Saroun, a 21-year-old factory worker, lives in Cambodia with his four sisters and one brother. Saroun enjoys watching TV, reading magazines, and helping his mother do work around the house. A serious moto accident last July caused a brachial plexus injury (BPI) of Saroun's left arm. The brachial plexus is the network of nerves that sends signals from your spine to your shoulders, arms and hands. A brachial plexus injury occurs when these nerves are stretched, compressed, or in the most serious cases, ripped apart or torn away from the spinal cord. Saroun and his mother traveled three hours to reach our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC). Surgeons at CSC will perform a BPI repair surgery, which will involve diverting a nerve from one destination and sewing it into the non-functioning nerve. It can take three-to-six months before full recovery of function is typically seen. "I hope I can use my arm normally again after surgery," Saroun shares. "I will go back to work when I am better."

Thet is a 25-year-old factory worker from Cambodia. She has three brothers and two sisters, and enjoys helping her mom do work around the home. In November, Thet was driving her moto when a truck almost hit her head on, causing her to lose balance and fall to the ground. She lost consciousness for one hour and had a forearm fracture plated at a nearby hospital. The accident caused a brachial plexus injury (BPI) on Thet's left side. The brachial plexus is the network of nerves that sends signals from the spine to the shoulders, arms, and hands. Thet currently does not have any movement of her biceps, triceps, or hands. The upper arm has normal sensation, but her left forearm has none. Her left hand has only tingling sensation. Thet and her mom traveled four hours to reach our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), for treatment. A BPI surgery will involve diverting a nerve from one destination and sewing it into the non-functioning nerve. It can take three-to-six months before full recovery of function is typically seen. "I hope I can use my hand again after surgery," shares Thet. "When I am healed, I will go home and continue working in the factory."

Guerline is 12 years old, and lives in central Haiti with her mother, father, and three brothers. She likes to go to school but she has not been able to attend for three years due to her heart condition. She likes going to church and helping her mother at home. Guerline has a condition called rheumatic mitral valve regurgitation, in which one of the valves of her heart does not adequately pump blood because it has been damaged by a fever. As a result, blood backs up into her heart, leading to heart failure. She requires open-heart surgery to implant an artificial valve in her heart. $1,500 will help fund this surgery, as well as all travel and transportation costs. Health City Cayman Islands is also contributing $10,000 toward Guerline's care. “I am hoping that the problem with my heart can be fixed so I can go back to school,” Guerline shares.

"Sometimes I can't study because the pain is so bad," shares 23-year-old Vy, a young woman from Cambodia. Vy is a university student who is studying marketing in Cambodia with the help of a local NGO. She has one older sister and three older brothers. For the past two years, Vy has experienced hearing loss in her left ear. She has recently experienced discharge and bleeding from that ear. Vy and her brother traveled one hour to reach our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), for care. Doctors at CSC discovered a cholesteatoma in her left ear. A cholestoeatoma is an abnormal skin growth in the middle ear behind the ear drum. Surgeons at CSC will perform a mastoidectomy surgery to remove the cholesteatoma and stop the ear discharge and infection from spreading. The operation and post-operative care will cost $809. "I hope my ear discharge stops and my hearing improves," continues Vy. "Once I am healed I hope to return home and get a good job."

“This bleeding is making me worried," Philis shares. "If it continues I feel like I am going to die. Please help me so that I can be safe. I have to be okay and be there for my family." Philis is a 51-year-old mother of five living in Kenya. She was healthy until she began experiencing heavy bleeding and abdominal pain few weeks ago. Philis went to the hospital at the first signs of her symptoms and was given medicine but the bleeding persisted. Philis was then referred to our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF), where she was diagnosed with uterine fibroids and anemia. "If not treated, Philis will continue to bleed which could lead to severe anemia with other cardiovascular complications," AMHF shares. For $790, Philis will receive a hysterectomy to remove her uterus and the fibroids causing pain, excessive bleeding, and anemia. This surgery will allow Philis to get back on her feet and regain her energy to work as a small scale farmer, and also a mother to five loving children.

“I am shy around my friends and I don’t feel good when I go outside and meet new people,” says Mey, an 11-year-old girl living in Cambodia. Mey was born with esotropia of the left eye, a condition that causes her eye to turn inward. Mey is the middle child in the family and is in first grade. She loves playing with dolls and drawing pictures. Mey traveled 3 hours with her mother to Children's Surgical Centre, a Watsi medical partner, where she heard she could receive treatment free of charge. With a limited income and three children to support, Mey's parents cannot afford the treatment her daughter needs. Strabismus correction surgery for Mey will cost $290. Following a strabismus correction surgery, Mey’s left eye will be aligned correctly. After surgery, Mey's mother hopes her daughter will no longer be shy around other kids due to her condition.

“When Juma is busy playing with other children he puts a beautiful smile on his face,” says our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). “He likes to clap his hands and since he recently started to walk, he likes to walk a lot.” Two-year-old Juma from Tanzania was born with hypospadias, a genital defect. This means that his penis is bent, and his urinary opening is located on the base of the organ, rather than on its head. This can make urination difficult, and “if not treated, as an adult Juma will have fertility problems,” AMHF details. Juma’s parents cannot afford the surgery he needs to remedy this birth defect. As small-scale farmers of maize and other grains and parents of three other children, “their income is not stable,” says AMHF. $837 covers the cost of hypospadias repair surgery, which will straighten Juma’s penis and extend his urinary channel through the length of the organ, relocating the urinary opening to the head. Funding also includes a ten-day hospital stay for Juma so he has adequate time to recover after the procedure. "I hope my son’s treatment will go well. I wish for him to have a good future and his own family,” says Juma’s mother.

“I just want her to grow normally,” share the parents of Christy, a 13-month-old girl living in Guatemala. Christy is currently afflicted with acute malnutrition and, as a result, is much below the healthy height and weight for a girl her age. Due to her weakened immune system- a symptom of malnutrition- Chrisy has been getting sick often. Although Christy loves playing with her favorite toy - a play dish set - she has had trouble reaching other developmental milestones, including walking and talking. If not treated soon, the negative effects of malnutrition could affect Christy for the rest of her life and she will have a greater chance of developing chronic diseases as an adult. Christy lives in a rented adobe house with her parents and two older siblings. Christy’s father works as a farmer, cultivating corn and coffee on the plot of land that they own. Christy’s mother takes care of the family and occasionally weaves traditional Mayan textiles to earn extra money for the family. Although Christy’s parents work very hard, they do not have the resources to provide Christy or her siblings with the fruit, vegetables, or eggs that they need to be healthy. For $512 Christy will receive treatment for her malnutrition. This treatment will provide food supplementation and deworming medication that she needs to gain weight and grow taller. Additionally, her parents will receive nutrition education so that they know which foods to buy for Christy and her siblings in the future.

Meet three-year-old Lewis from Kenya! He is an only child, and his single mother works as a house help in the capital, Nairobi, leaving Lewis in the care of his ailing grandmother. Lewis has been diagnosed with a condition called epispadias, which is an abnormal opening from the bladder neck to the urethra opening. It causes Lewis severe discomfort and leaves him unable to control his bladder. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, reports, “Lewis' condition means he is prone to urinary tract infections. Without treatment he will likely become infertile.” His mother and grandmother desperately wish to help him, but are unable to afford the surgery he needs. Lewis’ grandmother says, “I wish my grandson well and I hope that he’ll get treatment soon. We have nowhere else to get support, and my prayer is that we get help.” For $1,500, doctors will repair and reconstruct Lewis' bladder wall and opening, he will receive the necessary medication and care in a health facility. Let’s help little Lewis get the care he needs, so he can grow up, happy, healthy and proud of who he is!

Florence is a lively two-year-old boy from Tanzania who loves to grab everything he sets his eyes on. His mother was a storekeeper at a wholesale store, but after giving birth to Florence she quit her job to give him the extra care he needs. Florence's father is a self-employed electrician who works diligently every day to support his wife and son. As you can see in the photo, Florence has a nasal encephalocele, which is a growing mass on his nose. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation reports that “if not treated, the mass may block his air passageway or it may burst. This could cause numerous severe health problems.” Although Florence’s father is working hard to provide for his family, he needs our help to give Florence the help he needs. “My son is growing well," Florence's mom says, "but the mass between his eyes worries me because it keeps growing bigger. He is our only boy and we would like for him to grow up like other children and later on be able to go to school and become independent.” For $850, Florence will receive grafting and a nasal bridge reconstruction, which will reduce the risk his mass will burst, improve his appearance, and ensure he can continue to breath safely. Let’s give Florence the opportunity to have a happy, healthy childhood!

This little bundle is newborn Swares. Swares and his family live in Kenya, where his father is a casual laborer and his mother stays home to care for their two children. Swares was born with occipital encephalocele, a birth defect occurring when bones in the skull do not develop properly. This has resulted in a mass of tissue forming on his head. Left untreated, Swares will likely develop hydrocephalus, a swelling in the brain that will impair his brain development. Surgery to repair the encephalocele costs more than Swares' parents have been able to raise. Throughout this time, that his mother describes as an uphill battle, she remains optimistic, and says, “I pray and hope that we’ll get support for my son's treatment soon.” Treatment for Swares condition costs $1,500, which includes the cost of surgery and other medical costs related to the procedure. The surgery will allow Swares to heal and grant him the opportunity to grow into a healthy boy. Let's help Swares defy the limitations of this condition!