Three-year-old Love Faela lives with her parents, grandparents, and two older siblings in Haiti. She likes wearing frilly dresses and listening to her mother sing. Our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance (HCA), tells us, “Love Faela was born with a congenital heart condition called tetralogy of Fallot.” The condition accounts for one third of all cases of congenital heart disease in patients younger than 15 years old. “[Tetralogy of Fallot] involves several related defects, including a hole between two chambers of the heart and a muscular blockage of one of the heart's valves,” HCA continues. “As a result, Love Faela's heart cannot deliver enough oxygen to her body, and she is sickly and weak. If untreated, the condition would be fatal.” Treatment for Love Faela is surgery to close the hole between the chambers of her heart and open the obstructed heart valve. “Following surgery,” HCA explains, “normal circulation should be restored to Love Faela's heart, and she should be able to lead a normal life.” For $1500, HCA will provide the overseas preparation and transportation required for Love Faela’s treatment. Gift of Life International is donating $5000 to cover the remaining treatment costs. "We are praising God that Love Faela can have surgery for her heart problem," her mother shares.

Meet Emebet, a six-month-old baby girl from Ethiopia. Emebet lives with her mother and father in a remote village, where her father works to support the family with a limited income. “Emebet was born with a congenital anomaly, and as a result, she could not pass stool,” our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF), tells us. “A colostomy was done recently to relieve Emebet from the partial intestine obstruction. This condition and use of a colostomy is hard on Emebet's mother.” For $1,500, Emebet will receive surgery to remedy the anorectal malformation. “This surgery, anorectoplasty, involves forming a new anus so that Emebet can pass stool normally,” says AMHF. “Three months after this surgery, the final surgery (colostomy closure), will be performed.” Emebet will be able to pass stool and lead a normal life. “Emebet's mother hopes that she will send her daughter to school once she is of age and healthy,” shares AMHF.

Soloman, a 4-year-old boy living in Kenya with his parents and two older siblings, has bilateral undescended testis. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF), explains,“Soloman’s testes cannot be felt in the frontal sac. If Soloman is not treated, he is likely to develop testicular cancer and/or hernia. He will also be at risk of infertility in the future.” Soloman's condition was discovered three years ago. “Soloman’s mother noticed that both Soloman and his elder brother had undescended testes,” AMHF tells us. “She got concerned and took them for a medical checkup and they were later referred for specialized treatment. Attempts to have both Soloman and his elder brother treated did not bear any fruit as the parents could not raise the funds required for the surgery. Soloman’s mother hopes to bring her elder son for treatment once Soloman is well.” $570 covers the costs of Soloman’s double orchidopexy, a procedure which will place the undescended testes inside his scrotum. This will decrease the risk of him developing testicular cancer, a hernia or infertility in the future. “Mom told us that my brother and I are unwell,” shares Soloman. “I will be very happy if my brother and I got treated.”

Meet Sayda, a one-year-old girl from Guatemala. “Sayda is cared for by her mother and two older brothers,” shares our medical partner, Wuqu’ Kawoq (WK). “When Sayda feels her best, she loves to play with a baby doll given to her by a neighbor. Currently, however, her mom reports that she has been too tired to play.” Sayda is experiencing the effects of acute malnutrition. “She suffers from a cough, fever, and diarrhea and has been losing weight as a result,” WK reports. “Sayda’s immune system is weak and she has decreased energy.” Malnutrition can cause long-term damage if it goes untreated. “Over time Sayda's mental and physical development will be permanently stunted, thus leading to developmental delays and preventing her from reaching her full potential,” WK explains. “Limited brain development and chronic illness will limit her ability to concentrate and succeed in school. Without intervention, in the long term she will have an increased risk of chronic diseases such as hypertension and diabetes, as well as decreased economic success.” $535 will help Sayda’s family get her health back on track. With this funding, Sayda will receive nutritional supplementation, medication, and growth monitoring to ensure that she is meeting her nutritional needs. These measures will help Sayda reach a healthy height and weight for her age, boost her energy, and bolster her immune system. She will thus be at a lower risk of developing the medical problems she has recently been fighting—such as cough, fever, and diarrhea. Sayda’s mother will also receive nutritional education to equip her with the skills and knowledge to make healthy choices for the family. This will help Sayda and her siblings maintain their health in the future. “I’m worried because she has more problems growing than the boys did,” shares Sayda’s mother. “I want her to study when she gets older, find a job and build a better way of life.” With our support, Sayda’s health will improve and her mother will be able to watch her baby begin to thrive.

Meet Lim, a 75-year-old woman from Cambodia. Lim is the matriarch of a large family, with four daughters, four sons, and twenty grandchildren. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family and listening to the monks praying. “Lim has been living with cataracts in her eye for 20 years,” shares our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Center (CSC). Cataracts are an ocular condition in which a thin cloudy layer grows over the lens of the eye. A normal, unobstructed eye lens will allow light to pass to the retina in order to process a clear image. However, an eye with a cataract is unable to absorb as much light, which ultimately can lead to blurred vision. In Lim’s case, her vision has deteriorated so much so that it has become difficult for her to walk, eat, and do almost anything on her own. As a result, her husband has to spend significant time caring for her, taking him away from work. Lim needs corrective surgery to remove the clouded lens in her eye and replace it with a new, artificial lens. For $150, we can ensure that Lim gets the surgery she needs as well as provide for her stay in the hospital, medications, and pre and post-operative care. Following surgery, Lim’s vision will be fully restored. CSC tells us, “Lim is looking forward to being able to do things independently again, like going to the pagoda with the other older people of the village and spending more time with her grandchildren.” Let’s support Lim get her independence back and return to doing the things she enjoys.

“Abigaelle was normal after she was born, but when she turned four months old she became sick and her head started getting large,” our medical partner in Haiti, Project Medishare (PM), reports. Symptoms of the flu, fever, and vomiting, accompanied Abigaelle’s head growth. Her mother brought her to the hospital, and a CT scan revealed excess fluid in her brain. Abigaelle was diagnosed with hydrocephalus, which is the accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain. This can lead to brain damage and death if left untreated. Abigaelle’s mother “used to do commerce in the past, selling second hand clothes in the streets, but when her baby became sick she spent the money she had and did not have time to go sale,” adds PM. Abigaelle’s father “is also sick and cannot respond to the needs of the family." Furthermore, Abigaelle’s family is currently homeless after their home was destroyed during hurricane season. Her condition can be treated for $1,260, and surgery consists of a hydrocephalus shunt placement to drain the excess fluid in her head. This treatment will also help prevent other diseases prompted by hydrocephalus, such as seizures. We can help ease some of the hardship that Abigaelle and her family are facing by funding her treatment.

“Pista is our only child with problems of the feet. It is our prayer that her feet can be straightened so that she can walk like other children and have the same opportunity to go to school and efficiently perform other activities,” Pista's parents tell us. Meet Pista, an active and talkative five-year-old girl from Tanzania. Pista is the youngest in the family and “everybody loves her,” says our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). “While at home, she has a special place which is her imaginary kitchen and where she prepares meals for her dolls,” AMHF continues. “Pista likes humming while ‘cooking’ and carrying her dolls on her back.” Pista has bilateral clubfoot. As AMHF explains, “Pista walks by using the lateral aspect of her feet, which terribly affects her gait. If not treated, Pista will never be able to walk properly and chances of developing osteoarthritis at a young age will be high.” Pista’s parents are small-scale farmers and work very hard to ensure their four children have the opportunity to attend school. However their earned income is not enough to cover all of their needs, as well as pay for the treatment Pista needs. $1,160 will cover the entire cost of Pista’s treatment, from the surgery and hospital stay to her painkillers and physiotherapy. Let’s help Pista access the healthcare she needs to grow up and lead a healthy life.

This is 35-year-old Min, a husband and father from Burma. Min's wife is a farmer, and Min had to stop working two years ago due to his heart condition. "Min has an abdominal aortic aneurysm, which is a weakened area in the wall of the aorta resulting in an abnormal widening of the largest artery in the body," explains our medical partner, Burma Border Projects (BBP). As a result, Min experiences back and stomach aches, as well as constant fatigue. "He is now reliant on his wife’s income as a farmer, which is meager and only covers the family’s food costs," says BBP. For $1,500, Min will receive heart surgery required to repair the defect. This will provide him relief from his symptoms, and allow him to return to work. "He said he wants to make it his personal mission to help other patients get treatment," says BBP. "He will start by telling other people in his village about the organization.

“I would very much like the position of my son’s foot to be corrected so that he can walk properly and have the ability to walk to school when the time comes,” shares Tajewo’s mother. Say hello to Tajewo, an energetic one-year-old boy from Tanzania where he lives with his three older siblings and parents. Tajewo’s mother is a homemaker and his father is a small-scale farmer, also keeping a few goats and cows. Their income is not enough to cover their basic needs and pay for the treatment Tajewo needs. Tajewo was born with congenital deformity of the left foot, also known as a clubfoot, which is forcing him to walk by using the lateral aspect of his foot. He is trying to walk, holding onto things for support, but it is painful for him. If not treated, Tajewo will have restricted mobility as well as a risk of developing osteoarthritis of the small bones. Let’s raise the $1,160 needed for Tajewo to receive treatment, including surgery and casting, for his clubfoot. Once treated, “Tajewo will be able to walk on plantigrade, allowing him to perform various activities without mobility discomforts or hindrance,” explains our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation. Let’s help this energetic little guy live a healthy, pain-free life!

Meet little Mario, a two-month-old boy from Guatemala. Mario was born prematurely weighing just three pounds, and due to poor access to milk he has been unable to gain significant weight. Staff at our medical partner Wuqu' Kawoq report, "Mario is mom's first baby. She is super excited to have him around, but worried about his weight gain and about her financial inability to provide him with the milk supplements that he needs. She is working multiple odd jobs to make ends meet, but still can't come up with the necessary funds. She's come to us for help." For $1,220, Mario can receive the life changing treatment that he needs to grow up healthy and strong. The nutritional supplementation and medical support he needs will set him on a healthy developmental track. Wuqu' Kawoq adds, "Mom tells us that she just wants 'Mario to have a future and to grow up to be somebody!'"

“We would like to see her happy and grow up like the rest of the children, able to walk properly and competently perform various activities,” shares Teteu’s mother. Teteu was born with clubfoot, which affects her gait and puts her at high risk of developing osteoarthritis at an early age if not treated. “Teteu is a beautiful five-year-old girl. She is very active and likes to involve herself in all kinds of games,” describes our medical partner in Tanzania, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). “Teteu is the fourth born in the family... [Her mother and father] work very hard to send their children to school and provide for their needs. They very much would like to help their daughter but cannot afford the cost of treatment.” We can fund surgery to correct Teteu’s clubfoot for $1,160. “Teteu will be able to walk [flat-footed], no comments will be passed about the appearance of her foot, and the risk of developing early osteoarthritis will decrease,” doctors at AMHF report. Let’s pull together for Teteu and her family!

“Christina is a Kaqchikel-speaking Mayan woman from central Guatemala,” shares our medical partner, Wuqu’ Kawoq. “She enjoys weaving and hanging out at home with friends and extended family. She is looking forward to feeling better so that she can continue to do the things she loves and to take care of her children.” “Christina has been having severe seizures for several months now,” explains Wuku’ Kawoq. “They are a great source of fear for her and they are limiting her ability to take care of her family, to engage in productive economic activities (like weaving, which she is very good at), and to enjoy life with her husband and friends. Christina and her family are very grateful for Watsi donors for their help.” Christina’s surgery costs $745 and will allow her to live the rest of her life without seizures. Let's make it happen!