Mu is a 34-year-old wife and mother, living in Thailand. Mu lives with her husband, son, and two daughters in Mae Sot, Tak Province. Their family moved from Yangon, Burma to Thailand 14 years ago, in search of better job opportunities. Today, Mu is a homemaker, her son is a student, while her two daughters are still too young to study. Her husband is a dockworker in Mae Sot. Because their income is insufficient to cover their daily expenses, they sometimes have to borrow money from a neighbor. About two years ago, Mu developed a femoral hernia. Because of the hernia, Mu experiences severe pain in her left groin area, and she also has a lump that has been increasing in size, and which hangs down when she walks. Mu is very stressed about her condition, and because of chronic discomfort, she has been unable to keep up with her daily tasks. Fortunately, with the help of our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, Mu is scheduled for hernia repair surgery on October 27th, at Mae Sot General Hospital. Burma Children Medical Fund is seeking $1,500 to cover the cost of Mu's surgery and care, which should enable Mu to return to a life without the hardship she experiences now. Mu said: “I feel like I have to hold myself so this will not fall down when I walk, which makes me feel very uncomfortable. I want to receive surgery soon so that I can work to earn more money in the future. Now, my baby—our youngest daughter—is older so I will find a job after I have fully recovered from surgery.”

Phan is a caring grandmother of twelve from Cambodia. She has one son and five daughters and helps take care of her grandchildren. Phan's husband passed away many years ago, and she lives with her youngest daughter, a construction worker. When Phan is not caring for her family, she enjoys listening to the monks pray and visiting the community pagoda. Four years ago, Phan developed a cataract in her left eye, causing her photophobia and blurry vision. As a result, she has difficulty seeing things clearly, including colors and faces, and is worried about falling when walking, so she cannot go places independently. When Phan learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), she traveled for four and a half hours seeking treatment. On September 28th, doctors will perform cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in her left eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. CSC is requesting $253 to fund this procedure. Phan said, "After surgery, I hope I can see clearly. I want to go outside again without problems and see my family’s faces."

Erick is a first grade student from Tanzania who dreams of becoming a truck driver like his father. He lives with his mother, who works in a coal mine, and his siblings. His father works in a different city, but he still helps support their family. Erick enjoys playing soccer with his friends at school and helping with house chores once he is home. Erick has clubfoot of his left foot, a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. In Erick's case, his left foot is twisted both downwards and inwards. This causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. His parents share that they are determined to see their child receive his needed treatment and get better. Fortunately, Erick and his family traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre. There, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on August 12th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $935 to fund Erick's clubfoot repair. After treatment, he will be able to run, walk for long distances, and carry things with ease. He will also be able to play soccer and help with house chores without difficulty. Erick's mother says, "My son has been through a lot. We are happy that he is going to get better after the surgery."

Mi is a 58-year-old mother from Thailand. She lives with her husband and her three daughters. She supports her family by working as a homemaker. Her husband does not work because he is ill. Her eldest daughter is an accountant, her second eldest daughter is a homemaker, and her youngest daughter does not work because she is attending school. Some of Mi's favorite activities include cleaning her house and growing vegetables in her garden. In February, Mi started experiencing pain in her left breast. After examining the area, she noticed a small mass. Over time, the mass increased in size and the pain worsened. She currently still experiences pain in her left breast. Although she takes medication, it only alleviates her pain temporarily. Because of this, she cannot cook or clean, and her daughter has had to take over the household chores. Fortunately, Mi sought treatment through our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund. She is now scheduled to undergo mass removal surgery on July 12th. She is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of her procedure and care. Mi shares, “I want to get better soon. Then my second eldest daughter can find work so that we can pay back our debt. I want to live happily with my family for the rest of my life.”

Felix is a playful 9-year-old, third grade student from Kajiado County, Kenya. His mother is a homemaker while his father works on construction sites. Felix likes playing football despite the limitations he has because of his foot, and he spends most of his time playing with his friends. Felix was born with clubfeet and at the age of 2 weeks, he underwent serial casting and later surgery on both feet at a government hospital near their home. The left foot corrected well, but the right foot recurred. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. This causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Having heard about AIC CURE Hospital through CURE's local partner Kajiado Childcare Center, Felix's family brought him to the hospital for review. Felix is currently in the hospital undergoing serial casting and will undergo surgery on November 9th to fix the clubfoot. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,286 to fund Felix's clubfoot repair. After treatment, Felix will be able to walk confidently, play football more easily with friends, and continue with his education without any impediment. “I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to the donors for the support. May the almighty God continue to bless them and even reach out to more patients who are in need,” Felix's mother told us.

Men is a 15-year-old student, living with his mother, three brothers and one sister in Battambang province in Cambodia. Men and all of his siblings are in school, while his mother, who is divorced from his father, grows potatoes and rice. At school, Men enjoys Khmer literature, reading and writing in Khmer, and playing football with his friends. In January, Men was on a motorbike with a friend, when they were hit by a tractor. Men fractured his left femur, and fell hard onto the concrete injuring his shoulder. After the accident, Men's family took him to a provincial hospital for surgery on his femur. Subsequently, Men developed an infection - diagnosed as osteomyelitis - and he has also experienced improper healing of his fracture. As a result, Men is unable to walk, and is currently confined to a wheelchair. He is in pain, and he is also unable to use his left arm. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner can help. On June 2nd, Men will undergo a fracture repair procedure at Kien Khleang National Rehabilitation Centre. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $483 to fund this procedure, which should enable Men to walk again, and to return to school. Men's mother is hopeful that after surgery he can walk so he can go to school again.

John is a 12-year-old student living in a small village in northern Haiti. John lives with his parents, three brothers, and one sister, and before he fell ill, he loved to play soccer and to go to school. John has a cardiac condition called rheumatic mitral regurgitation, which means that one of his heart valves can no longer pump blood through his body. This condition is due to an infection John suffered earlier in childhood, and it has rendered him weak and left him in late-stage heart failure. The care John needs is not available in Haiti, so John will need to fly to the Dominican Republic to receive treatment. On May 9th, he'll finally undergo the cardiac surgery he needs, during which surgeons will remove the severely damaged valve and implant a mechanical valve in its place. Our medical partner Haiti Cardiac Alliance is contributing $15,000 to pay for the surgery. However, John's family also needs help to fund all the pre and postoperative costs. The $1,500 they are seeking will cover laboratory tests, medicines, checkups and follow-up appointments. It will also help John to obtain a passport, and cover the costs of the social workers from our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, who will accompany John's family overseas for his treatment. John shared: "I am looking forward to being strong and healthy again once my heart is fixed."

Minea is a sweet, nap-loving two-year-old boy. He is the first child in his family, and his parents work as rice farmers. They shared that Minea loves to play with toys and take a good nap, if not two, every day! Minea also loves to eat and cuddle with his parents. In December 2021, Minea and his mother were in a motorcycle accident that injured Minea's left shoulder. His parents took him to the local hospital for X-rays and care; however, his shoulder is still dislocated, meaning he cannot lift his arm or grasp objects with his hand. Minea has been diagnosed with a brachial plexus injury on his left side. The brachial plexus is a nerve network that transmits signals from the spine to the shoulder, arm, and hand. Injuries to this nerve network can result in loss of function and sensation. Minea's family brought him to our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), in February to undergo physiotherapy for his injury. Since there has been no improvement after three months of physiotherapy, CSC's specialty surgeons determined that Minea needs to undergo a nerve transfer surgery to heal. CSC is the only center in the whole country where this treatment is available, and, on April 21st, Minea will undergo surgery. His doctors shared that, after recovery, his nerve graft should regenerate so he can use his arm again. CSC is requesting $709 to fund this procedure. Minea's parents hope their child will have a successful surgery and he will be able to fully use his hand as he grows up.