Sethika is a nine-month-old girl from Phnom Penh, Cambodia. She lives with her grandparents as her mother works as a cashier, and her father is a truck deliveryman in Kampong Speu province. Sethika is an only child who enjoys watching cartoons, drinking milk, and eating rice porridge. Sethika was born with a congenital condition called an amniotic band on her right ankle. This occurs when a fibrous band of tissue from the amniotic sac wraps around a developing fetus's limb during pregnancy. This condition caused a ring-like constriction around her right ankle, which, if left untreated, could restrict blood flow, impair growth, or affect her ability to walk as she grows. On December 19th, Sethika will undergo an amniotic band release surgery. Surgeons at our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC), will remove the constriction and ensure proper growth and movement in her ankle. Her family has contributed $100 toward the procedure but needs additional support to cover the remaining $387. Sethika's mother shared, "I hope she can have surgery so she will be able to walk more easily as she grows up."

Rabecca is a single mother of two children from Malawi. She works as a household helper and sometimes she gets support from her daughter who does business selling firewood. Rabecca likes chatting with children and enjoys eating nsima, a local porrdige, served with fresh fish. For four years, Rabecca has been experiencing a growing lower abdominal distention which was easily mistaken for pregnancy and was associated with pain and dizziness. This affected her day-to-day activities, reducing her income. She visited our medical partner's care center, Partners in Hope Medical Center, and a scan was done. Rabecca was diagnosed with uterine fibroids and needs to undergo a hysterectomy, a procedure in which surgeons will remove her uterus. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,363 to fund Rabecca's surgery. On August 21st, she will undergo gynecological surgery, and once recovered, Rabecca will be able to resume her daily activities free of pain. Rabecca said, “I will be a very happy woman after going through surgery to get rid of the disturbing symptoms for me to concentrate on my job as a maid and continue supporting my children as a single mother.”

John is an adorable 1-month-old infant from Haiti. He lives with his parents and older sister John has been diagnosed with hydrocephalus, a condition in which excess cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the brain and increases intracranial pressure. As a result of his condition, John has been experiencing an increasing head circumference. Without treatment, John will experience severe physical and developmental delays. Our medical partner, Project Medishare, is requesting $897 to cover the cost of John's surgery at Hospital Bernard Mevs, which will treat his hydrocephalus. This is the only site in the country where this care is currently available. The procedure is scheduled to take place on August 11th. This critical treatment will drain the excess fluid from John's brain to reduce intracranial pressure and greatly improve his quality of life. With proper treatment, John will hopefully develop into a strong, healthy young boy. His family share that they are happy to have this early intervention to prevent brain damage from the hydrocephalus.

Saw Wah is a 16-month-old boy who lives with his parents, two sisters, and three aunts in a refugee camp in Thailand. His mother looks after the household chores while his father works as a security guard in the camp. Despite having free basic health care and education in the camp, their family is working hard each month to make end meets. When Saw Wah was three months old, his mother noticed a bulge on the left side of his groin, which was more pronounced whenever he cried. Two to three days after she noticed the bulge, it disappeared. Earlier this month, Saw Wah's abdomen became distended and his left groin grew swollen. He developed a fever, started to vomit, and was constipated. At first, the swelling started to come down but three days later, the swelling stopped decreasing in size. Doctors want to perform a CT scan, a procedure in which x-ray images taken from several angles are combined to produce cross-sectional images of the body. This scan will hopefully help doctors diagnose Saw Wah's condition and formulate an appropriate treatment plan. Saw Wah's mother shared, "I just want him to be freed from this pain."

Ampeire is a 52-year-old woman from Uganda. Ampeire and her husband are famers, and they have seven children. They work hard, but their income is not enough to meet their living costs. For the past three years, Ampeire has had abnormal bleeding, back pain and general weakness. The condition has affected her day-to-day life, especially working on the farm. She was examined and diagnosed with premalignant cervical lesions. She needs a total abdominal hysterectomy, a procedure in which surgeons will remove her uterus. If the condition is not treated, it could become cancerous. Ampeire appeals for help to undergo the surgery and reduce the chance of complications.  Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $219 to fund Ampeire's surgery. On March 2nd, she will undergo gynecological surgery at our medical partner's care center. Once recovered, Ampeire will be able to resume her daily activities free of pain. Ampeire shared, “I hope that once I am operated on, I will be healed and will live a happy life as I continue with farming.”