Risham is a three-year-old boy from Uttar Pradesh, India. He lives with his mother and older brother. His father passed away last year, and his mother, a homemaker, has cared for the family on her own since then. Risham is described as a playful little boy who loves to have fun. When Risham was just one year old, he accidentally put his hand in hot milk, suffering severe burns. As the burns healed, the scarring caused his right index, middle, ring, and little fingers to contract, limiting the use of his hand. He wants to continue school and write, but because of the contracture, he currently uses his left hand. Risham's mother learned about our medical partner, G.S. Memorial Plastic Surgery Hospital and Trauma Center, and sought treatment. On September 10th, specialty surgeons will perform a burn contracture release surgery to help him regain mobility and function in his right hand. Now, he needs help to fund this $1,442 procedure. Risham's mother shared, "I feel hopeful, and it would be good if he gets the treatment; he can start writing again."

Sovannareach is a six-year-old first-grade student from Prey Veng Province in Cambodia. He lives with his grandmother, who is a rice farmer, while his mother works as a factory worker to support him. His parents divorced five years ago, and he has remained close to his family. Sovannareach enjoys reading and writing Khmer, and he hopes to become a doctor when he grows up. In his free time, he likes playing football with his friends in the village. His favorite meals are lemongrass sour soup and eggs. Sovannareach was born with scoliosis, a condition in which the spine curves abnormally to one side, often resembling a “C” or “S” shape. As he has grown, his spinal curve has gradually worsened, bending toward the right side. The condition causes him pain and makes it difficult for him to sit comfortably for long periods. As a result, he sometimes struggles to concentrate in class and worries about being teased by his classmates because of his appearance. He also has difficulty walking, which affects his daily activities. In the past, Sovannareach had never received hospital treatment because his family could not afford it. However, a relative told his family about our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC). They traveled approximately four hours to CSC for a consultation and to seek specialized care. On August 11th, surgeons at CSC plan to implant a metal “growing rod” into his spine to help control the curvature while allowing his spine to continue growing. CSC is requesting $1,500 to cover the costs of his surgery, the implant, and post-operative care, including physiotherapy. Sovannareach's grandmother said, “I hope this treatment will help control my grandson’s spinal curvature as he grows and keep his spine stable. I want him to continue walking, playing, going to school, and enjoying his childhood without his condition limiting his daily life.”

Grace, who is 39 years old, is a small-scale businesswoman from Malawi. Grace is married with two children, and sells traditional drinks to earn income. After the birth of her second child in 2017, Grace's friend noticed a swelling on Grace's neck. Grace was completely asymptomatic until 2025, when she began to experience neck heaviness, frequent coughing, a hoarse voice and overwhelming fatigue. She was diagnosed with a goiter, and doctors advised that she would need to undergo a thyroidectomy. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is helping Grace receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on June 8th, at Partners in Hope Medical Center, during which surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. This procedure will cost $1,015, and Grace and her family need your help raising the money. Grace believes that the thyroidectomy will help her to get better, and enable her to concentrate on her business and family support. She said: "I have 100% hope that surgery will restore my health and make me well again to continue supporting my family."

Emmanuel is a 45-year-old hardworking father from Philippines. He previously worked as driver to support his family, but is currently unemployed, which is challenging while raising two school-going children. His wife is also unemployed, and with no steady income, the family often skip meals and mainly depend on partial repayments of debts from relatives, and occasionally borrow money from the children's uncle. Six years ago, Emmanuel began to experience troubling symptoms, including intense chest pains that radiate to his back, which prevented him from sitting or lying down. He made repeated attempts to seek treatment in public hospitals, but these were unsuccessful due to overcrowding. Emmanuel is growing increasingly worried about not being able to provide for his family, yet he remains hopeful that the surgery could alleviate his painful symptoms and reduce the financial strain on his family. Emmanuel has been diagnosed with cholelithiasis, which are hardened pieces of bile that form in the gallbladder. Doctors have advised him to undergo a cholecystectomy, which the surgical removal of the gallbladder. If left untreated, his symptoms will continue to worsen and put him at a risk of future health complications. Emmanuel is scheduled to undergo a cholecystectomy on April 11th, through our partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines (WSFP). A portion of the cost of the procedure is being supported by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and WSFP is raising the remaining $1,031 to cover the cost of Emmanuel's surgery and care. Emmanuel says: "Despite our current struggles, I remain optimistic about our future. Once I receive treatment for my condition, I'll return to work so I can provide for my family again. My wife and children keep me strong."

Hnin is a 65-year-old woman who lives with her two daughters and two granddaughters in Mae Sot District, Tak Province, Thailand. The family is originally from Bago Division in Burma. Hnin is retired, while one of her daughters works in a garment factory, and the other is a homemaker; her granddaughters are both students. The family income is not always enough to cover the cost of their daily expenses, so they sometimes need to borrow money from their neighbors, or the working daughter takes an advance on her paycheck from the factory where she works. The family lives with another couple that helps in paying rent, but they do not share any other resources. Due to Hnin’s health condition, they have had to borrow money for treatment and transportation costs. In 2010, Hnin was in a motorbike accident where she injured both knees. She went to a local clinic, but they did not perform an x-ray or examination, they only gave her medication for the pain. After the accident, Hnin’s knees would occasionally cause her pain, which she would treat with pain medication and traditional Burmese medicine. In January 2023, Hnin’s knee pain became worse, and her knees swelled, so she went to Mae Tao Clinic (MTC) in Mae Sot where she was given pain medication, and referred to physiotherapy. However, the physiotherapy and follow-up appointments at MTC did not help much. The pain in her knees was worsening, so she stopped going but continued treating the pain with medication and traditional medicine. In January 2026, Hnin began having shaky legs when standing, and her knees were increasingly stiff, so she went to Mae Sot Hospital (MSH) in Mae Sot on 2nd February 2026. There she underwent an x-ray and was told that she had osteoarthritis in her knees which has progressed to last stage, and only surgery would help. She was given medication, a cane, and a follow-up appointment with an orthopaedic surgeon. When she attended her appointment, she underwent another x-ray, and the doctor explained about her severe osteoarthritis and advised surgery. As she can only undergo surgery one knee at a time, the doctor advised her to have surgery on her right knee, since it was causing her the most pain. Presently, Hnin spends much of her time lying down or sitting and cannot help with most housework. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is helping Hnin receive treatment. On March 12th, she will undergo surgery to relieve pain and improve her mobility. Now, Hnin's family needs help to fund this $1,500 procedure. She says, "After treatment and recovery, I look forward to going to the monastery to meditate again, as I used to do this before my knees caused me so much trouble. Thank you for your support for my treatment”.

Nancy is a three-year-old girl from Kenya. She has undergone multiple procedures across different specialties, including pediatric surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, and orthopedic care. Each surgery was a step toward healing, yet each also took a heavy toll on her young body and spirit. Anxiety and fear make the hospital visits deeply distressing for her. Meanwhile, her father, the sole provider for the family, lost his job following a motorbike accident and has been unable to return to work. The emotional toll on Nancy’s parents has been overwhelming. Her father's greatest wish is simple and heartfelt: he longs to see his daughter healed, free from frequent hospital visits, and able to live a normal childhood filled with play, laughter, and possibility. Following five previous procedures, Nancy now requires a colostomy reversal surgery in order to restore bowel function and prevent future complications. It is the next step in her journey toward healing and normalcy. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,020 to cover the cost of a colostomy closure for Nancy. The surgery is scheduled to take place on February 5th. Once completed, Nancy should be able to live more comfortably and confidently. Nancy’s father shared, "I never imagined my three-year-old would know so much pain. As a father, all I want is for Nancy to get well, stop coming back to the hospital so often, and live a normal, happy life."

Isaka is a 5-year-old from Tanzania who is the third-born in a family of five children. His parents rely on animal husbandry and small-scale farming for their livelihood. Isaka is very active and loves playing football with his friends as they go out to take the cattle for grazing. Isaka has not yet started school and speaks mainly the Maasai language. Isaka has been diagnosed with bilateral genu varus. When he began walking at the age of two, his parents noticed that both of his legs were bowing outward, a condition that continued over time. Several factors can cause this condition, such as growth disorders, vitamin deficiencies, or excessive fluoride found in contaminated drinking water. As a result, the knees can be angled inwards or outwards, making it difficult to walk and may cause long-term joint damage. Although Isaka does not currently complain of pain, his walking pattern affects his balance and movement. He has not received treatment before due to limited access to healthcare services. Now, through our medical partner's care center, he will undergo bilateral proximal tibial osteotomy (PTO) surgery, which will help treat the condition and ensure healthy growth and mobility as Isaka gets older. His parents hope this treatment will allow him to start school strong and confident. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $810 to fund treatment for Isaka. The procedure will take place on January 9th at our medical partner's care center, Kafika House. Treatment will restore Isaka's mobility, allow him to participate in a variety of activities, and significantly decrease his risk of future complications. Isaka's father said, "It is our hope that Isaka will grow up with normal legs and be able to play with other children in the community."

Chakriya is a 39-year-old man from Takaeo province, Cambodia. He lives with his wife and two children. His oldest child is in kindergarten, and his youngest child is two years old. His wife stays at home to look after the children and manage household tasks. In his free time, he enjoys planting vegetables around his home and listening to music. For the past 14 years, Chakriya has been living with ankylosing spondylitis - a chronic inflammatory arthritis primarily affecting the spine, causing back pain, stiffness, and inflammation, especially the base of the spine and pelvis. Around one year ago, Chakriya began experiencing pain in his right hip, which has caused difficulty walking and limited his ability to perform daily tasks independently. He had previously undergone a total hip arthroplasty on his left hip in 2014 with the help of our medical partner. Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC). Chakriya decided to travel back to CSC for treatment on his right hip. On January 16th, he will undergo a hip replacement procedure, which will cost $1500, including surgery and post-op care. Chakriya and his family can contribute $50, and need support for the remaining cost. Surgeons will operate on his right hip to relieve pain and improve mobility, allowing him to move comfortably and return to work. Chakriya said, "After the surgery, I hope that I will be able to walk easily and no longer have hip pain, so I can do my job properly."

Ar is a 40-year-old woman from Burma. She lives with her husband and their six children in a refugee camp in Tha Song Yang District, Tak Province, Thailand. Ar and her family have been living in the camp for around nine years. Her husband helps his brother as a shopkeeper, while their children go to school in the camp. During her free time, she enjoys watching movies on her phone and spending time with her children. Ar is pregnant, and the doctors at the camp recommend she deliver via a c-section due to a high-risk pregnancy. This way, doctors can ensure the safety of both mother and child. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is helping Ar undergo a C-Section on December 16th. This procedure will cost $1500, and Ar needs your support. Ar said, “When I heard that my baby is in the wrong position and needs surgery to deliver him, I started feeling worried and stressed. I asked my brother-in-law to let me borrow money, but he told us that he cannot, as he does not have much either. I do not know what to do, which makes me more stressed and worried when it is closer to my due date. Finally, I am very happy to hear that there will be an organization that will help pay for my surgery cost. Thank you so much to BCMF and all your donors for your kind support. I still do not know where to look for money without your support. Thank you so much for helping me.”