Thiago is a five-year-old boy from Colombia. He lives in Yarumal, Antioquia, with his family. He is intelligent, charismatic, and very friendly. His joy and curiosity shine through every day at preschool, where he interacts with his classmates with enthusiasm and warmth. When he grows up, he dreams of becoming a great doctor to help those in need. Since birth, Thiago has had an umbilical hernia, a condition in which a small portion of abdominal tissue protrudes through the navel. Surgery has been recommended to correct the hernia and prevent possible future complications. Umbilical hernias cause mild discomfort or tenderness around the navel, especially when crying, coughing, or straining. It often causes discomfort that prevents Thiago from carrying out daily activities such as playing, jumping, and enjoying his childhood. It can, in many cases, lead to tenderness in the area and an increased risk of complications if left untreated. Fortunately, on July 28th, Thiago will undergo hernia repair surgery, and our medical partner, Clinica Noel, is requesting $1,005 to fund Thiago's surgery. Once completed, this procedure should allow him to live more comfortably. Thiago's mother said, "As Thiago’s mother, I can’t thank you enough for your generosity. The support you’re providing for my son’s surgery means so much more than just financial assistance; it gives us hope again and makes us feel that we’re not alone during this difficult time. We’ve been waiting a long time for this treatment, as we’re confident it will improve his quality of life, prevent complications, and allow him to go about his daily activities just like any other child his age."

Cristian is a six-month-old baby boy from Bolivia. He lives with his mother, who works selling propane canisters. As a newborn, she noticed he struggled to breathe and breastfeed, and he was later diagnosed with multiple heart conditions. Cristian has three openings in and near his heart — one between the two upper chambers, one between the two lower chambers, and one between two major blood vessels. These cause blood to leak through without passing through the lungs to obtain oxygen, leaving him weak and short of breath. Fortunately, on June 30th, our medical partner, Hospital del Niño Dr. Ovidio Aliaga Uría, will help Cristian undergo cardiac surgery to close the openings in his heart. This procedure will cost $1,500, and Cristian needs your support to fund his surgery and care. Cristian's mother shares, "I hope and pray my sweet boy can have his surgery and be a healthy boy!"

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."

Elvin is a little boy from Guatemala who lives with his parents and his older brother. “His favorite thing to do is to run outside—he’s always racing his older brother,” shares our medical partner, Wuqu’ Kawoq (WK). Elvin also enjoys eating eggs and beans, playing with his soccer ball, and watching television at the neighbor’s house. Though he turns four next month, Elvin’s vocabulary is limited to only four words: mama, papa, huevo (egg), and agua (water). His developmental disorder frustrates him and makes it difficult for him to communicate with people outside of his immediate family. “He seems to have normal hearing abilities and can understand what others say to him,” shares WK. “He often gets upset when he can’t express himself, or ask for something he needs.” Elvin’s mother worries that he will not be able to go to school and learn as a result of his disability. This could keep her from finding a job to help with the family’s living expenses. “Elvin’s father works as a day laborer, taking odd jobs and often working in places far away from the community where his family lives,” WK explains. His mother takes care of her children, cleans the house, and cooks meals for the family. The family looks forward to purchasing a plot of land to grow vegetables, but they cannot yet afford one. For $386, Elvin will receive speech therapy to help him gain communication skills and independence. He will then be able to enroll in school, thereby giving him a greater chance of being successful later in life. “My dream is that he learns to talk well, that he can study,” says Elvin’s mother, “I hope one day that he can come out ahead and be independent, may God bless him.”