Vicheka is the eldest of two children in her family and loves her younger sister who is three years old. Their family lives in Preah Vihear near the Thai border of Cambodia. Her father is a soldier and her mother is a potato farmer. At school, she is fond of math and Khmer literature and would like to be a teacher when she is older. She likes reading books, painting, playing with her little sister, and taking walks with her parents. When Vicheka was five, she was diagnosed with scoliosis of the spine—a sideways curvature of the spine that most often is diagnosed in adolescents. She has uneven shoulders, a bump in her lower back, difficulty standing up straight, and shortness of breath. It has become difficult for her to breathe, she tires easily, and she is having difficulty walking. This can be very difficult for young girls, they are often hidden at home because other children make fun of the way they look. A neighbor told her parents about our medical partner Children's Surgical Centre, so they traveled over 10 hours for a diagnosis and surgery. Surgeons plan to put in expanding rods along her spine. The expanding rods will allow her to grow and keep her spine from curving further, which could cause her more health problems if left untreated. Their family needs $1,500 for the surgery, which will cover medications, implants, and post-operative care. Vicheka said, "I hope the doctors can fix my spine so I can play with my friends and my back will be straight. I want to continue in school but it is hard for me to keep up, and I miss school."

Jane is a 49-year-old woman and a mother to three children between 23 and 27 years of age. Her husband works as a casual laborer, tending to farms to make a living. One of her sons is in college, while her other children do not currently have jobs. Their family lives on a shared piece of land in their ancestral home. Since early 2020, Jane has been experiencing constant bleeding. In March 2021, her symptoms worsened and she visited a government hospital for further evaluation. She had a cervical biopsy and was diagnosed with stage IA cervical cancer. Her doctors have recommended a hysterectomy, or a procedure in which surgeons will remove her uterus, to prevent the cancer from spreading. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is helping Jane receive treatment. On December 17th, she will undergo gynecological surgery at AMH's care center. Once recovered, Jane will be able to resume her daily activities free of pain. Now, Jane needs help raising $1,260 to fund her procedure and care. Jane shared, "I hear this cancer spreads if not treated. I am scared and in fear that it will spread and affect other body parts. This disease has to be stopped soon."

Faisal is a 5-year-old boy and the last born in a family of five children. He is a charming young boy and likes to play with his friends. Faisal has not yet started school. Faisal was diagnosed with bilateral genu varus, where his legs bow outward so that his knees cannot touch. This condition is typically caused by an excessive accumulation of fluoride in the bones, which often stems from contaminated drinking water. As a result, he has a difficult time walking for a distance. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $880 to fund corrective surgery for Faisal. The procedure is scheduled to take place on November 18th. Treatment will hopefully restore Faisal's mobility, allow him to participate in a variety of activities, and greatly decrease his risk of future complications. Faisal’s mother says, “Please help my son be able to walk without difficulty.”

Victor is a seven-year-old boy and the oldest child in a family of two children. To earn a living for their family, his mother has been selling clothes for the past five years in a local market near their home and his father is a Boda Boda (motorcycle taxi) driver. Victor has been diagnosed with cryptorchidism, a condition in which one or both of the testicles remains undescended. If left untreated, Victor will have an increased risk of developing hernias, testicular cancer, and fertility problems in the future. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is helping Victor receive treatment. On October 7th, he will undergo corrective surgery at AMH's care center. Now, AMH is requesting $646 to cover the total cost of his procedure and care. Victor’s mother shared, "it has been a very stressful journey for us but we believe and hope for the best from this surgery."

Susan is a 59-year-old homemaker who together with her husband have five children. Unfortunately, her husband had a stroke and Susan is unemployed, so their family depends greatly on their land. For two months, Susan has been experiencing heavy bleeding. She has been diagnosed with uterine cancer, and she needs to undergo a hysterectomy, a procedure in which surgeons will remove her uterus. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is requesting $755 to fund Susan's surgery. On September 15th, she will undergo gynecological surgery at AMH's care center. Once recovered, Susan will be able to resume her daily activities free of pain. Susan shared, "I am very scared because the doctor said I have cancer, but I trust in God and hope to see my tomorrow. Please plead for help on my behalf so that my life can be saved and I can continue caring for my family."

Rhophence is struggling to speak when we meet her. She cannot pronounce words clearly or eat regularly due to a mandibular mass. She was diagnosed with Mandibular Fibrous Dysplasia, which is also causing her teeth to loosen on the affected area. She is scheduled for a 10-hour surgery at our Medical Partner's Care Center Kijabe Hospital. Her chronic mandibular swelling started back in October 2020 as a small swelling and has gradually increased in size, so Rhophence was forced to visit the hospital. She was treated for pain in their local health centre and discharged home. But, the swelling worsened and Rhophence opted to visit Kijabe in May 2021. Several tests revealed the Mandibular Fibrous Dysplasia diagnosis and surgery was recommended. She does not have the funds for the various procedures to relieve her pain. She is a single mother of four children aged between 30 and 18 years. She comes from a remote village along the Kenyan coast. She is currently jobless with no source of income and stays with her younger brother who she depends on for survival. The surgery is estimated to cost about $4,500. She has active national health insurance coverage that has only approved $2,000. She is unable to raise the remaining amount. She fundraised money for travel fare to come to Kijabe and she is now being hosted in the local centre by a relative. Rhophence shared, "This swelling is so painful. My mouth is deformed and I cannot even speak clearly. It’s sadly starting to give a bad odour making people close to me uncomfortable. This is affecting my life. I need these surgeries to normalize my life.”

Maria Jose is a cute and intelligent baby from Colombia. She lives with her single mother, Sandra, and her godmother and aunt. Sandra only has good wishes for her daughter, and works really hard to see her baby happy. Maria Jose has clubfoot on both feet, a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. This will cause difficulty walking and even wearing shoes in the future. Fortunately, Maria Jose's family traveled to visit our medical partner, Clínica Noel. There, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on August 31th. Our partner is requesting $1,500 to fund Maria Jose's bilateral clubfoot repair. After treatment, she will be able to crawl, walk and run with ease. Sandra shares her hopes for Maria Jose's development, "I really wish to see her grow as a normal child, and enjoy every step of her life. After the surgery I deeply want to see her crawl, walk, run, and play with other kids."

Mao is a 51-year-old rice farmer with one son, one daughter, and one grandchild. Mao lives with his wife who is a grocery seller. At home he enjoys listening to the news and Chinese dramas on TV. Two years ago, the retina of Mao's left eye detached, causing him blurry vision, pain, and tearing. He has difficulty seeing things clearly, recognizing faces, and going anywhere outside. When Mao learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, he traveled therewith his son seeking treatment. On June 9th, eye surgeons will perform a retinal detachment repair procedure in his left eye. After recovery, he will be able to see clearly. Now, he needs help to fund this $648 procedure. Mao shared, "I hope after surgery I can see better so I can plant rice and also sell piglets from my motorbike to earn money for my family."

William is a hardworking motorbike taxi driver from Kenya. He earns $2.50 daily and lives in a one-room house in Naivasha, costing about $24 a month. His parents are elderly and live nearby on a quarter of an acre piece of land. William suffered femur and distal tibia fractures and is unable to walk and cannot work. Currently, the hospital has admitted him to the respiratory ward since he developed difficulties in breathing. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner can help. On May 20th, William will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation. These surgeries will enable the bones to heal and he will be able to walk again normally. Now, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,500 to fund this procedure. William says, “I don’t have anyone to depend on, I survive on my own through this motorbike taxi business. But with these fractures, I cannot walk or work at all. I need the surgery to normalize my life and be independent again.”

Sinath is 37 years old man and about a year ago, Sinath had a tumor removed from his right knee. His knee continued to bother him, and he was unable to walk and felt poorly. More recently, Sinath fell off his motorbike and reinjured the same knee, which became more swollen and feels more painful at night. He is not able to walk without support. Doctors conducted a biopsy, which showed he has chondrosarcoma, a type of bone cancer that develops in cartilage cells. Doctors have recommended that the best course of action for him is an amputation above his left knee and then he can begin to have his mobility back and be more independent. Sinath will be receiving assistance from our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre. Fortunately, he is scheduled to undergo an amputation surgery on February 2nd. Children's Surgical Centre is requesting $446 to cover the total cost of his procedure and care. Once fully recovered, he will be free of pain and will slowly learn to walk again. Sinath shared, "I hope that my right knee will have no pain nor wound infection after my surgery, and that I will heal quickly."

Paulo is a happy 7-year-old child from Kitui County in Kenya. He is the fourth born in a family of five children. Paulo’s father is a casual labourer who does welding in Rwaka, while his mother is a housewife in their rural home in Kitui. Paulo had an accident and fell from an avocado tree while he was playing. He was taken to a government health facility but did not receive any service as the health workers were on strike. Paulo’s father then took him to a private hospital in Kiambu, where doctors conducted an x-ray revealing a fracture of his left femur. Paulo is not able to walk and is in constant pain. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner can help make sure Paulo has the surgery he needs. On January 7th, Paulo will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation. This procedure will help him walk easily again. Now, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,049 to fund this procedure. Paulo's father shared, “I had my reservations about Paulo having surgery, but I have had time to think about it, leading to my decision for him to have the surgery. I look forward to him being able to play and walk properly again.”

Song Heu is a 28-year-old man from Cambodia. He has three older sisters and to support their family, Song Heu's mother sells vegetables in the market and his father is a tuk tuk driver. In his free time, Song Heu enjoys exercising, listening to music, playing games on his phone, meeting with friends to discuss problems, and doing house work. Last month, Song Heu was attacked by someone trying to steal his motorbike. The thief cut Song Heu's left arm and neck with a knife, causing paralysis. He has been diagnosed with a brachial plexus injury on his left arm side. The brachial plexus is a nerve network that transmits signals from the spine to the shoulder, arm, and hand. Injuries to this nerve network can result in loss of function and sensation. Now, Song Heu has a scar on his left neck and has no control of his left shoulder, elbow, or hand. He cannot lift his arm at all and therefore is unable to work. Fortunately, Song Heu traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On November 17th, he will undergo a brachial plexus repair surgery. After recovery, Song Heu will regain use of his left arm. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $696 to fund this procedure. Song Heu shared, "I hope I can use my arm again with full function so I can resume my normal life activities."