Andrés is 13 years old and a student from Colombia. He dreams of becoming a soldier when he grows up. He shows a special interest and talent for soccer and other sports activities that he thoroughly enjoys and that contribute to the development of his skills, build his confidence, and support his overall growth. Two years ago, Andrés was diagnosed with an umbilical hernia, a condition in which a small portion of abdominal tissue protrudes through the navel. Surgery has been recommended to correct the hernia and prevent possible future complications. It causes discomfort that prevents one from carrying out daily activities such as playing, jumping, and running. Fortunately, on October 20th, Andrés will undergo hernia repair surgery, and our medical partner, Clinica Noel, is requesting $1,005 to fund Andrés's surgery. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully allow him to live more comfortably. Andrés's mother shared, "Receiving the news that it is now possible for Andrés to have the surgery has been deeply moving for us. Thank you for giving Andrés the chance to receive the care he needs and for restoring our hope at such a crucial moment. We receive this news with hearts full of gratitude and with the hope of seeing Andrés move toward a healthier future full of possibilities."

Sineth is a 13-year-old 8th grade student from Kampong Cham Province in Cambodia. She lives with her parents and younger sister, who is in Grade 4. Her parents are rice farmers and work hard to support their family. Sineth enjoys studying Khmer literature, which is her favorite subject at school, and hopes to become a doctor in the future. In her free time, she likes listening to music and chatting with her friends. Her favorite food is fried pork with ginger. Sineth has scoliosis, a condition in which the spine curves abnormally to one side, often resembling a "C" or "S" shape. Her spinal curve has gradually worsened over the past three years and is now approximately 50 degrees in the thoracolumbar region. Although she does not currently experience pain, the increasing curvature affects her posture and makes it difficult for her to sit comfortably for long periods. This can make it harder for her to stay comfortable and concentrate during class, and the curvature may continue to worsen as she grows. Sineth's family was referred to our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC), by another hospital. They traveled approximately four hours from Kampong Cham to seek specialized care. On August 17th, surgeons at CSC plan to perform posterior spinal fusion to help straighten and stabilize her spine and prevent the curvature from worsening. She needs $1,500 in support to cover the cost of her surgery and related medical care. This treatment will help support her spinal health as she continues to grow and allow her to remain active and continue her education. Sineth's parents said, “We hope that this surgery will help straighten and stabilize our daughter’s spine and prevent her scoliosis from getting worse. We wish for her to grow well, stay active, and continue her studies and daily activities with confidence and comfort.”

Camila is a sweet young girl from Bolivia. She lives with her mom, who maintains a small store from home so that she has more time to spend caring for her daughter. Camila has five older siblings. She likes to go to school, and she loves to paint. When Camila was a baby, doctors told her mom she had a heart condition that may close with time, but as she has grown older, the heart condition has affected her health more and more. Camila also has developmental disabilities. Camila has a cardiac condition called a ventricular septal defect, where a hole exists between the two lower chambers of the heart that causes blood to leak as the heart pumps. Camila's condition prevents blood from circulating in her body normally, leaving her weak and short of breath. On April 15th, she will undergo cardiac surgery at our medical partner's care center, Hospital del Niño Dr. Ovidio Aliaga Uría. During surgery, a patch will be sewn over the hole in her heart so that blood can no longer leak through it. Camila's family needs help to fund the costs of cardiac care and surgery. Our medical partner, International Cardiac Alliance, requests $1,500 to cover the cost of cardiac exams and diagnostics, surgical costs, follow-up care, and medications. Camila's mother shared, "I'm so happy my daughter can receive the treatment she needs. We were waiting for a long time."

Hnin is a 65-year-old woman who lives with her two daughters and two granddaughters in Mae Sot District, Tak Province, Thailand. The family is originally from Bago Division in Burma. Hnin is retired, while one of her daughters works in a garment factory, and the other is a homemaker; her granddaughters are both students. The family income is not always enough to cover the cost of their daily expenses, so they sometimes need to borrow money from their neighbors, or the working daughter takes an advance on her paycheck from the factory where she works. The family lives with another couple that helps in paying rent, but they do not share any other resources. Due to Hnin’s health condition, they have had to borrow money for treatment and transportation costs. In 2010, Hnin was in a motorbike accident where she injured both knees. She went to a local clinic, but they did not perform an x-ray or examination, they only gave her medication for the pain. After the accident, Hnin’s knees would occasionally cause her pain, which she would treat with pain medication and traditional Burmese medicine. In January 2023, Hnin’s knee pain became worse, and her knees swelled, so she went to Mae Tao Clinic (MTC) in Mae Sot where she was given pain medication, and referred to physiotherapy. However, the physiotherapy and follow-up appointments at MTC did not help much. The pain in her knees was worsening, so she stopped going but continued treating the pain with medication and traditional medicine. In January 2026, Hnin began having shaky legs when standing, and her knees were increasingly stiff, so she went to Mae Sot Hospital (MSH) in Mae Sot on 2nd February 2026. There she underwent an x-ray and was told that she had osteoarthritis in her knees which has progressed to last stage, and only surgery would help. She was given medication, a cane, and a follow-up appointment with an orthopaedic surgeon. When she attended her appointment, she underwent another x-ray, and the doctor explained about her severe osteoarthritis and advised surgery. As she can only undergo surgery one knee at a time, the doctor advised her to have surgery on her right knee, since it was causing her the most pain. Presently, Hnin spends much of her time lying down or sitting and cannot help with most housework. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is helping Hnin receive treatment. On March 12th, she will undergo surgery to relieve pain and improve her mobility. Now, Hnin's family needs help to fund this $1,500 procedure. She says, "After treatment and recovery, I look forward to going to the monastery to meditate again, as I used to do this before my knees caused me so much trouble. Thank you for your support for my treatment”.

Darlene is a three-month-old baby girl from Bolivia, who lives with her parents and one older brother. Her mom works as an entertainer at children's birthday parties, while her dad is a day laborer. When she was born, Darlene's mother noticed that she had difficulty breastfeeding and took her to the pediatrician, who discovered a heart problem. Darlene has a cardiac condition called patent ductus arteriosus; a hole exists between two blood vessels next to her heart. This condition prevents Darlene's blood from circulating properly, causing her weakness and leaving her at risk of heart failure if the condition goes untreated. On February 11th, Darlene will undergo cardiac surgery at our medical partner's care center, Hospital del Niño Dr. Ovidio Aliaga Uría. During surgery, surgeons will sew the hole closed so that blood can no longer leak through it. Darlene's family needs help to fund the costs of her cardiac care and surgery. Our medical partner, International Cardiac Alliance, requests $1,500 to cover the cost of her exams and diagnostics, surgical costs, follow-up care, and medications. Darlene's mother says: "I'm grateful for all your help. I want to help children in the future as you helped mine."

Dah is a 21-year-old young man from Burma. He lives with his mother, his wife, two daughters, and other family members in a refugee camp in Mae Hong Son Province, Thailand. They moved to the camp due to conflict happening between armed groups in their village in Burma. His wife is a homemaker, and Dah is a day laborer. During his free time, he likes to play volleyball with his friends in the camp. Two days ago, Dah began to experience troubling symptoms, including abdominal pain, accompanied by a fever. He was diagnosed with appendicitis and now needs surgery to prevent his condition from worsening. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is helping Dah receive treatment. He is scheduled to undergo an appendectomy, a surgery to remove the appendix when it becomes infected, on January 16th. This procedure will cost $1500, and Dah and his family need your support. Dah said, “I never experienced pain like this before. I would like my pain to go away.”

Goldstein is a preschooler from Haiti. He lives with his parents on the outskirts of Port-au-Prince. His parents are both vendors. He is a very curious and outgoing boy who makes friends easily. Goldstein has a cardiac condition called atrioventricular canal defect. A large hole exists between the chambers of Goldstein's heart, causing blood to leak between all four chambers of the heart without circulating through the lungs to obtain oxygen. This leaves him weak and short of breath, and will lead to heart failure if not corrected. Goldstein will fly to the Dominican Republic to receive treatment. On December 16th, he will undergo cardiac surgery, during which surgeons will close the hole with a patch so that blood can no longer leak through it. Another organization is contributing to pay for his surgery. But Goldstein's family also needs help to fund the costs of surgery prep. Our medical partner, International Cardiac Alliance, is requesting $1,500 to cover labs, medicines, and check-up and follow-up appointments. It also supports securing travel documents for the family and travel costs for the social workers from our medical partner, who will accompany Goldstein's family overseas. Goldstein's mother shared, "Our family has been praying for this surgery ever since our son was a small baby, and we want to say thank you to everyone!"

Toe is a retired 68-year-old man from Burma. He lives with his wife, two sons, his daughter-in-law, and his grandson in the refugee camp in Sob Moei District, Mae Hong Son Province, Thailand. One of Toe's sons is enrolled in school, and his daughter-in-law works as a nutritionist in a hospital in the camp. The family also receives monthly cash support from a charity at the camp. In 2022, Toe began suffering from burning and aching pain caused by an irreducible inguinal hernia. His hernia has grown larger and become increasingly painful. Now, Toe needs surgery to live more comfortably and regain his quality of life. Fortunately, on November 10th, Toe will undergo hernia repair surgery at Mae Sariang Hospital, our medical partner's care center. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,468 to fund the procedure. Toe shared, “I would like my discomfort to disappear. I cannot do whatever I want to do, and I cannot walk properly.”