Gedeon is a 23-year-old college student from Haiti. He comes from a coastal city in southwest Haiti and is studying biology and science in the hope of one day becoming a cardiac echocardiographer. When Gedeon was younger, with help from the Watsi community, he underwent life-saving cardiac surgery in Texas to replace his damaged mitral valve. At the time, doctors knew his aortic valve was also damaged, but chose not to replace it due to the risk of the surgery. Now, Gedeon is ready to undergo a second surgery to replace his aortic valve. Gedeon has a cardiac condition called rheumatic aortic regurgitation. The valves of his heart were severely damaged by an infection he suffered in childhood, and now cannot adequately pump blood through his body. On May 21st, he will undergo cardiac surgery, during which surgeons will remove his damaged valve and implant an artificial replacement. Another organization, Baylor Scott and White Heart Hospital, is contributing $25,000 to pay for the surgery. Gedeon's family also needs help to fund the costs of surgery prep and follow up. Our medical partner, International Cardiac Alliance, is requesting $1,500 to support travel, labs, medicines, and check-up and follow-up appointments. Gedeon said, "I know God made a miracle for me to have my first surgery, and is making another miracle for me now!"

Htee is a 10-year-old girl from Burma. She lives with her family in a refugee camp in Mae Hong Son province, Thailand. Htee and her two siblings were born and raised in the camp. Her parents met and married there after relocating in 2006 due to conflicts between armed groups in their village. Htee’s mother is a homemaker, while her father works as a day laborer. She is currently enrolled in the camp school and is in Grade 5. Additionally, Htee's four cousins live with the family and also attend school. In her free time, Htee enjoys playing with her brother and friends. For two days, Htee has been experiencing troubling symptoms, including severe pain at right lower part of abdominal, high fever, vomiting and lethargy. She is currently admitted at Mae Sariang Hospital, where she was diagnosed with appendicitis. She needs urgent surgery to prevent her condition from getting worse. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is helping Htee receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo an appendectomy, a surgery to remove the appendix when it becomes infected, on April 20th, at Mae Sariang Hospital. This procedure will cost $1500, and Htee and her family need your support. Htee’s father said, “My daughter is an active child. She loves to go to school and never missed attendance. Now she is in severe pain, and I hope that she gets better after treatment.”

Edward is a 10-year-old student from Bolivia who lives with his mother, a homemaker, his father, a driver, and his 17-year-old sister. When Edward was little, his family noticed that he would turn purple when he cried and often became sick. He was diagnosed with a congenital heart condition called Tetralogy of Fallot (ToF) early in childhood and is only now getting the opportunity to have surgery. ToF is a combination of four heart conditions, including a hole between the two lower chambers of the heart, as well as a blockage that affects how blood flows out of the heart. As a result, Edward does not get enough oxygen, leaving him weak and short of breath. On March 25th, Edward will undergo cardiac surgery at our medical partner's care center, Hospital del Niño Dr. Ovidio Aliaga Uría. During the procedure, doctors will close the hole in his heart and remove the blockage so that blood can flow more normally. Edward’s family needs $1,500 to help cover the cost of his care. Our medical partner, International Cardiac Alliance, will use these funds to pay for cardiac exams and diagnostics, surgery, follow-up care, and medications. Edward’s mother said, “My boy is a fighter—he wants to keep going to school and be healthy!”

Glory is a six-year-old girl from Tanzania. She lives with her mother, while her father is rarely present due to unstable family circumstances. Glory is the only surviving child in her family following the tragic loss of her three older siblings, which makes her especially precious to her mother and extended family, who now surround her with care and protection. For the last six years, Glory has experienced an unusual swelling on the ring finger of her left hand. When she was younger, it did not appear to cause pain, and her family hoped it would improve as she grew. Instead, the finger gradually became thicker and darker in color, accompanied by persistent itching, excessive sweating, and increasing pain. Over time, the condition has begun to interfere with Glory's ability to use her hand comfortably for everyday activities such as holding objects, playing, and learning basic tasks at home. Despite these challenges, Glory is a bright and gentle child who enjoys being around other children and is eager to attend school regularly. Her mother shares that Glory often attempts to use her affected hand but quickly pulls back due to discomfort. Simple activities like gripping a pencil or helping with light chores have become increasingly difficult as Glory grows, and her doctors recommend an amputation of her left-hand ring finger to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,088 to fund Glory's surgery. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully help improve her health and quality of life. After recovering, Glory is most looking forward to no longer being in pain and using her hand more freely as she continues to grow and learn. Glory’s mother says, “My daughter tries to use her hand, but the pain in her finger stops her from holding things or writing. I just want her to be free from pain and able to learn and play like other children.”

Clamson is a young student from Haiti. He lives with his parents and younger sister in a city in northern Haiti. He likes going to kindergarten and to church. Clamson has a cardiac condition called a ventricular septal defect. A hole exists between the two lower chambers of his heart; blood leaks through this hole without passing through his lungs to obtain oxygen, leaving him weak and short of breath. Clamson will fly to the Dominican Republic to receive treatment. On January 22nd, he will undergo cardiac surgery, during which surgeons will sew a patch over the hole in his heart so that blood can no longer leak through it. Our medical partner, International Cardiac Alliance, is contributing $5000.00 to pay for surgery. Clamson's family also needs help to fund the costs of surgery prep. They need help raising $1,500 to cover labs, medicines, and check-up and follow-up appointments. It also supports securing travel documents for the family and travel costs for the social workers from our medical partner, who will accompany Clamson's family overseas. Clamson's mother shared, "Our family has been praying for this surgery ever since we found out about our son's heart problem. We are glad the time has finally arrived!"

Four-year-old Alpha lives with his parents in Kenya. His father earns a living by hawking clothes, while his mother is currently unemployed. In his first few years of life, Alpha experienced delayed developmental milestones, taking longer than expected to sit and to walk. Given these early challenges, his parents hoped that his speech would eventually develop with time. However, Alpha is still unable to speak. After visiting several health facilities, he was diagnosed with hearing loss. Alpha’s parents deeply wish for him to receive hearing aids, knowing that they would allow him to hear, to communicate, and to develop like other children. Unfortunately, the cost of hearing aids is far beyond their means. Alpha is an only child, and his parents' greatest hope is for him to be able to hear and to experience a normal childhood. Alpha was brought to our medical partner's care center, AIC Kijabe Hospital. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is here to help. They, along with Alpha’s parents, are now reaching out for your support to help raise the $1,171 necessary to access the hearing aids Alpha needs for him to have a brighter future. Alpha is scheduled to get fitted with hearing aids on December 19th. “I want him to start school next year,” Alpha’s mother shares. “With hearing aids, he would have a better chance to learn alongside other children,” she added.

Thandiwe is 45 years old and a mother of three children from Malawi. Her health has been deteriorating over the years, causing deep concern for her younger sister, Jane, who now lives in Lilongwe and has been her main source of support. When she was in better health, Thandiwe earned a living through selling tomoatoes, while her husband engaged in small-scale farming. Six years ago, Thandiwe began to experience troubling symptoms, including a swelling in her neck that made swallowing difficult. She sought treatment at various local hospitals but was only given pain medication without relief. She has experienced significant weight loss, loss of appetite, and breathlessness, leaving her weak and unable to live normally. Unfortunately, the frequent hospital visits and medication costs drained all her business capital, leaving her unable to afford further treatment. Thandiwe's sister took her to our medical partner's care center, Partners in Hope Medical Center, to be evaluated. She was diagnosed with a multinodular goiter, an abnormal swelling of the thyroid gland. The thyroid is the gland located in front of your neck and produces thyroid hormones. These hormones are responsible for functions such as metabolism, growth and other bodily functions. She needs surgery to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Thandiwe receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on November 11th. Surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. This procedure will cost $1,015, and she and her family need help raising money. Thandiwe shared, "I was very energetic before the illness; I have lost so much weight, and I look forward to positive results after your surgery support. Kindly help me to find peace."