This is Ngae, a 58-year-old widow from Burma who has three daughters and two sons. Ngae sells a variety of vegetables to support her family, making about $2-4 a day. With a daughter married and living in Bangkok, Ngae works hard to put her young son through school and manage the rest of the family as well. Starting in November of 2015, Ngae’s health began to limit her ability to carry vegetables in a basket and sell her goods by the roadside. Our medical partner, Burma Border Projects (BBP) shares that at one point while selling corn, she suffered an unexpected uterine prolapse. For quite some time, Ngae has been ignoring her prolapsed uterus due to an inability to pay for, or access, treatment. But now, she is experiencing back pain, lower abdominal pain, and frequent urination. With $1,500, Ngae will receive the surgical treatment she requires, which may include a hysterectomy (removal of the uterus) or repairs to prevent her uterus from falling out. Surgery will better illuminate a solution to her health condition through examination of the pelvic or apical reattachment ligament points. Pelvic examinations, blood work, and post-surgery respite are all included. BBP expects that Ngae will be able to return to her normal routine. Ngae says, “I want to have the surgery as soon as possible and I hope that my surgery will be successful. I want to return to selling vegetables on the roadside.”

Meet Favian, a six-year-old young boy from a small village in Panama. “Favian was born with a small tube connecting his tear ducts to the outside of his nose, so tears or pus leak out of his skin onto his face all day,” explains our medical partner, Floating Doctors. “Sometimes the tube gets infected and blocked up, giving him conjunctivitis.” “Favian is a very quiet and introverted little boy and usually stays right next to his dad,” shares Floating Doctors. “Favian loves to color and can work for hours with a pack of crayons and coloring book.” Medical care in the remote indigenous village Favian lives in can be difficult to access. "The villagers are subsistence farmers with very little income, and everyone in the community lives well below the poverty line. A one-way journey to the nearest small clinic is about 5 hours walking in good weather, with three river crossings," explains Floating Doctors. $1,070 will fund Favian’s nasal fistula repair which will cure the fistula and prevent further infections. Favian will be able to see without discomfort and pain. Let's help make it happen!

“Leidy is a generally happy child,” shares our medical partner, Wuqu’ Kawoq (WK). They add that the one-year-old girl from Guatemala, “loves to play in her backyard with a tiny stuffed teddy bear her aunt gave her a couple months ago.” Leidy’s parents work hard to support her. Her mother weaves blouses and her father, “spends most of his days out on the fields trying to make enough money to support the small family.” WK explains, “when we met Leidy it was obvious she [has] malnutrition. Her height and weight are extremely low for her age.” Leidy also has common side-effects caused by malnutrition, such as diarrhea. If untreated, Leidy is at risk of long-term health complications. “Leidy’s immune system will continue to weaken and she will be at risk for other illnesses and infections,” WK says. With $535, Leidy will enter a 90-day micronutrient program to gradually improve her diet over time. She will also receive medication to protect her against infection and her parents will also receive an intensive education on healthy eating. By responding to her condition early in life, Leidy will not face the “future devastating effects of malnutrition, and will [be given] the chance to live a healthy productive life,” WK comments. Leidy’s mother adds, “thank you for the support you want to provide. Leidy is going to grow, and grow healthily. This is all I want.”

“Khaing is a 45-year-old woman who was referred from a clinic in Burma to our treatment centre,” shares our medical partner, Burma Border Projects (BBP). “She has two daughters and one son who are all married and live with their own families. Her husband works as an unloading worker.” BBP tells us that Khaing began noticing abdominal problems two years ago. “She felt a mass in her abdomen when she touched it,” explains BBP. “She first went to the hospital in late 2013 to have her abdomen checked. The doctor performed an ultrasound and said she had a mass in her uterus.” That doctor recommended she travel to another hospital for treatment, but Khaing could not afford it. As it has gone untreated, the mass has been getting larger and Khaing is experiencing more pain. Doctors are now recommending surgery. Khaing had to stop working because of her condition, and her husband now only makes minimal income to support them both. It is not enough to cover the costs of treatment. With our support of $1500, Khaing will receive a hysterectomy to remove the mass. She will spend one to two days recovering at the hospital followed by four to six weeks recovering at home. Doctors anticipate that after the surgery, Khaing won’t experience any more pain. She will be able to get back to her family at home. Khaing is ambitious, and is eager to get back to work. “I want to build my own small shop at home and sell some snacks to generate income to be able to help my husband,” she shares with us.

Yogadsony is a 15-month-old baby boy from Tanzania. Our medical partner, 
African Mission Healthcare Foundation
 (AMHF) says, “Yogadsony likes to play with cars and balls and is the only child to his mother who is a single parent.” Yogadsony has clubfoot which causes his feet to turn inward and his arches to be very high. AMHF says, “Yogadsony has delayed to walk, and when he does start to walk, he will use the lateral aspect of his feet for walking, which will affect his gait.” If left untreated, clubfoot can lead to wounds and skeletal problems like arthritis. AMHF reports, “Yogadsony started clubfoot treatment when he was two days old but when it reached a point where a small surgery was needed, his mother couldn’t afford the cost. So Yogadsony was given foot abduction braces which he only wore for a month.” Yogadsony's feet relapsed and his mother is unable to cover the cost of another treatment. Yogadsony needs surgery to realign his foot and ankle joint. This procedure costs $1,160 and will pay for realignment, casting, and rehabilitation in the hospital to ensure a healthy recovery for Yogadsony. Yogadsony’s mother says, “All I wish is my baby to have straight feet so that he can walk properly when he grows up, walk to school, and just be independent.”

Meet Teshom, a happy eight-year-old boy from Ethiopia. He is a second grade student who loves to read and dreams of becoming a pilot when he grows up. Due to extreme scoliosis, Teshom cannot stand up straight while walking, experiences chronic back pain and has difficulty breathing. He is unable to sleep while laying on his back and has difficulty performing daily tasks. With surgery, Teshom is expected to make a full recovery. The insertion of a growing rod into his spine will allow for natural growth and will prevent any future curvature of the spine. Although he will not be able to return to contact sports , the surgery will prevent further discomfort and significantly increase his quality of life. Let's work together to help Teshom!