Marko is a young boy from Tanzania. He lives in an extended family of twelve people. Marko’s father is a security guard, and his mother is a stay-at-home mother. Marko has clubfoot of his right foot. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. This causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Fortunately, Marko traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, AIC Cure International Hospital. There, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on February 14. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $890 to fund Marko's clubfoot repair. After treatment, he will be able to walk without difficulty. Marko’s mother says, “I would really like to see Marko get treated and attend school and reach up to university level."

Jefferson is a mechanic and a father of one son. His wife is a hair stylist. They live together in their ancestral land. In June 2017, Jefferson noticed a swelling growing under his skull. A CT scan shows that he has a meningioma, which causes him painful migraines. He also experiences numbness in his right hand, and he has not been able to work as much as he could previously. In October 2017, he was referred to our medical partner's care center. There, he will undergo a craniotomy on January 15. He now needs help to raise $1,495 to pay for this procedure. Jefferson says, “I wish to be treated and resume my normal duties. I don’t want complications that accompany this condition’s prognosis."

“I am not scared to get surgery,” Nandar shares. “I believe that it will help me, and that my body will heal fast.” Nandar is a 16-year-old girl who lives in Thailand with her mother. Currently, Nandar works in a textile factory. But Nandar says that she likes to read books and even writes her own stories. She dreams of writing a book someday or becoming a teacher. Earlier this year, Nandar began to experience multiple nose bleeds and heart palpitations. Concerned, her mother took her to the hospital. There, an echocardiogram revealed that Nandar has a condition known as patent ductus arteriosus (PDA). This means that her arteries are not properly moving blood from her lungs to the rest of her body. Because Nandar tires so easily now, she has not been able to work as much as she would like to, which has put financial strain on her and her mother. If left untreated, PDA could also cause Nandar lung damage. Nandar has no choice but to undergo surgery if she hopes to avoid this outcome. However, she and her mother cannot afford the $1,500 needed to pay for her operation on December 11, as well as the associated lab tests and hospital stay. With your help, Nandar can receive her surgery and once more have a functioning heart and lungs. With her health intact, Nandar will be able to pursue the writing and teaching career she dreams of.

William is a student from Kenya. He is 15 years old and the youngest in his family. William’s mother is a single parent who works as a farmer. William has clubfoot of his right foot. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. This causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. William crawls to move around. Fortunately, William traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, AIC Cure International Hospital. There, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on November 13. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,224 to fund William's clubfoot repair. After treatment, William will be able to walk and move around more easily. “I will appreciate if you help my son undergo surgery,” William’s mother says.

Faith is a 17-year-old student from Kenya who is in the midst of studying for her exams. Her mother works as a general worker in a shoe company, and her father is a subsistence farmer. Faith loves to read and play football. In March 2017, Faith was in an automobile accident. She was riding a motorcycle with three schoolmates when they were hit by a passenger vehicle. She fractured her right femur. She received treatment, but the initial treatment failed and needs to be revised. If not treated, an infection could develop that could result in amputation. Faith's treatment will involve ORIF (open reduction internal fixation), where a screw is used to hold broken bones together. She is scheduled to be treated on October 16. Now, her family needs help raising $1,451 to pay for treatment. Faith says, “I want to be well and lead a normal life. I want to study and pass my examinations."

Ezra is a calm, two-year-old boy from Kenya. He is the third child and the youngest in his family. When Ezra was born, he was diagnosed with clubfoot, a condition in which the feet bend inward, making it so that he is unable to stand on the soles of his feet. Over time, his condition has gotten worse, making it increasingly difficult and painful to stand and walk. Seeking treatment through our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, Ezra is scheduled to undergo surgery to correct his clubfoot on July 10. His father is requesting $1,224 to cover the total cost of his procedure and care. "I cannot afford to pay for my son's treatment since I am the only breadwinner in the family and also I have unsettled bills for my wife in the hospital,” says Ezra's father.

Lout is a 54-year-old farmer from Cambodia. He is married, with two daughters and four sons. In his free time, Lout enjoys feeding his cows and listening to the news on the radio. In February, Lout was in a motor vehicle accident, fracturing his left thigh bone. He went to a clinic, where surgeons performed a procedure to insert hardware and realign the bone. However, the initial procedure has not proved successful. Lout's fractured femur has failed to heal properly. He is unable to walk without support and experiences pain. Lout and one of his sons traveled for four hours to reach our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), for treatment. On May 9, surgeons will redo Lout's leg surgery. They will remove the original hardware and insert new hardware to heal his fracture and relieve him of pain. Once he has recovered, Lout will be able to work again.

Halison is 70 years of age. He works as a farmer and lives with his wife. Together, they have nine children and seven grandchildren. Since February this year, Halison has been having trouble passing urine. Doctors at Nkhoma Hospital (a care center affiliated with our medical partner, World Altering Medicine) have diagnosed Halison with benign prostatic hyperplasia. On April 20, Halison will undergo surgery to treat his enlarged prostate gland and restore his urinary function. Halison needs our help to pay for his $733 medical bill. This will cover his surgery, hospital stay, and follow-up care. Halison is looking forward to having his operation and going back to his wife and farm.

Thin is a 71-year-old grandmother with 15 grandchildren. She enjoys listening to the monks pray, participating in religious ceremonies, and caring for her grandchildren. Two years ago, Thin developed a cataract in each eye, which lead to blurry vision, tearing, and photophobia (extreme sensitivity to light). It is difficult for Thin to recognize faces, do any type of work, and go anywhere on her own. Thin traveled four hours to reach our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), for treatment. On May 24, Thin will receive surgery to replace the lenses in her eyes with artificial ones. CSC is requesting $292 to help fund the surgery. After this procedure, Thin will see clearly again and be able to enjoy her favorite activities once more.

Min is a 40-year-old father from Nepal. He lives with his wife and four children. One year ago, he began experiencing pain on his left groin and abdomen. Since then, it has been difficult for him to walk. He and his wife took a three-hour journey to come to our medical partner's care center, Bayalpata Hospital. The doctors there will perform a hernia surgery on April 10. Min works in India to support the family, and his wife works in the field and looks after the children. They cannot afford the cost of surgery. Our medical partner, Possible, is requesting $451 to fund this surgery. Min says, "I wish my treatment is successful."

William is an 88-year-old father of two from Uganda. He is a farmer who grows bananas, sweet potatoes, and beans. During his free time, William enjoys listening to news on the radio, telling stories to his grandchildren, and going to church. William has an enlarged prostate gland, which has caused urinary dysfunction. He visited our medical partner’s hospital, Bwindi Community Hospital, where doctors advised him to have his prostate removed. He is scheduled to undergo a prostatectomy surgery on February 4. William has subsidized his payment by $8. Our medical partner, The Kellermann Foundation, is requesting an additional $314 to fund this surgery. After his recovery, William hopes to go church to give thanks for his treatment. “I would like to thank the donors for minding and caring about my health. I pray for blessings to be upon them,” says William.

Alvin is an eight-month-old boy from Kenya. His father is in college, and his mother is a stay-at-home mom. They live with Alvin's grandparents, who are the family breadwinners. Recently, Alvin and his family visited our medical partner's care center, BethanyKids Kijabe Hospital. There, a doctor discovered that Alvin has hypospadias, an abnormal condition in a sensitive area. The doctor recommended that he undergo hypospadias repair. “My prayer is that Alvin gets treated and leads a normal life," his mother says. "I was afraid that this would stigmatize him if he goes untreated.” Alvin is scheduled to undergo corrective surgery on March 10. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $700 to fund the operation.