Vanis is a 60 year old small-scale farmer. She and her husband - who passed away in 2021 - had eleven children, of whom nine are still alive. Vanis had to leave school because of a lack of the fees necessary to remain in school, and of her children, only her youngest has been able to be educated. Over 20 years ago, Vanis began to experience troubling symptoms, including a small neck swelling that later started progressing in size. She initially thought it was a temporary condition, and resorted to using herbs, which did not help to relieve her symptoms. After delivering her first five children, she underwent a thyroidectomy, and she felt better. However, her symptoms recurred after she gave birth to six more children, and this time, the swelling was larger than it had ever been. She finds that she is unable to carry loads on her head, and she will occasionally experience difficulty breathing. Vanis has been diagnosed with a non-toxic, multinodular goiter, and she needs surgery to resolve her condition. Her family cannot afford to pay for her treatment, but our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, has stepped up to help Vanis access the care that she needs. They are requesting $333 to fund Vanis' procedure, which is scheduled to take place on December 3rd, at Rushoroza Hospital, and which will ensure that Vanis' symptoms do not get worse over time. Vanis says: “I pray that I may be considered for treatment so that I may live a normal life once again. I will continue with farming as soon as possible.”

Thuon is a 43-year-old garment worker who enjoys listening to the news on the radio. He is married and has one daughter, who is currently attending school. His wife works as a cleaner in a restaurant to support their family. Due to his failing vision, Thuon has been unable to work for the past few years. Three years ago, Thuon developed a cataract in his right eye, causing him to experience light sensitivity and blurry vision. He has difficulty seeing things clearly, including colors and faces, and is worried about falling when walking, so he is not able to go places on his own. When Thuon learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, he traveled for three and a half hours seeking treatment. On August 11th, doctors will perform a small incision cataract surgery and place an intraocular lens implant in his right eye. After recovery, he will be able to see clearly. Now, he needs help to fund this $253 procedure. Thuon says, "I hope after surgery my eye can see better and I can go back to work to support my family."

Prince is a 4-month-old baby from Kenya and his parents' only child. Prince and his family live in their ancestral home. To support their family, his parent work on a farm, as well as do casual jobs like plowing farms for neighbors. When Prince was born, his mother noticed that his head was larger than expected. When his head continued to increase in size, she took him to a nearby hospital. There, he was examined and referred to our medical partner's care center, BethanyKids Kijabe Hospital. Prince has been diagnosed with hydrocephalus, a condition in which excess cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the brain and increases intracranial pressure. This condition is the reason Prince has been experiencing an increasing head circumference. Without treatment, he will experience severe physical and developmental delays. However, his parents shared that they do not have insurance and cannot fund Prince's needed treatment. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF), is helping Prince receive treatment. On July 20th, he will undergo surgery to drain the excess fluid from his brain and reduce intracranial pressure. With treatment, he will hopefully develop into a strong, healthy young boy. AMHF is requesting $720 to cover the cost of Prince's surgery. Prince's mother says, “I feel bad that my child has to go through this and that I’m not able to take control of the situation.”

Chettra is a 23-year-old driver. He has four brothers and one sister, and their father works as a driver as well. Chettra enjoys playing football, tennis, swimming, listening to music, playing games on his phone, and meeting with friends for coffee. Three years ago, Chettra was in a motor vehicle accident that fractured his left tibia and femur. After the accident, Chettra was referred to a hospital where doctors fixated hardware to heal his fracture. Now, the fracture is healed and the hardware needs to be removed. On April 19th, Chettra will undergo a hardware removal procedure. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Center, is helping Chettra raise $304 to cover the cost of this procedure that will prevent future infection, pain, and complications. Chettra says, "I hope my wound heals quickly after surgery so I can return to work and helping out my family."

Srey Mom is a 39-year-old drink seller. Srey Mom lives with her mother, who is a fruit seller, and her sister. Since Srey Mom was eight years old, she has had persistent ear infections. These infections caused the tympanic membrane, or the ear drum, in both ears to perforate. As a result, Srey Mom experiences recurrent ear discharge, tinnitus, and frequent infections with accompanying high fevers. For the past few years, the infections have exacerbated her loss of hearing. Antibiotics were not successful in treating this, and she is unable to communicate well with customers because she cannot hear. Srey Mom traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On January 13th, she will undergo a myringoplasty procedure in both ears. During this procedure, surgeons will close the perforations. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $913 to fund this procedure. This covers medications, supplies, and inpatient care. Srey Mom shared, "I hope my ear infections will clear up, I will hear better, and communicate with my family and neighbors."

Youbendjy is a four-month-old baby who lives in a neighborhood in Port-au-Prince with his mother, father, and older sister. Neither parent is employed full-time, but both of them work as day laborers when they can. Youbendjy was born with a cardiac condition called total anomalous pulmonary vein return, in which the pulmonary veins connect to the right atrium of the heart. Typically, these veins should connect to the left atrium. This condition deprives his body of oxygen and leads to heart failure. Youbendjy will undergo a surgery in which the veins are disconnected from the heart and reconnected in the appropriate location. First, he will undergo a full cardiac assessment on February 9. This assessment will include physical exams, labs, and an overnight stay at the hospital. Our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, is requesting $1,500 to fund these procedures. Funding for Youbendjy also covers the cost of medications and social support for him and his family. Gift of Life International is contributing $7,000 to cover additional costs associated with Youbendjy's surgical care. "I thought from the time my baby was born that we would lose him," says his mother. "It is like a dream for me that we have a chance for surgery."