Edmond is a playful eight-year-old boy. He is the second born child in a family of four children. Sadly, his father passed away in 2021 after a short illness. His mother works as a sweeper in a supermarket to provide for the family. The family lives in a two-room home. Recently, Edmond fell while playing at school and injured his left arm. He was brought to a local hospital where he had an x-ray and was told that he had dislocated his elbow. However, he received a second opinion at our medical partner's care center and was diagnosed with a left supracondylar fracture. He needs urgent surgery to treat his injury so he can heal properly. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is helping Edmond receive treatment. On February 8th, he will undergo surgery to repair the fracture. This will ensure that his hand heals well and that he can use it fully in the future. Now, their family needs help raising $852 to fund his procedure and care. Edmond's mother shared, "I dream of getting my family out of poverty. I am trying to look for a better job so that I can care for my children. Unfortunately, my son's arm is now fractured. I am worried about his future if he is not treated."

Florence is a loving mother of seven. She and her husband work as small-scale farmers and live in a grass-thatched home with their family. Her husband also takes on masonry work to help earn more income. Over a decade ago, Florence began to experience troubling symptoms, including a swelling on her neck. After she gave birth to her last-born child, she visited a local health center where doctors determined she was experiencing a pregnancy-related condition that would heal soon. However, Florence’s symptoms never improved, and the swelling increased over time. When Florence learned about our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), and their successful thyroid removal treatments, she visited AMH care center for review. Doctors diagnosed her condition as a multinodular goiter, which is an abnormal enlargement of the thyroid gland. Florence will need surgery to address her symptoms and ensure she can finally heal. Fortunately, Florence will undergo a thyroidectomy on January 10th at AMH’s care center. Surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. AMH is requesting $936 to fund Florence’s procedure. Florence shared, “I would like to have my strength back again. My children need my efforts as a mother.”

Susan is a mother of three, with her eldest child now 23 years, and two twins who are 17. She used to work at a salon in Nairobi, but the owner closed the business at the beginning of the year. She has been out of work since then and husband works as a casual laborer in a pharmaceutical firm, which recruits them in intervals depending on the availability of funds. She has applied for national health insurance coverage, but it is not yet approved and her doctors have recommended that she undergoes her surgery as soon as possible. Susan first noted a lump in July so she visited a facility in Nairobi and was treated with pain medication and an ointment. She felt better, but the pain recurred after two months. Due to the pain, she went to a government clinic and was advised to visit a higher-level facility. She opted to visit our medical partner's care center Kijabe Hospital after a recommendation by a neighbor. However, Susan is not in a financial position to pay for the surgery and is appealing for financial assistance. Susan has been diagnosed with breast cancer. Without treatment, the cancer may spread to other organs. A mastectomy, a surgery to remove breast tissue, has been suggested to rid her body of breast cancer and to prevent the cancer from metastasizing. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1110 to cover the cost of a mastectomy for Susan. The procedure is scheduled to take place on December 6th. After treatment, Susan will hopefully return to a cancer-free life. Susan says, "My family and my kids are my motivation. This lump is just increasing in size and pain. I hope I get the treatment I need.”

Moe lives with his two uncles, one aunt, two nephews and a niece in a village in Mont State in Burma. Moe's two uncles are retired, his niece looks after his youngest nephew who is a baby, and he had to stop working two years ago after he had a stroke. His aunt and his older nephew are shop vendors, earning 150,000 kyat (approx. 150 USD) together in a month. In his free time, Moe likes to read magazines. Two months ago, Moe noticed that he had a blister on his right big toe. Three days after he first noticed the blister, it ruptured. Over time, the area around the blister turned red and swollen, before developing pus and becoming itchy. He went to Mawlamyine Christian Leprosy Hospital (MCLH) after a nurse at the village clinic advised him to go there to get help. At MCLH, the doctor examined his toe and performed surgery to clean and remove necrotic tissue. Moe returned to that hospital several times, however, his toe never healed. He has diabetes and it is especially difficult for his body to heal from an injury like this. His doctor at MCLH has now determined that he needs to have his toe amputated. By this point, Moe has run out of money and can no longer pay for his treatment. Moe cannot walk long distances and he cannot sleep well due to pain that worsens at night. He hopes that with this treatment, he can finally feel well again. "I don't have any money to pay for my surgery and I feel sad about this. I worry about my toe getting worse and I feel sorry that my aunt [and nephew] have to work hard to support our family. But I feel so happy to receive support from you," said Moe.

Yasir is a two-year-old baby boy and the only child in his family. His mother is a homemaker and his father works as a taxi driver to earn money for their family. They have been having a hard time financially and haven't been able to take Yasir to any hospital for treatment before now. As a result, they usually use pain-relieving medication from the pharmacy to help him feel better. Yasir has now been diagnosed with a bilateral genu varus. His legs bow outward so that they do not 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 hard time walking and playing. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $880 to fund corrective surgery for Yasir. The procedure is scheduled to take place on October 7th and will help restore Yasir's mobility. In addition, it will allow him to participate in a variety of activities and greatly decrease his risk of future complications. Yasir’s mother says, “We are struggling financially that’s why we have not been able to seek treatment for our son. Please help us so that he can have his legs corrected because he is having difficulty walking.”

Hai lives in Kandal province in southern Cambodia. He is married and has a son who is one year old. Hai's wife was a factory worker, but she stopped when their child was born. Hai enjoys playing football and listening to music in his free time. Hai was involved in a motor accident in October 2020 and experienced trauma to his back and lower limbs. After the accident, Hai went to a government hospital where he received X-rays and medications and was then sent home. Hai still feels poorly, continues to feel pain in his back, and has difficulty walking. He remains in a wheelchair and cannot work. Surgeons plan to use posterior instrumentation to stabilize his spine. A posterior instrumented fusion involves the placement of screws and rods in the spine. This procedure will provide realignment and stabilization of the spine allowing fusion to occur. Hai is seeking $1,500 to fund his surgery, as he is unable to pay for this treatment on his own. Hai shared, "I hope that I will walk again and can get my job back to support my family."

Samson is a 26-year-old minibus conductor. He shared with us that he was orphaned in 2008 and currently lives with a relative in a rented two room house. He has relied on his older sister to help with his medical bills, but unfortunately, his sister lost her job due to the pandemic. Two months ago, Samson was struck by a motorcycle on his way home. He fractured his left tibia and was seen at a hospital in Nairobi where his leg was casted. However, after removing the cast, re-examining his leg and doing an x-ray, surgery was recommended as he had not healed. Samson currently moves around with crutches due to difficulty walking and he continues to experience leg pain. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), can help. On August 10th, Samson will undergo a fracture repair procedure called an open reduction and internal fixation. The surgery will help his fractures fully heal and allow him to walk comfortably again. Now, AMH is requesting $1,500 to fund this procedure. Samson shared, "I am struggling to walk and my leg is so painful. I cannot work in this condition and unless I get the treatment I'm worried I might end up crippled.”

David is a nine-year-old boy who lives with his three sisters and one brother. His mother sells Khmer noodles at the market and his father works in construction. He shared that math and physics are his best subjects in school. When not in school, David enjoys playing with toys, playing football, watching TV, and reading books. Recently, David fell down the stairs and injured his left hip. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), diagnosed him with avascular necrosis at the hip, which means loss of blood supply to the bone. This condition causes David to have difficulty and pain when walking. Luckily, surgeons with perform a left hip bone osteotomy to relieve his pain and help prevent further damage. CSC is requesting $425 to fund this procedure. When asked about what the surgery means to him, David shared with us that he hopes to walk easily again and without pain.

Ku is a seven-year-old boy who lives with his parents and two younger sisters in a refugee camp in Northern Thailand. Ku's mother weaves shirts that she sells, and Ku's father helps weave, too. Ku is a primary school student, while one of his sisters is in nursing school, and his youngest sister is too young to go to school. On June 6th, Ku and two of his friends were playing in a tamarind tree when they all fell out of the tree. Ku injured his left arm in the fall and his father carried him to the camp hospital for an exam. The medic there told Ku's father that his elbow might be broken. After they bandaged his arm, Ku visited another hospital for an x-ray and was diagnosed with a left elbow fracture. Ku is in pain and cannot bend his arm or lift anything. With the help of our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF), Ku will undergo surgery to reset his fractured bones and ensure proper healing. The procedure is scheduled for June 9th and will cost $1,500. After surgery, Ku will no longer be in pain and he will be able to go back to school. He will regain full mobility in his arm. Ku's father shared, "Ku is an active boy who loves school and reading a lot. He always says that he wants to become a health worker to look after his family and others when he grows up. I want him to recover and go back to school soon."

Faith is a 41-year-old woman from Kenya and the mother of two children, ages 22 and 15. She used to work as a second-hand shoe seller, but unfortunately, for the last year and a half she has not been working due to her condition. Faith and her children live with her mother who is a farmer. Several weeks ago, Faith had spinal surgery. During one of her follow-up check-ups, doctors noticed that she has purulent drainage from the wound and recommended an urgent surgical revision of her thoracolumbar spinal fusion. She is currently unable to sit upright. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), can help. On June 4th, surgeons from AMH will perform revision spinal surgery. Now, Faith needs help raising $1,500 to fund the procedure. Faith shared, “I am unable to walk without support. Most of the time I lay asleep on my back. I cannot take care of my kids who depend on me. I need this surgery to have my life get back to normal, especially walking again.”

Brandon is a one-week-old baby and has one older sibling. Brandon's parents are small scale farmers of maize and vegetables, and his father also has a motorbike that he uses to carry passengers to make a living to be able to support his family. Brandon was born with spina bifida, a type of neural tube defect in which the spine does not properly close around the spinal cord. Without treatment, Brandon is at risk of lower-limb paralysis, infection of the exposed nervous tissue, development of tethered cord syndrome, and possible developmental delays. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,015 to cover the cost of Brandon's spina bifida closure surgery. The procedure is scheduled to take place on May 10th. This procedure will hopefully spare Brandon from the risks associated with his condition, instead allowing him to grow and develop along a healthy trajectory. Brandon’s mother says, "Please help treat our baby, we don’t have anywhere to ask for help and we cannot afford the cost."

Sarah is a 73-year-old woman who is currently living with one of her four children. She used to run a green grocery shop that she closed down almost a year ago. She doesn’t have a source of income now and relies on her children for survival. Although they are supportive, she shared that all of her children don’t have stable jobs and income. In February, Sarah was diagnosed with breast cancer. Without treatment, the cancer may spread to other organs. A mastectomy, which is a surgery to remove breast tissue, has been recommended to rid her body of breast cancer and to prevent the cancer from metastasizing. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $857 to cover the cost of a mastectomy for Sarah. The procedure is scheduled to take place on April 9th. After treatment, Sarah will hopefully be cancer free. Sarah shared, “my happiness is gone, I feel sad and demoralized. I have no reason to smile or to be jovial since I will be losing one of my breasts. I know this surgery is important but sadly I cannot afford the entire cost. I hope to get the surgery and be fine again.”