Kelvin is a lively five-year-old boy who lives in Kenya with his parents and older sibling. His father is a motorcycle taxi driver, and his mother is a farmer. He is an active boy who enjoys playing football. At home, he is very helpful and often assists his family with chores, including working on the farm. Kelvin was born with a significant misalignment in his right foot. This condition has affected his ability to stand upright and to walk with ease. Kelvin was also born with a heart condition, which took priority in terms of treatment. Thankfully, this condition was successfully treated, and Kelvin's family can now focus on treatment for his mobility issues. Kelvin has already received conservative treatments at several hospitals, but unfortunately, there has been no significant improvement in his condition. Thus, his parents decided to visit the CURE Mobile Clinic in Meru, where they were referred to our partner's medical care center, AIC CURE International Hospital. After a thorough assessment, Kelvin was scheduled for right tibia hemimelia reconstruction surgery. This surgery is expected to greatly improve his life, allowing him to stand upright, walk properly, and enjoy childhood like other children his age. Kelvin will undergo surgery on April 29th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,224 to cover the cost of Kelvin's procedure and care. Kelvin's mother shared, “I am praying that he receives treatment, recovers quickly, and can join school like other children."

Laysing is a two-year-old boy from Preah Sihanouk Province in Cambodia. He lives with his parents and his four-year-old sister. His father works for a private company, while his mother stays at home to care for the children. He enjoys playing with toys alongside his sister, and his favorite meal is soup, especially lemongrass sour soup. Laysing was born with scoliosis, a condition in which the spine curves abnormally to one side. His parents first noticed the condition when he began walking. As he has grown, the scoliosis has caused him to tire easily when walking or playing. The condition makes everyday activities difficult and sometimes causes discomfort. Laysing's parents are concerned about his posture and possible complications in the future. Laysing's family heard about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), and traveled four hours to attend a consultation. After extensive testing, doctors recommended that Laysing have spinal surgery. Without treatment, Laysing's symptoms will continue, and he will be at risk of future complications. On March 23rd, surgeons at CSC will implant a metal "growing rod" into Laysing's spine to help correct the curve and allow for further spine growth. CSC is requesting $1,500 to cover the costs of his surgery, the implant, and post-operative care, including physiotherapy. This treatment will help him stand taller, move more comfortably, and reduce fatigue. After recovery, he should be able to play, walk, and participate in daily activities more easily, improving both his quality of life and his confidence. Laysing's mother shares, “I pray that after the surgery, my child will feel stronger, stand taller, and live freely without discomfort, embracing a future full of hope and happiness.”

Nazly is a jovial three-year-old girl from Colombia with a smile that brightens the mood of those around her. Although she is still young, she understands the importance of caring for others and dreams of becoming a doctor in the future. Nazly also enjoys listening to music, and aspires to be a dancer too! About a year ago, Nazly was diagnosed multiple deep cavities. Since then, she has been under observation, but the progression of the condition has caused intense and persistent pain, inflammation, episodes of suppuration (presence of pus), and difficulty eating and sleeping. Doctors at our medical partner, Clinica Noel, have determined that Nazly needs to undergo a procedure under general anesthesia, to treat her multiple cavities. This treatment will relieve her physical pain and enable Nazly to have a better quality of life, study better, and live out her dreams. The procedure has been scheduled for February 20th, and Nazly's family needs help to raise $868 for her care. Nazly's mother says, "Thanks to your kind heart, Nazly will be able to receive the treatment she so desperately needs and, with it, regain the smile and quality of life that every child deserves. My daughter's surgery is very important for her health and her future, and your support gives us enormous hope. We will never forget this beautiful gesture."

Joseph is a young boy from Kenya. He is the oldest of two in his family and comes from Karung’a village in Kitui County. His mother, Stella, is a small-scale farmer, and his father works on construction sites. Joseph loves playing and being in school. He is a grade 2 pupil and dreams of becoming a doctor someday. Joseph was born with clubfoot affecting both of his feet. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. This causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. He also has kyphosis, which is an abnormal curvature of the spine in the lower back. This makes it difficult for him to stand or walk on his own, so he currently moves by crawling on the ground. Fortunately, Joseph traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, AIC Cure International Hospital. There, he is scheduled to undergo bilateral posterior capsulotomy along with serial casting on February 2nd. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,286 to fund Joseph's clubfoot repair. After treatment, he will be able to stand, walk, run, play, and continue with his education. "I am looking forward to the day Joseph will be able to stand, walk, and run like other children," Stella, Joseph’s mother, shared. "I pray that this treatment will give him a chance to play, go to school, and live a normal life."

Modester is 49 years old and a farmer from Malawi. She is married with five children aged 30, 22, 20, 19, and 12. In 2012, Modester began to experience troubling symptoms, including a painless swelling on the left side of her neck. She did not seek medical care until 2020 when the swelling grew, causing symptoms like breathlessness, weakness, neck pain, and difficulty climbing steps. Despite visiting several hospitals, she could not afford surgery or transport to larger facilities. Modester was referred to our medical partner's care center, Partners in Hope Medical Center, where she was diagnosed with a goiter, which is an abnormal enlargement 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 Modester receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on December 17th, where 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. “The breathlessness has severely disrupted my daily activities. I look forward to your support so I can find relief and focus on farm work," Modester said.

Lewis is an energetic boy from Tanzania. He is living under the loving care of his grandmother and aunt. When he was just two years old, his mother passed away, leaving him in the hands of the two women who now pour all their love and strength into raising him. Despite the challenges he faces, Lewis has a joyful spirit that stands out wherever he goes. He loves spending his afternoons playing football with the neighborhood children. His dream is to one day become like Pacome, a player on the famous YANGA Football Club, strong, skilled, and admired. Each time Lewis kicks a ball, he imagines himself scoring a goal in a packed stadium. However, Lewis was born with clubfoot on both feet. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. The tissues connecting the muscle to the bones are shorter than usual, and this causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. At his age, when most children are active and carefree, Lewis often becomes frustrated because his legs can’t keep up with his dreams. His grandmother has watched him fall behind physically, and her biggest wish is to see him run freely like any other child his age. Life at home is humble. Lewis and his grandmother spend much of their time tending to a small green garden behind their house, one of the few sources of food and income the family relies on. Even in the garden, Lewis tries to help, carrying small watering cans or chasing birds away from the crops. Fortunately, Lewis's family traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, Kafika House. Surgeons will begin clubfoot treatment on November 27th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,171 to fund Lewis's clubfoot repair. After treatment and with the proper intervention, he will finally be able to stand, walk, and run without pain. Lewis's aunt says, "I hope Lewis's leg will be okay, so that he can enjoy his childhood."

Gina is 42 years old and works as a sales staff from the Philippines. She, her partner, and their two children live with her parents. Her father is a tricycle driver, while her mother is a vendor. Alongside their earnings, the money that she earns from working as a sales staff is used to support her two children and her five siblings, who also live with them. Gina discovered that she has lumps in her breast. Bothered by this, she decided to get checked at a nearby hospital. The results prompted her to decide to undergo surgery. The operation placed a heavy burden on their financial situation. While the operation was deemed successful, unfortunately, one other mass was not removed. She was referred to our medical partner's care center, Our Lady of Peace Hospital, where doctors confirmed she has breast cancer. Without treatment, the cancer may spread to other organs. She needs a mastectomy, a surgery to remove breast tissue. Fortunately, our medical partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines (WSFP), is helping Gina receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a mastectomy on October 25th. A portion of the cost of her treatment is being supported by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and WSFP is raising $990 to cover the remaining cost. After treatment, Gina will hopefully return to a cancer-free life. Gina shared, "This is a huge help to us; we could never afford such an expense. May you continue to help so many people. Your support is a huge help to someone like me who lacks the financial means to cope with this kind of illness, especially since our family is struggling financially."

Rayan is a two-year-old boy from Haiti. Both his parents work for a community development non-profit, and Rayan spends his days playing with toys and helping care for the family’s animals. Rayan was born with Tetralogy of Fallot, a congenital heart condition that includes a hole between the two lower chambers of his heart and a muscular blockage of one of his valves. These prevent his body from getting enough oxygen, which leaves him weak and short of breath. On December 8th, Rayan will travel to the United States to undergo cardiac surgery. During the procedure, doctors will sew a patch over the hole in his heart and remove the muscular blockage from the valve so that his blood can flow normally. Another organization has already contributed funding toward the cost of surgery. Our medical partner, International Cardiac Alliance (ICA), is requesting $1,500 to cover pre-surgery expenses, including laboratory tests, medicines, and check-up and follow-up appointments. This support will also help secure travel documents for Rayan’s family and cover travel costs for ICA social workers who will accompany them. “I have been praying for this surgery ever since my son was a small baby. Our family is grateful we will finally have the chance!” Rayan’s mother shares.