Zar Ni is a baby girl from Burma. She lives with her family in Myawaddy, Karen State. After birth, Zar Ni developed jaundice. Two days after they arrived home, her mother noticed that she was experiencing troubling symptoms. A doctor examined Zar Ni and sent her for an ultrasound. She was diagnosed with hydrocephalus, a buildup of fluid in the brain. Doctors want Zar Ni to undergo a CT scan, a procedure in which x-ray images taken from several angles are combined to produce cross-sectional images of the body. This scan will hopefully help doctors diagnose her condition and formulate an appropriate treatment plan. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $414 to cover the cost of Zar Ni's CT scan and care, scheduled for October 9. “I worry about my daughter. I want my daughter to get well soon. I want my daughter to be as healthy as her siblings and I want to send her to school to become an educated person one day,” says Zar Ni’s mother.

Martha is a 12-year-old girl from Kenya. She is the first born in a family of five children. She is in grade seven and was top of her class in the end-of-term exams. Last year, Martha started experiencing abdominal pains and headaches. She underwent a scan, which showed three hepatic hydatid cysts. The surgeon at our medical partner has recommended she undergo a laparotomy to treat the cysts. Without treatment, the cysts may rupture or become cancerous. Fortunately, Martha is now scheduled to undergo surgery at our medical partner's care center on April 16. Her mother says, "I am very worried about my daughter, even the teachers are concerned. I am hoping she can get help and be well again to continue with her education."

Agape is a young boy from Tanzania. He is the last-born child in a family of four children. Agape loves watching television and coloring books. His father is a farmer, and his mother is a religion teacher in a local school. For two years, Agape has been experiencing regular fevers, difficulty swallowing, and sleep apnea. Frequent illness has caused his parents to spend a lot of their earnings on hospital visits. Agape was recently diagnosed with enlarged tonsils, which, if not treated, will cause his symptoms to persist and possibly intensify over time. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $633 to fund a tonsillectomy for Agape, which is scheduled to take place on April 12. Surgeons will remove his tonsils, hopefully relieving Agape of his symptoms and helping him live more comfortably. Agape’s father says, “Thank you for helping my son get this treatment, he suffers throughout the night with breathing heavily and wakes up crying. Please help him get well.”

Pendo is a curious 12-year-old girl from Tanzania. She enjoys learning and going to school, and does so well in her studies that she often ranks at the top of her class. Pendo was born with bilateral clubfoot, a condition in which her feet and lower legs bend inwards so that the bottoms of her feet cannot rest flat on the ground. Due to her condition, Pendo experiences a lot of pain while walking and standing, making her commute to school painful and difficult. Seeking treatment through our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, Pendo is scheduled to undergo surgery to correct her clubfoot on July 11. Her family is requesting $890 to cover the total cost of her procedure and care. “I will be so grateful when I will be able to walk well and participate fully in school for I really enjoy learning," Pendo shares.

Ezra is a calm, two-year-old boy from Kenya. He is the third child and the youngest in his family. When Ezra was born, he was diagnosed with clubfoot, a condition in which the feet bend inward, making it so that he is unable to stand on the soles of his feet. Over time, his condition has gotten worse, making it increasingly difficult and painful to stand and walk. Seeking treatment through our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, Ezra is scheduled to undergo surgery to correct his clubfoot on July 10. His father is requesting $1,224 to cover the total cost of his procedure and care. "I cannot afford to pay for my son's treatment since I am the only breadwinner in the family and also I have unsettled bills for my wife in the hospital,” says Ezra's father.

Andrés is an active and happy 13-month-old baby boy from Guatemala. He loves to play with his sisters and sing and clap. Andrés's mother takes care of the family's household, and his father works as a construction laborer. Andrés was recently diagnosed with malnutrition, a condition that results from consuming too little protein, calories, and nutrients. On June 12, Andrés will begin growth monitoring at Clinic Miller, our medical partner's care center. Our medical partner, Wuqu’ Kawoq, is asking for $492 to cover the cost of Andrés's micronutrients and food supplementation. Funds will also go towards an educational program that will teach Andrés's mother how to create nutrient-rich diets for him using limited resources. "Thank you for supporting my son," says Andrés's mother.

"I missed a lot of school last year because my heart made me too sick to go," shares 16-year-old Alex. "I'm excited for my surgery so that I can go back to school every day." Alex lives in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, with his parents, two sisters, and one brother. He is in the ninth grade and would like to go to college in the future. He enjoys listening to soccer games on the radio and spending time with his friends. Alex has a condition called severe rheumatic mitral regurgitation. The mitral valve of his heart became severely damaged by an infection and can no longer pump blood to the rest of his body. As a result, blood backs up into his heart, leading to heart failure. Alex needs open-heart surgery to either repair or replace the valve. Alex will fly to the Cayman Islands to receive treatment. On January 24, he will undergo cardiac surgery. This $12,000 surgery is subsidized by Have a Heart Cayman Islands, an organization that helps subsidize and provide life-saving heart surgeries to children from the Caribbean and around the world. Alex's family also needs help to fund the costs of surgery prep. The $1,500 bill covers labs, medicines, and checkup and followup appointments. It also supports passport obtainment and the social workers from our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, who will accompany Alex's family overseas.