Naomi is a 43-year-old wife, mother, and aspiring entrepreneur from Kenya. She and her husband recently relocated due to tribal clashes in her old village and the family now lives in a three room rental house in a new area. Naomi is diagnosed with uterine fibroids, which are noncancerous growths of the uterus that typically appear during childbearing years. Naomi believes these uterine fibroids can be attributed to the two miscarriages she has had in the past. "Naomi is experiencing back pain and heavy menstrual bleeding. She often has dizzy spells and headaches," reports our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). "If Naomi is not treated soon, she could develop anemia due to the heavy bleeding." To treat her uterine fibroids, Naomi needs an abdominal hysterectomy. The income that Naomi's husband earns from temporary jobs on farms pays for their children's education, rent, and food but is not enough to cover the cost of surgery. $800 will cover the cost of surgery and help stop Naomi's excessive bleeding and back pain by surgically removing her uterus. “My dream is to one day have a small clothing business,” shares Naomi. “I want to help my husband with the school fess for our children."

Meet Roxana, an eight-year-old girl from Panama who has pulmonary stenosis. According to our medical partner, Floating Doctors (FD), “Roxana’s pulmonary stenosis means that it is hard for her heart to pump blood to her lungs. If she is untreated before she starts to become a teenager, her larger body will start to demand more blood and her heart will not be able to keep up with the supply." Roxana, who lives in a small remote island with her mom, dad, and younger siblings, “loves soccer – she plays until she has to rest and catch her breath, then goes back to playing,” shares FD. $1405 covers the cost of an angiographic pulmonary stenosis repair for Roxana. This treatment “should allow Roxana to run and play normally with the other children and to not have chest pain and gasp for breath every time she exerts herself,” adds FD. “With this surgery, she should be able to have a normal lifespan."

Lopenyo is a four-month old baby boy, the most recent addition to his family of thirteen children. The family lives in a grass-thatched, mud-walled house in Kenya where they raise livestock to support themselves. Unfortunately, they recently many of their animals and much of their farmable land because of a drought in their region. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF), has diagnosed Lopenyo with hydrocephalus, a medical condition where there is a buildup of fluid in the cavities deep within the brain. The extra fluid exerts pressure on the developing brain, and can cause head enlargement, loss of vision, permanent brain damage, and death. “He has been vomiting especially in the mornings, is very irritable and seems drowsy,” reports AMHF. “Lopenyo is likely to have delayed development.” For $980, we can help fund treatment to drain Lopenyo’s excess intra-cranial fluid, regulate his intra-cranial pressure, and reduce his risk of suffering permanent brain damage or premature death. “Our family lives a very simple life and now that my son is sick, I feel devastated that we cannot meet his care. I really wish that he gets treated soon,” says Lopenyo’s mother. Let’s help make her dream a reality.

This is Kokoya Leloji, an eight-year-old girl from Tanzania! Kokoya lives in a small village in Northern Tanzania. Her mother had passed away, and her father is a pastoralist who has little money to support his daughter. “Kokoya has not been able to pass stool normally since birth,” our medical partner African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF) tells us. “This means that she experiences terrible pain and bloating.” Kokoya has a condition called Hirschprung’s disease in which there are missing nerve cells in part of her colon, making it difficult for her body to pass stool. Kokoya’s condition has made her unable to start school or participate in normal activities of daily living. “Her grandfather brought her to the hospital and is trying to take care for her,” AMHF explains. “They are not able to afford the treatment required for her condition. Although she is sick now, her grandfather reports that she is normally a very happy child!” “I hope for my granddaughter to be normal with this treatment,” Kokoya’s grandfather says. “Maybe she can go to school in the future.” For only $975, we can provide Kokoya with surgery to remove the affected part of her colon, allowing her to pass stool normally and develop into a healthy child!

Meet Victor, a three-year-old boy from Kenya! Victor lives with his grandmother in a small two-room house and attends kindergarten nearby. He receives support from his father, but his mother left the family six months ago. Victor was born with hypospadias, a condition that prevents him from passing urine normally. Our medical partner, the African Mission Healthcare Foundation, says if left untreated, Victor will be unable to father children in the future. After treatment, Victor will be able to pass urine normally. “I am thankful I have finally found a hospital where my child can be treated," Victor's father says. "Victor is a very happy child and I do not want him to suffer low self esteem because of this condition." $655 will fund Victor’s treatment. Let's help Victor pay for this life changing surgery.