Benedict is a 57-year-old father from the Philippines. His wife, two daughters, and two stepchildren all reside with him and he works hard to support them. He keeps himself occupied by caring for doves, which is a love that become his hobby. He lost his job due to the COVID-19 pandemic and to provide for his family, he turned his hobby into a business. Benedict now sells doves which is the family's only source of income. He usually earns around Php 8,000 ($141 USD) a month doing this. One month ago, Benedict began experiencing troubling symptoms, including excruciating discomfort, which restricts his ability to perform his day to day tasks. He suffers greatly from even the smallest movement. He cannot sit, stand up, or walk without pain. Benedict was diagnosed with Mixed Hemorrhoids Grade IV, the most severe level of internal hemorrhoids. He needs surgery to prevent his symptoms from getting worse. Fortunately, our medical partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines (WSFP), is helping Benedict receive treatment. He is scheduled to undergo a hemorrhoidectomy on September 30 at WSFP's care center. A portion of the cost of his treatment is being supported by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and WSFP is raising the remaining $1,285 to cover the cost of Benedict's procedure and care. Benedict said: "I hope to be a beneficiary of surgery as we cannot afford the expenses for the operation. Our family does not have a lot of income and I am hoping to remove the pain of my illness to return to work as the breadwinner for my family."

San is a 50-year-old grandmother from Burma. She lives with her son and granddaughter. Both San and her son are subsistence farmers and her son occasionally works as a day laborer. Her six-year-old granddaughter is a nursery school student. During her free time, San enjoys spending quality time with her granddaughter and visiting the monastery. In February 2023, San began experiencing occasional back and lower left abdominal pain with discomfort. This made it difficult for her to walk and sit. After an abdominal ultrasound and physical examination, she was diagnosed with gallstones. San has been advised to undergo a cholecystectomy, the surgical removal of the gallbladder. If left untreated, San's symptoms will continue to worsen and put her at risk for further health complications in the future. After seeking treatment through our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF), San is scheduled to undergo a cholecystectomy on November 17. BCMF is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of San's procedure and care. San said, “I feel sad and sorry for my son who has to work on the farm and help me with household chores. After I feel better, I will help him on the farm and handle all the household chores. I want to recover so that I can find work and pay back my debt. I want to spend time with my granddaughter and help her with her homework. I also want to go to the monastery and pray, as I have not been able to go since my condition started."

Remedan is a baby from Ethiopia. He is a sweet baby boy who is the fourth child to his parents, and he loves to play with balloons and squeeze toys. He has started weaning, and he loves Plumpy Nut, a nutrition supplement donated by the Ethiopian government for underweight and malnourished children. Since he got the donation, his weight has improved and is now in an expected range which is a relief for his parents. Remedan's dad is a small-scale farmer and dropped out of school in grade seven. He had to sell his land when he went to the city for treatment for his son. Remedan's mom, who is a homemaker, heard about our medical partner BKMCM from a neighbor who lived nearby and who got her child treatment at BKMCM. She traveled all the way to the hospital from her home town with her dad and they now stay in the Missionaries of Charity for accommodation since they can’t afford hotels and transport costs. Remedan developed a bowel obstruction and had an emergency colostomy. He has had multiple issues with his colostomy and associated complications. His family shared that they have suffered throughout the entire process but are hopeful that things will improve. Remedan's condition means he cannot make a stool. His mom and dad are very sad and worried about their son. Remedan still requires additional surgery to complete his treatment; his family is appealing for financial support. Remedan's surgery is scheduled for October 31st and our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, requests $1,500 to cover the cost of Remedan's procedure and care. After his recovery, Remedan will no longer experience bowel dysfunction or be at risk of developing severe health complications in the future. His mom said, "I hope my child will get treatment, and I hope he will heal well after the treatment."

Leah is a 48-year-old mother of four from Kenya. She buys and sells old newspapers for a living. Her husband works as a casual laborer on construction sites. Leah lives in a two-room monthly rental house with her family. She does not currently have active medical cover. About three months ago, Leah noticed a painful lump on her right breast while taking a bath. She visited a nearby facility for a checkup, and was referred to Kenyatta National Hospital in Nairobi. However, she had difficulty receiving prompt medical. Three weeks ago, Leah realized the lump was growing and more painful, and sought care again. She visited Kijabe Hospital, where she underwent review by the general surgery team, and several tests, including a mammogram and core biopsy, were requested. Ultimately, Leah was diagnosed with breast cancer. She needs surgery to remove the cancerous mass, but cannot currently afford the amount required for her to undergo the procedure. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), can help. On August 21st, Leah will undergo a mastectomy at AMH's care center. During the procedure, surgeons will remove the impacted breast tissue to rid her body of breast cancer and to prevent the cancer from metastasizing. AMH is requesting $1110 to cover the cost of Leah's procedure. After treatment, Leah will hopefully return to a cancer-free life. Leah said, “I am in so much pain, especially on my right breast. The cancer has greatly affected the whole chest, and I feel so worried. I need to get surgery to stop these cells from spreading. ”

Anne is a toddler from Haiti. She lives with her parents in Port-au-Prince; her father is a civil servant and her mother is a homemaker. She is their first child. Anne was born with a congenital heart defect called ventricular septal defect. A hole exists between the two lower chambers of her heart; blood leaks through this hole without passing through her lungs to obtain oxygen, leaving her weak and short of breath. Because the surgery that she needs is not available in Haiti, Anne will fly to Dominican Republic to receive treatment. On September 13th, she will undergo cardiac surgery, during which surgeons will sew a patch over the hole so that blood can no longer leak through it. Haiti Cardiac Alliance is contributing $8,000 to help pay for the surgery. Anne's family needs help to fund related expenses for her care. The $1,500 will help cover the expenses of labs, medicines, and checkup and follow-up appointments. It will also go toward the expenses of obtaining passports and the cost of social workers from our medical partner who will accompany Anne's family overseas. Anne's mother said: "My husband and I have been very afraid for Anne's life since we got this diagnosis. We are very hopeful that we can stop worrying after her surgery!"

Yi is a 52-year-old mother who lives with her husband, two sons and a daughter in a conflict area called Rakhine State. Her husband, daughter and younger son are unemployed while she is a homemaker. Her older son works as a taxi driver but does not always have work. They are financially supported by Yi's third son, who is also a taxi driver and lives separately. In her free time, she like to meditate and read Facebook posts relating to health. Yi first felt unwell in 2010 when she experienced severe joint pain. Later on, she also developed difficulty breathing and heart palpitations. She was diagnosed with a heart condition requiring surgery, but she could not afford to pay for it. Over the years, she tried to manage her symptoms through medication, but they would only help her feel better temporarily. Currently, Yi tires easily and does not have energy to do anything. She cannot walk long distances, and she cannot walk downstairs. If she does, she experiences chest pain and difficulty breathing. When she talks a lot, she feels tired. She has no appetite and cannot breathe well. She also has chest pain and cannot sleep at night. In May, she went to Pun Hlaing Hospital in Yangon, where the doctor diagnosed her with mitral valve stenosis and tricuspid valve regurgitation. She now needs to undergo surgery to have two valves in her heart replaced. Yi is scheduled to have this surgery on July 20th with our medical partner Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF). They are requesting $1,500 to fund her procedure. Her son said, “Thank you so much to the donors and the organization [BCMF] for helping with the cost of my mom’s surgery. I worry about my mom and want her to get surgery as soon as possible.”

Hosea is a 28-year-old from Kenya. He is the third child in his family of eight children and lives at home with his parents and siblings. Hosea works tirelessly on people's farms to meet his basic needs and spends most of his time at home helping his parents with their farm. Hosea loves football and enjoys playing the game with friends during his free time. Hosea was recently injured while playing football after one of the players accidentally kicked him. His friends brought him to the hospital. His right leg was swollen, deformed, and unable to be lifted due to the pain. Hosea received an x-ray, which revealed that he had complete fractures of the lower part of the tibia and fibula. He was then stabilized with a splint and scheduled to meet with the orthopedic surgeon the following day. Upon review, Hosea needs to undergo surgery to fix his broken bone and facilitate a quick healing process. Fortunately, on June 27th, Hosea will undergo a fracture repair procedure called an open reduction and internal fixation. This procedure will enable him to return to work and support himself and his family. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is requesting $1,145 to fund this procedure. Hosea said, "I am really suffering and, at the same time, giving people a hard time as they help me move from place to place. I am looking forward to getting well so that I may be able to work and earn as before. Kindly help me so that I may undergo this procedure."

Helen is a young student from Haiti. She lives with her parents in a neighborhood of Port-au-Prince; she is in first grade and likes her math and reading classes. Helen has a cardiac condition called ventricular septal defect. A hole exists between the two lower chambers of her heart. Blood leaks through this hole without passing through her lungs to be oxygenated, leaving her weak and short of breath. The surgery that Helen needs is not available anywhere in Haiti, so she will fly to the United States to receive treatment. On May 22, she will undergo cardiac surgery, during which surgeons will sew a patch over the hole in her heart to close it. Another organization, HeartGift Foundation, is contributing $14,000 to pay for surgery. Helen's family also needs help to fund the costs of surgery prep and travel. 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 Helen's family overseas. Helen's father said: "Our family is all very excited and hopeful to know that our daughter's heart can be fixed soon!"

Godson is a 4-month-old baby boy, the youngest in a family of six children. He lives with his parents and siblings in Singida, Tanzania. Both parents are farmers. They grow corn and sunflowers, which they use to make cooking oil. They sell cooking oil to earn money to support their family. Godson was born with a congenital condition in which his feet are twisted out of shape. The parents have been very concerned for their son. They've been to several different hospitals in the past three months seeking treatment with no success. Two weeks ago, while Godson's mother was out for a walk, a stranger saw Godson and approached the mother. The stranger explained his experience with his daughter who had a similar condition. After a brief conversation, the man directed her to the care center of our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), for a consultation. Godson's parents wasted no time traveling over 400km and finally arrived at AMH's care center with excitement. The doctors at AMH diagnosed Godson with clubfoot in both of his feet. Godson requires a treatment that involves a series of casting. Fortunately, AMH is able to provide treatment. After a brief talk with our team, Godson's parents understood the diagnosis and what treatment would be needed. The surgeons at AMH will perform clubfoot repair surgery on April 21st. AMH is requesting $935 to fund Godson's clubfoot repair. After treatment, he will be able to walk easily. Godson’s mother says, “After seeing my son I thought this will be his future. I am happy to know that his condition can be treated.”