Busingye is a retired teacher from Uganda. She is married with nine children. Her husband is a laboratory assistant. Three years ago, Busingye began to experience troubling symptoms, including difficulty swallowing. She was diagnosed with a multi-nodular goiter. She needs surgery to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is helping Busingye receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on February 1 at our medical partner's care center. Surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. This procedure will cost $240, and she and her family need help raising money. Busingye says, “I will continue with farming after the surgery since I am retired as I will be relieved of this condition.”

Seu is a 77-year-old nun from Cambodia. She has one nephew and two nieces. She has one sister and likes to spend time with her family. She also enjoys listening to the monks pray on the radio. One year ago, Seu developed a cataract in each eye, causing her partial blindness, tearing, and cloudy lenses. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, recognizing faces, and going anywhere outside. When Seu learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for one and a half hours seeking treatment. On February 6, doctors will perform a small incision cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in each eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Now, she needs help to fund this $398 procedure. Her niece says, "I am worried that her vision is declining. I hope surgery will help her see again."

Mugyenyi is a farmer from Uganda. He is married with three children. He developed a progressive swelling on his shoulder eight years ago. The swelling causes him discomfort. Mugyenyi traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On February 1, surgeons will remove the mass. Now, Mugyenyi needs help to raise $187 to fund this procedure. Mugyenyi says, “I hope to continue with cultivation and have a better quality of life after surgery.”

Lennox is a three-month-old baby from Kenya who lives with his parents and two other siblings. His mother works as a subsistence farmer, and his father works as a motorbike taxi operator. About one week after his birth, Lennox's parents noticed that the circumference of their son's head was growing disproportionately rapidly compared to the rest of his body. Lennox was diagnosed with hydrocephalus, a condition in which there is an excess of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain that consequently increases intracranial pressure. As a result of his condition, Lennox is at risk of suffering severe physical and developmental delays that would likely culminate in a premature death. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $685 to cover the cost of surgery for Lennox that will treat his hydrocephalus. The procedure is scheduled to take place on July 3 and will hopefully drain the excess fluid from Lennox’s brain, in turn reducing intracranial pressure and greatly improving his quality of life. With proper treatment, Lennox will hopefully develop into a strong, healthy young boy. “The heart breaking cries from Lennox are really disturbing. I wish there was an easier way to take the pain from him,” says Lennox’s mother.

Davis is a smart and active two-year-old boy from Kenya. When Davis was four months old, he was diagnosed with orchidopexy, a condition in which one or both testicles remain undescended. Doctors originally told Davis's parents that his condition should fix itself, but one year has passed and Davis's condition remains the same. If left untreated, his condition could lead to testicular cancer as well as hernias. Davis is now scheduled to undergo surgery to correct his condition on June 20. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $535 to fund surgical materials, medication, and three nights of hospital stay. Davis's mother says, “I was distressed when I got to know of my son’s condition. I would not like for him to blame us for not seeking treatment for him. Kindly help us."

Pawt Sue is a bright and active four-year-old boy from Burma. He lives in a village with his mother and seven-year-old brother and two-year-old sister. His father works in a restaurant in Thailand and sends money to the family every two or three months. Since he was a week old, Pawt Sue has had an inguinal hernia. Whenever he cries, his scrotum became swollen. As the time went by, his condition seemed to worsen. The more active he became, the more pain he experienced. Fortunately, on December 18, he will undergo hernia repair surgery at Mae Sot General Hospital, our medical partner's care center. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund Pawt Sue's hernia repair surgery. The procedure is scheduled to take place on December 18 and, once completed, will hopefully allow him to live more comfortably. His mother says, "My son says he wants to be a surgeon when he grows up. He wants to help other children who are in pain."

Clifaite is a 10-year-old student who lives with his parents and siblings in the mountains of central Haiti. His parents grow crops and additionally work as market vendors. Clifaite is in the fourth grade and enjoys going to school and spending time with his friends. Clifaite suffers from cardiac conditions known as mitral and aortic regurgitation, which resulted from a rheumatic fever that he contracted several years ago. As a result, blood backs up into his heart and does not properly circulate throughout his body, leaving Clifaite weak, short of breath, and at risk of fatal heart failure. Our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, is requesting $1,343 to cover the cost of Clifaite's air transportation to his surgery's location site. Once there, Clifaite will receive the treatment that he needs and will hopefully be able to live more comfortably. Clifaite's father says, "Our family would like to say thank you to everyone who is helping Clifaite get this surgery!"