Aung is a 19-year-old man from Burma. He lives with his aunt and uncle who are both shopkeepers. Last year, while Aung was working on a car’s engine, a piece of the car hit him in his left eye, causing a serious eye injury. Aung began to experience immense pain in his left eye and was unable to see. Aung was diagnosed with retinal detachment, a condition in which the retina pulls away from the supportive tissue in the eye, resulting in vision loss. If left untreated, he could lose his vision completely. Aung is scheduled to undergo surgery to reattach his retina on April 1st. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of his procedure and care. After surgery, Aung's vision will hopefully be restored and he will be able to resume his daily activities comfortably. Aung said, "Once I recover, I am determined to work as a truck driver. When I have enough money, I will start running an automobile accessories shop. This organization and donors have given me the chance to fulfill my dreams."

Mourine is a 9-year-old bright, social and friendly girl from Kenya. She is the firstborn of a family of two and hails from Merigi village in Bomet county. Her mother told us that she is very active while at school and at home, helping do household chores, including tending to a kitchen garden as part of her work. Mourine is passionate about studying and she told us that she aspires to become a neurosurgeon in the future! Mourine was first seen in August 2023 at our medical partner's care center (AIC Cure International Hospital) mobile clinic and scheduled to undergo serial casting. She comes from a humble background where her mother is a homemaker while her father is a farmer. Mourine has clubfoot of both feet. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. This causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. This condition was not noticeable at a young age and her mother came to notice it when she was 4 years old. Mourine was taken to a hospital and the family were told that her foot needed to be corrected. They stayed home for quite sometime until they heard about AIC Cure mobile clinic and upon review, she was scheduled to undergo treatment. Currently Mourine walks with discomfort, is not flexible, and has pain when walking for a long distance. Fortunately, Mourine's family traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, AIC Cure International Hospital. There, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on January 30th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,286 to fund Mourine's clubfoot repair. After treatment, she will be able to walk comfortably like other children, she will be able to play with her peers since there will be no pain and she will continue with her education without any challenge. She has a bright future ahead. Mourine said: "I'm looking forward to healing and walking comfortably to avoid people always asking me what is wrong with my foot."

Jeremy is a seven-year-old playful boy from Kenya. He is the second and the last born in the family and a hard working grade 1 student; his mother shared that despite his challenges he likes riding bikes and playing football. The family hails from a semi-urban area in the capital city. His mother is a housewife, caring for the home and family, while his father works as a laborer in the infrastructure department of their county. Jeremy has clubfoot of both feet. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape because the tissues connecting the muscles to the bone (tendons) are shorter than usual. Jeremy was examined at our medical partner's care center, AIC Cure International Hospital. The doctors determined that Jeremy could be helped, hopefully enabling Jeremy to eventually walk like other children he knows. The surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on October 18th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,286 to fund Jeremy's bilateral clubfoot repair. After treatment, he will be able to walk much more easily and live a higher quality life free from disability. Jeremy's mother said, “I will be happy to see my son walking like other children.”

Danica is a young woman from Haiti. She lives with her older sister and her sister's family in a neighborhood of Port-au-Prince. Danica is trained in tailoring and fashion design but is currently unable to work due to her heart ailment. Danica has a cardiac condition called Tetralogy of Fallot. This condition involves several related issues, including a hole between the two lower chambers of the heart and a muscular blockage of one of the valves. As a result, blood cannot circulate adequately through Danica's lungs, leaving her deprived of oxygen and short of breath. Danica will fly to the United States to receive treatment. On November 1st, she will undergo cardiac surgery, during which doctors will close the hole in her heart with a patch and remove the blockage from her valve. Another organization, the Baylor Scott and White Heart Hospital, is contributing $26,000 to pay for the surgery. Danica's family also needs help to fund the $1,500 surgery prep costs. This cost covers all labs, medication, check-up and follow-up appointments, and the passport needed for Danica and the social workers from our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, who will accompany Danica's family overseas. Danica said, "I am looking forward to having more energy and feeling more healthy after my surgery!"

Eh is a 58-year-old father of two from Burma. Eh became unemployed following a motorbike accident that left his leg weakened. He now relies on his wife, who sells betel nuts and noodles for support. During his free time, Eh enjoys weaving bamboo baskets. Eh has been diagnosed with multiple large gallstones. He has enduring intense right-sided abdominal pain, accompanied by back pain and a diminished appetite. Due to the pain, he also faces trouble sleeping at night. Eh has been advised to undergo a cholecystectomy, the surgical removal of the gallbladder. If left untreated, Eh's symptoms will continue to worsen and put him at risk for further health complications in the future. After seeking treatment through our medical partner Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF), Eh is scheduled to undergo his cholecystectomy on September 4th. BCMF is requesting $1,500 to cover the cost of Eh's procedure and care. Eh said, "I stopped working for a year, and I have no income, so I am stressed about my treatment. However, when I learned that BCMF would help me access treatment, I felt very happy. I want to express my gratitude and say thank you to the donors and BCMF for supporting my treatment."

Anne is a toddler from Haiti. She lives with her parents in Port-au-Prince; her father is a civil servant and her mother is a homemaker. She is their first child. Anne was born with a congenital heart defect called ventricular septal defect. A hole exists between the two lower chambers of her heart; blood leaks through this hole without passing through her lungs to obtain oxygen, leaving her weak and short of breath. Because the surgery that she needs is not available in Haiti, Anne will fly to Dominican Republic to receive treatment. On September 13th, she will undergo cardiac surgery, during which surgeons will sew a patch over the hole so that blood can no longer leak through it. Haiti Cardiac Alliance is contributing $8,000 to help pay for the surgery. Anne's family needs help to fund related expenses for her care. The $1,500 will help cover the expenses of labs, medicines, and checkup and follow-up appointments. It will also go toward the expenses of obtaining passports and the cost of social workers from our medical partner who will accompany Anne's family overseas. Anne's mother said: "My husband and I have been very afraid for Anne's life since we got this diagnosis. We are very hopeful that we can stop worrying after her surgery!"

Yi is a 52-year-old mother who lives with her husband, two sons and a daughter in a conflict area called Rakhine State. Her husband, daughter and younger son are unemployed while she is a homemaker. Her older son works as a taxi driver but does not always have work. They are financially supported by Yi's third son, who is also a taxi driver and lives separately. In her free time, she like to meditate and read Facebook posts relating to health. Yi first felt unwell in 2010 when she experienced severe joint pain. Later on, she also developed difficulty breathing and heart palpitations. She was diagnosed with a heart condition requiring surgery, but she could not afford to pay for it. Over the years, she tried to manage her symptoms through medication, but they would only help her feel better temporarily. Currently, Yi tires easily and does not have energy to do anything. She cannot walk long distances, and she cannot walk downstairs. If she does, she experiences chest pain and difficulty breathing. When she talks a lot, she feels tired. She has no appetite and cannot breathe well. She also has chest pain and cannot sleep at night. In May, she went to Pun Hlaing Hospital in Yangon, where the doctor diagnosed her with mitral valve stenosis and tricuspid valve regurgitation. She now needs to undergo surgery to have two valves in her heart replaced. Yi is scheduled to have this surgery on July 20th with our medical partner Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF). They are requesting $1,500 to fund her procedure. Her son said, “Thank you so much to the donors and the organization [BCMF] for helping with the cost of my mom’s surgery. I worry about my mom and want her to get surgery as soon as possible.”

Ustine is a business lady and a mother of three children who are all currently studying. Ustine completed her senior four education but could not pursue further studies due to a lack of school fees. She operates a small business in town, but her earnings are limited due to the low capital investment. Her husband works as a teacher, and they live in a two-room rental house in Farmers Rukungiri town. During her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family. She is currently expecting a baby and her doctors recommend that she deliver via a caesarean section because of her high-risk pregnancy. This way, doctors can ensure the safety of both mother and child. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is helping Ustine undergo a C-Section on July 4th. This procedure will cost $252, and Ustine needs your support. Ustine says, “I really hope for successful delivery once am given your support to undergo this surgery I need."

Kiberian is a 3-year-old boy from Kajiado County who needs surgery to help him walk well. He comes from a large pastoralist family with many siblings. His father is a farmer/herder, while his mother takes care of their family and home. Kiberian was born with a deformity in his legs that has greatly affected his mobility. His knees bend inward, while his ankles remain apart. He cannot walk long distances and often falls while walking. Kiberian's father took him to a satellite clinic for treatment and the doctors recommend procedures that will reposition the femur and tibia of each leg into alignment. Our medical partner African Mission Healthcare (AMH) is requesting $1,224 to cover the cost of the surgery, scheduled for June 20th. This treatment will be impactful to Kiberian because he will be able to walk well, play with other children, and continue with his education. Kiberian’s father shared, “The joy of a father is to see his children growing well without any challenge or deformity and I would love to see my boy walking well.”

Paola is a brilliant little star from Colombia. She was born in Putumayo a region in the south of Colombia, and lives with her mother, brother and grandparents. Her brother is 10 years old and they love painting and drawing together. She is really good at school, and loves math. Paola has clubfoot of both feet. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. This causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Fortunately, Paola's family traveled to visit our Medical Partner Clínica Noel. There, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on May 22nd. Our medical partner, Clínica Noel, is requesting $1,500 to fund Paola's bilateral clubfoot repair. After treatment, she will be able to walk without pain and continue studying without further complications. Her mother said: "I hope you can help my little girl, I struggle a lot seeing her suffering and not being able to help her or stop her pain."