Edeau, who is 13 years old, lives in a farming community in southwest Haiti, with his godmother and his godmother's family. He is in the seventh grade. Earlier in his childhood, Edeau suffered from rheumatic fever, which severely damaged one of the four valves of his heart, making it difficult for his heart to pump blood through his body. Edeau requires surgery to correct his condition. On February 6th, surgeons at Welcare Hospital will replace Edeau's damaged valve with an artificial one, a $6,000 procedure, which is being subsidized by Gift of Life International. Our medical partner, International Cardiac Alliance, is seeking $1,500 to cover the costs associated with the pre-operative and post-operative care that Edeau will need, and the travel expenses for Edeau and his family. From Edeau: "I would like to say thank you to everyone who is helping me to get this surgery."

Evania is a two-year-old toddler from Bolivia. She is the second child in her family who live in La Paz. Her father is a construction foreman and her mother is an administrative assistant for the construction company. Soon after she was born, her pediatrician detected a heart murmur, and a cardiologist diagnosed her with two cardiac conditions. One is a hole between the two lower chambers of the heart, and another hole between two major blood vessels near her heart. Evania also has Down syndrome. It is recommended to have surgery to repairs these holes in her heart. Our medical partner International Cardiac Alliance is requesting $1,500 to fund Evania's surgery. During surgery, doctors will sew both holes closed so that blood can no longer leak through them. After surgery Evania will have improved circulation and more ability to be active. Evania's mother shared: "Our family is so thankful that Evania has been chosen for this surgery and we are praying that all will go well!"

Kelvin is a student from Kenya and the eldest of 4 children. He is a student at Kitui School for the mentally challenged. His mother told us that he likes listening to music, playing football and operating a phone. Our partners in AIC Cure International met him at their Matuu clinic accompanied by his mother Petronilla who works as a peasant farmer. Kelvin has clubfoot of his right foot, a condition that was noted by the mother when he was 1 year old. His foot is twisted out of shape, which causes difficulty walking and wearing shoes. This condition formed because he used to convulse. He started medication and experienced delayed milestones. At the age of 3, Kelvin began to exhibit an unusual walking style and was diagnosed with hemiplegia, a type of unilateral cerebral palsy that causes paralysis on only one side of the body. Fortunately, our medical partner African Mission Healthcare (AMH) can help. AMH is requesting $1,286 to fund Kelvin's clubfoot repair. The treatment will be impactful to him because he will be able to walk without falling and play football with his friends. Kelvin’s mother shared, “I would love to see my son’s condition corrected so he can be independent. I will appreciate any support from AMH, and God bless you.”

Jasmin is a young mother of three from Philippines. Her partner, Crisanto Olivar, works as a food handler and earns $155 a month for their family. The couple has 3 children and Jasmin brings them to school every day. She shared that due to family problems, Jasmin was only able to finish her first year in high school which gave her a hard time finding employment, so to help with household expenses Jasmin sells drinks near their house and earns around $2 a day. In 2017, Jasmin began to experience troubling symptoms, including back pain, abdominal pain, and nausea. In 2018, she was diagnosed with gallstones and was advised to undergo a surgery immediately. Due to financial constraints, she suffered the pain for years until she heard about treatment offered at our partner care center. After seeking treatment through our medical partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines (WSFP), Jasmin is scheduled to undergo a cholecystectomy on October 21st. A portion of the cost of the procedure is being supported by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and WSFP is raising the remaining $1128 to cover the cost of Jasmin's surgery and care. Jasmin says, "The surgery will be a big help for me and my family because there is no way we can afford the cost of the procedure, hospitalization and medicines for my treatment. I dream of having a long life and to see my children finish school and live a nice life. So I am very grateful to the people who will help me make my dream come true."

Jesca is a 16-year-old girl who was born with clubfoot of the right foot. At two years old, Jesca’s mother recognized the severity of her condition and took her to Nkuaranga for treatment. However, sadly her mother fell seriously ill and passed away. Left without her mother’s care and support, Jesca’s father couldn’t continue with her treatment plan. The weight of her condition and the financial burden caused Jesca to abandon her education in secondary school. Her father, a casual laborer, provides for the family by working in the fields. Fortunately, Jesca's family traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, The Plaster House NGO. There, the team will begin clubfoot treatment on September 15. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $935 to fund Jesca's clubfoot repair. After treatment, her bent right foot will straighten, and she will be able to walk comfortably. Jesca says, “It has been my wish to get treatment for my condition, I wish to be able to walk confidently without worrying how people are looking at me.”

Four year old Neserian lives with his family in a village in the Manyara region of Tanzania. The family has long depended upon agriculture and livestock keeping to sustain them. However, climate change has shadowed their agricultural activities, rendering them increasingly unreliable. Consequently, Neserian’s father has turned to selling cattle to support his household. But drought has led to the cattle being unable to feed properly, so that they fetch considerably less money at the market. Neserian's father works hard to meet the needs of his family. In October 2022, Neserian was alone at home, when he ventured too close to an open flame. His clothing caught fire, and he suffered burns to his right elbow and wrist. The neighbors came to his aid, and when his mother returned home, she brought him to a local hospital for care. Neserian remained at the hospital for a month. Despite the care that he received, Neserian has only a limited range of motion of his right arm. Sadly, the local hospital lacks the resources to address this. Neserian and his father traveled for nine hours to consult with doctors from our medical partner's care center the Plaster House NGO. After a thorough assessment, it was determined that Neserian would need to undergo a Z-plasty procedure, to release his right axilla and elbow, along with a full thickness skin graft on his right hand. The pinky on his right hand will need to be amputated. The surgical procedures are set for August 15th but the cost of treatment is beyond the means of Neserian's family, prompting them to appeal for your assistance in covering the $1,088 needed for Neserian's care. After he has healed completely, Neserian will be able to use his hand, and lead a full life, free from disability. Neserian’s father says: “We wish for him to be able to use his hand because he is about to start school, and we are worried it will be hard for him as his right hand is the one affected.”

Gift is a 5-year-old playful boy from the coastal region of Kenya. He is the youngest of three children, and they all live with their mother. Gift's mother is a casual labourer, often vending sweet potatoes, arrow roots and vegetables to earn a living for her children. Gift desires to be a doctor, and his mother says he loves reading. Gift sustained a fracture on his left humerus (upper arm) and was taken to a nearby hospital, where a cast was applied. However, the factured arm did not heal properly. Doctors determined that Gift needs a left derotational surgery osteotomy to heal his fracture, meaning that doctors will cut the bone and realign it properly. The corrective surgery will allow Gift to use his arm with ease, continue playing with other children, and grow up active and healthy. Our medical partner African Mission Healthcare (AMH) will perform this surgery on July 17th and is requesting $1,224 to fully fund the procedure. Gift’s mother shared, “I am looking forward to seeing him progress with life like other children.”

Naw is a 47-year-old mother from Burma. Her whole family is now unemployed as they moved from Burma due to conflict near their village. She enjoys gardening and growing flowers in her free time. Naw was diagnosed with a heart condition that involves a malformation of her mitral valve, the valve between the left atrium and left ventricle. This valve controls the flow of blood, but certain conditions may cause blood to flow backward or the valve to narrow. Currently, Naw has difficulty breathing, tiredness, and trouble sleeping at night. She often has headaches and feels dizzy. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund a mitral valve replacement for Naw. The treatment is scheduled to take place on June 16th and, once completed, will hopefully allow her to live more comfortably. Naw said, “I felt very happy when I heard about you. I almost cried from happiness. I hope that I can recover completely. After I am treated, I want to get a suitable job that is comfortable enough for me because I do not want to feel tired like this again.”

Sein is a 40-year-old father of three from Thailand. Sein and his family are day laborers. During his free time, he likes to watch movies on his mobile phone. During the evening of May 8th, 2023, Sein and his wife were walking around their neighborhood after it had rained. Suddenly, Sein slipped on the slushy and muddy road, falling and hitting his right knee on the concrete beside the road. The fall caused him to fracture his right patella. Sein feels pain around his right knee and it is still slightly swollen and inflamed. Due to the pain, he cannot move his right leg and he feels uncomfortable with his leg in a cast. With the help of our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, Sein will undergo surgery to reset his fractured bones and ensure proper healing. The procedure is scheduled for May 12th and will cost $1,500. This procedure will help him walk and work again, and he will no longer be in pain. Sein said, "I want to thank my neighbors and you [BCMF] and everyone else for helping me. I hope I can make a full recovery. When I've recovered fully, I will work hard for my family and I will fulfill my children’s wishes of going to Bangkok and working there for the betterment of their lives."

23-year-old Josephine and her two siblings live with their mother in Kenya and participate in small-scale farming for home consumption. Josephine has no source of income but is hoping to pursue a course in hairdressing. On April 16th, 2022, while planting corn on their farm, Josephine slipped and plunged into a hole she hadn't seen. She sustained a fracture in her right leg and surgery was performed to stabilize the bone and help the fracture heal. Two months after the surgery, Josephine started noticing pus accumulating in the affected area. She returned to the hospital and was treated, but her condition did not improve. In October 2022, doctors noted that the hardware that had been placed in Josephine's leg to stabilize the bone had actually caused an infection. Despite the removal of the hardware, the infection has persisted. Josephine has a large mid-diaphyseal sequestrum. This means that her femur bone is infected. As a result, she is unable to use her right leg to walk. If left untreated, the infection can spread, and potentially result in an amputation. With the assistance of our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, Josephine has been scheduled for a Right Femur Sequestrectomy and Exfix to clear the infection and strengthen the bone, allowing it to heal completely. The surgery, which will take place at AIC Kijabe Hospital on April 17th, will enable Josephine to walk easily again so that she can farm and pursue the course in hairdressing. She and her family need your help to raise the $1,500 to fund her treatment. Josephine says, “I want to go to college and do a course in hairdressing. I am unable to pursue this dream since I have a broken bone that needs to be attended to.”