“I am looking forward to doing chores at home without experiencing chest pain, difficulty breathing, and difficulty swallowing,” shares Torteliana, a 50-year-old farmer who lives with her family in a nipa hut in the Philippines. For the last 15 years, Torteliana has had an enlarged thyroid, commonly known as a goiter. Typically presenting as a lump or swelling at the front of the neck, a goiter can become large enough to obstruct nearby structures and cause difficulty swallowing or breathing. Most goiters are due to a deficiency of iodine, an important element in the body’s production of thyroid hormones that regulate the body's metabolism. Because of the goiter, “Torteliana cannot carry heavy objects and cannot do heavy tasks at home,” explains our medical partner, International Care Ministries (ICM). “And because it is visible enough due to its size, it really gets people's attention when she passes by, and she is embarrassed by it.” Despite her worsening symptoms, “Torteliana was not examined by a doctor because of lack of finances,” ICM continues. In addition to working on her farm, she sells local goods at the market, but “she cannot afford the treatment needed because her income is barely enough for the everyday needs of her family.” Doctors recommend that Torteliana undergo a thyroidectomy, a surgical procedure to remove the thyroid gland. $1,500 covers the cost of the surgery, transportation to and from the hospital, 10 days of hospital care—including medicine, imaging, and blood tests—and medication to take after she returns home. “After the treatment, Torteliana will not experience difficulty breathing, difficulty swallowing, or chest pain,” ICM tells us. “She can do her activities of daily living with confidence. She can be productive and boost her self-esteem.” “I am very thankful that somebody could help me to have this operation for free,” says Torteliana. “I am hopeful that after this, I can work with less difficulty to sustain my family's needs."

This is Melida, a 13-month-old girl who lives in Guatemala with her family. She is the youngest of seven, and loves to play with her older siblings. Melida is malnourished. That means that she is far below a healthy height and weight for her age. Our medical partner, Wuqu’ Kawoq (WK), explains, “She has had not access to an adequate diet, and has been deprived of the protein, calories, and nutrients that she needs to grow normally. This lack of calories has left her immune defenses compromised, meaning she is more susceptible to getting fevers, coughs, and diarrhea, all of which are life-threatening to malnourished children.” Luckily, Melida can be treated. Her parents cannot afford the $512 treatment cost, but we can help. After treatment, Melida will be on the path to recovery. Melida's treatment will receive growth monitoring, micronutrients, food supplementation and deworming medication. WK explains, “This treatment will strengthen her immune system, increase her overall caloric intake, and make it so she has more energy to play and learn. Her parents will receive the support they need to feel empowered to give her the diet she needs to grow and develop--they will receive intense and motivational nutrition classes to learn what, when, and how to feed Melida the best diet possible. This will help her start to develop better both physically and mentally, giving her the chance to live a healthy and productive life, escaping the cycle of poverty and malnutrition that is making her sick.” Melida’s mother tells WK, “I want Melida to learn, be able to read one day, and have a professional career.”