A 10-month-old baby from Haiti, Kerby lives with his parents, two older sisters, and older brother. His father works as a retailer for a cell phone company and his mother stays home to take care of Kerby and his siblings. Kerby was born with a ventricular septal defect, reports our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance (HCA). A ventricular septal defect is a congenital heart defect where a a hole exists between the two lower chambers of the heart. Blood then leaks through this hole without first passing through the lungs to obtain oxygen. This can leave patients very weak, although even with this condition Kerby is still a very bustling baby who loves to explore. "He is a very active baby despite his heart condition, and he is very curious about the world around him," HCA adds. $1,500 will cover the cost of an operation to repair Kerby's heart. The operation is also subsidized with $5,000 from the International Children's Heart Foundation. In this procedure, doctors will use a mesh patch to close the hole between his ventricles so that heart tissue can grow around the mesh and permanently seal the hole. The procedure will allow Kerby to lead a normal life without any future cardiac complications. "We would like to thank everyone who is helping Kerby," his mother says. "We will never forget what you have done for our family."

Meet Harka, a 35-year-old man from Nepal. Harka lives with his father, his wife, and his three children. He always tries his best to bring food to his family's dining table through farming and daily labor jobs. “Harka has a pain in his right leg,” our medical partner, Possible, tells us. “There is a swelling in his scrotum which makes it very uncomfortable to work." Harka has an inguinal hernia, and has soft tissues bulging through a weak point around his abdomen. He has difficulty with daily chores such as changing clothes, sleeping, walking, and sitting down to eat. “He has been suffering from this illness for the last six years, and because of financial difficulties, he has not been able to receive treatment,” Possible tells us. “The financial condition of his family is very delicate,” Harka’s nephew explains. “The family relies heavily on Harka’s labor job because they are not able to produce enough from their small piece of land." For $491, we can provide a hernia repair for Harka so he will be able to walk, sit, sleep, and perform other daily chores without any pain and discomfort. He will also be able to add extra work hours to help support his family.

“Pala dreams of remaining a monk for the rest of his life and hopes that with experience and lots of hard work, he can eventually become a teacher one day,” says our medical partner, Burma Border Projects (BBP). Meet Pala, a 23-year-old man from Burma who has Rheumatic heart disease. “Pala experiences joint pain, swelling and fatigue. He also suffers from bouts of fever and cannot walk long distances. His health problems forced him to drop out of school at the age of 15,” reports BBP. Pala’s love of learning, though, led him to continue his education at a monastery. Pala’s uncle, a construction worker, financially supports him and his mother. “Pala’s mother is unable to work due to suffering a stroke several years back. His uncle doesn’t earn much money, about $3 a day, so the family is not able to pay for Pala’s heart surgery on his uncle’s income,” continues BBP. For $1500, we can provide cardiac surgery to Pala. BBP concludes, “Treatment will allow Pala to live a more fulfilled life without pain. He can expect to have more energy, allowing him to focus on his religious duties. Pala will not have to visit the doctor so frequently so the family can save money for the future.” Let’s help Pala follow his dream of becoming a teacher!