest facilitated his transportation to our medical partner African Mission Healthcare (AMH). Naiduka was diagnosed with bilateral genu valgus, meaning that his legs bow inwards. This condition is typically caused by an excessive accumulation of fluoride in the bones, which often stems from contaminated drinking water. As a result, this condition severely limits his purpose and role in his Maasai community, preventing him from undertaking the crucial task of herding cattle over vast distances in search of nourishing green pastures. He was also diagnosed with malnutrition and has been undergoing treatment and the implementation of a feeding plan to address this issue before he undergoes surgery. Our medical partner African Mission Healthcare (AMH) is requesting $880 to fund surgery for Naiduka, which is scheduled for June 27th. Treatment will hopefully restore Naiduka's mobility, allow him to participate in a variety of activities, and greatly decrease his risk of future complications. Naiduka says, "I wish to get better and for my legs to look normal. Hopefully, after this treatment, my legs will be fine."

Rose is a 62-year-old widow with two fully grown children. She lost her husband four years ago. Rose owns a small business where she sells sand and also performs garden maintenance for a small fee. Rose gets support from both children, who are married with children themselves now. She lives with her second-born child in a three-bedroom house without water and electricity. Rose likes doing house chores and enjoys eating nsima, a culinary tradition of Malawi, made from maize flour with vegetables. In 2014, Rose started experiencing pain when she swallowed. She visited the hospital near her home, where she was treated. The treatment worked for awhile until December of last year when her daughter noticed that Rose's neck was swollen on the right side. In March, Rose noticed that the swelling was getting larger and also causing consistent pain. Rose decided it was time to visit Kamuzu Central Hospital in Malawi where a scan revealed her mass had grown substantially and was stemming from the right thyroid lobe. Her doctor diagnosed her with a goiter and determined that surgery would be needed. Due to her financial challenges, Rose could not afford the surgery. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), can help. Rose met with a surgeon who confirmed her diagnosis and the need for surgical intervention called a thyroidectomy, which removes part or all of the thyroid gland. Rose believes the surgery will help her to get better and prevent her symptoms from impacting her day to day life, and allow her to focus on how good her life is. She was able to contribute $10 toward her care and is grateful to all to help her raise the $1,015 needed. Rose said, “Thank you donors for supporting me, I want to live my normal life.”

Laurecia is a 19-year-old tailor living in Tanzania. When she was about two years old, her parents noticed her legs bowing outwards. They did not seek treatment, however, due to financial challenges. Laurecia, who is a very determined young woman, was able to complete her Form 4 studies and pursue her passion for tailoring, enrolling in a vocational school where she could hone her skills. Laurecia was diagnosed with bilateral genu valgus, a condition typically caused by an excessive accumulation of fluoride in the bones, stemming from the consumption of contaminated drinking water. As a result of her condition, Laurecia has a difficult time walking and doing the work of a tailor. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $880 to fund corrective surgery for Laurecia. The procedure is scheduled to take place on April 17th, at Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre. Treatment will restore Laurecia's mobility, allow her to participate in a variety of activities, and greatly decrease her risk of future complications. Laurecia says: “I have lived with this condition for too long. I’m hopeful for the future now that I am about to start treatment.”

Merisiano, who is 77 years old, is a passionate woman, rich in amusing tales of the past. She was widowed in 2000, but she has one daughter who is a fruit vendor and two sons who are teachers. She still works on her small coffee and banana farm, although she now only grows enough to feed her family. Merisiano sought the advice of doctors regarding an anterior neck swelling, which she has had for over 20 years. It had never caused her any concern until recently when she began to experience shortness of breath, difficulty swallowing, and continuous coughing. She was diagnosed with a nontoxic goiter and recommended she undergo surgery to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is helping Merisiano receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on March 21st at Karoli Lwanga Hospital, Nyakibale. Surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland at a cost of $252. Merisiano and her family need your help to raise the necessary funds to cover the cost of her care. Merisiano says: “I will be grateful to see my health well once again if am given your support to undergo my surgery.”

Sat is a 78-year-old loving grandmother from Prey Veng province. She has eight children and eighteen grandchildren. Since her husband passed away seven years ago, she has been living with her oldest daughter, who supports the family by working as a rice farmer. Sat enjoys spending time with her grandchildren and going to her local pagoda. One year ago, Sat developed a cataract in her left eye, causing her blurry vision and sensitivity to light. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, including colors and faces, and is worried about falling when walking, thus is unable to travel on her own. When Sat learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for three hours seeking treatment. On March 7th, doctors will perform a small incision cataract surgery and place an intraocular lens implant in her left eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Now, she needs help to fund this $253 procedure. Sat said, "After surgery, I hope I can help my daughter more around the house and cook for my grandchildren."

Ly Vay is a cheerful boy with a loving family. His parents are rice farmers and his 10-year-old sister helps take care of Ly Vay after school. According to his parents, his favorite activity is to play and splash in water by the river near their house. Ly Vay was born with contractures on four of his fingers on the left hand, where the muscles of his fingers are hardened. As he is getting older and exploring the world with his hands, he is unable to do many things because of the contractures. When Ly Vay and his family learned about our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre(CSC), they traveled for two and a half hours seeking treatment. On February 22nd, surgeons at CSC will perform a burn contracture release surgery so he can have improved hand function. Now, his family needs help funding this $487 procedure. His father hopes that Ly Vay's fingers can be straightened and that he can play, pick up toys, and do many more things with both hands.

Phen is a 39-year-old rice farmer from Kandal province. She is married and her husband also works on their rice farm. In her free time, she likes watching the news and Cambodian comedy TV shows. About one year ago, Phen developed a cataract in her left eye, causing her itchiness, tearing, and blurry vision. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, including colors and faces, and is worried about falling when walking, so is not able to go places on her own. When Phen learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for an hour and a half seeking treatment. On February 2nd, doctors will perform a small incision cataract surgery and implant an intraocular lens in her left eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Now, she needs help to fund this $253 procedure. She said, "I hope after surgery my eye can see better and I can go back to work."

David is a sharp and talkative seven-year-old boy from Kiambu county. David is quick to help answer some of the questions we asked: He has one sibling who he proudly shared is five years old. David's mother is separated from his father and is currently unemployed picking up odd jobs like washing clothes to provide for her children. David loves to play football and was playing with his friends on December 19th when he fell and sustained a fracture. David is experiencing pain and is unable to use his left hand. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), can help. On January 12th, David will undergo a fracture repair procedure called an open reduction and internal fixation. Thanks to this procedure, David will no longer be in pain and will be able to use the left hand for school and play. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is helping David's family raise $1,049 to fund this procedure. David's mother share, "I hope my son is treated and gets back to school and playing.”