Darian is a five-year-old student who lives in Columbia with his family. He is an intelligent, charismatic, and very friendly boy. His joy and curiosity shine through every day at preschool, where he interacts with his classmates with enthusiasm and warmth. Two years ago, Darian developed an umbilical hernia, a condition in which a small portion of abdominal tissue protrudes through the navel. He has been experiencing discomfort especially when doing everyday activities like playing, jumping, and enjoying his childhood. Darian was assessed by our medical partner, Clínica Noel, and has been scheduled to undergo surgery on May 19th. Now, his family needs help to fund this $1,005 procedure. Darian looks forward to feeling better so he can practice on being a soccer player! His mother says, "As a mother, I would like to express my deepest gratitude for the opportunity given to my son. The support we have received throughout this process will be essential to his well-being and development, and it represents an invaluable source of hope for our future as a family."

Rabiya is a 19-year-old bright and determined university student from Ethiopia. Rabiya shares that being in university is a truly exciting chapter of her life. Between her university studies and being a rock for her two brothers, she stays incredibly busy. But lately, a cyst on her left wrist has been causing her much discomfort. Five months ago, Rabiya felt a sudden, distracting tingling and itchy sensation in the wrist. What started as minor swelling quickly took a turn for the worse; within just a month, the discomfort transitioned into severe, persistent pain. For a busy college student, the pain is affecting even the simplest tasks. Typing up a paper, scribbling notes during a lecture, or carrying heavy textbooks across campus became difficult, which has affected her studies. Rabiya traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On March 14th, surgeons will perform an excisional biopsy to remove the mass. Now, Rabiya needs help to raise $750 to fund this procedure. She says: "More than anything, I’m looking forward to the freedom of moving my wrist without a second thought. I can’t wait to dive back into my studies and my role as a sister, fully present and pain-free."

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.”

Madina is a lively three-year-old girl from Tanzania. She is the last-born child in a family of six children and lives with both her parents. From the moment you meet Madina, her joyful spirit is unmistakable. Her mother describes her as an enthusiastic and social child who interacts easily with other children and brings happiness to those around her. Madina loves playing with dolls and often imitates a classroom setting when playing with her dolls at home. Madina was diagnosed with bilateral genu valgus, a condition that has affected alignment of her legs, causing her to have knocked knees. The condition has made walking increasingly difficult for Madina. Several factors could cause this condition, such as growth disorders, vitamin deficiencies, or excessive fluoride found in contaminated drinking water. As a result, the knees can be angled inwards or outwards, making it difficult to walk and may cause long-term joint damage. As Madina becomes more active, her parents have noticed that the condition is limiting her movement and causing her discomfort. They worry about how this will affect her ability to play, attend school and pursue her dreams. Madina requires a bilateral distal femoral osteotomy (DFO) surgery, which will help straighten her legs and allow her to grow and develop normally. However, her parents are unable to afford the cost of the procedure. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $777 to fund treatment for Madina, which is scheduled to take place on January 12th at our medical partner's care center, Kafika House. Treatment will hopefully restore Madina's mobility, allow her to participate in a variety of activities, and greatly decrease her risk of future complications. Madina’s father says, "We are hopeful that through this treatment, Madina will be able to walk, play and learn without pain, giving her a fair chance to enjoy her childhood."

Patrocenio is a 63-year-old man from the Philippines. Two years ago, Patrocenio consulted a doctor about persistent abdominal pain. At times, the pain was so severe that he could not walk or perform simple daily chores. The attacks came without warning, leaving him uncertain about when the next episode would occur. After examination, the doctor explained that Patrocenio had gallstones and advised that they be removed through surgery. Patrocenio tried to seek help from different hospitals, but has not been able to undergo the surgery he needed. Fortunately, our medical partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines, can help. On January 29th, Patrocenio will undergo gallbladder removal surgery to address his symptoms and allow him to live more comfortably. He needs help to raise $1,325 to fund his procedure and care. Patrocenio shared, "Work had always been on my mind ever since my condition became worse. I want to move normally as I did before - working, doing house chores, and going out more to enjoy even the simplest of things."

Hillary is a 26-year-old devoted father of two young children from Kenya. He works hard as a small-scale farmer together with his wife, growing potatoes on a modest piece of land gifted to him by his parents. Farming is their only source of income, and they strive to provide food, education, and a hopeful future for their family. A week ago, Hillary’s life changed suddenly and tragically. While walking home one evening, he was struck by a motorcycle and sustained a severe open fracture of the tibia, with a deep wound and exposed bone. He was rushed to the hospital, where doctors performed an urgent surgical washout and applied an external fixator to stabilize his leg. Due to the severity of the injury, the plastic surgery team was consulted. Hillary’s condition was extremely serious. Without prompt and skilled surgical care, he faced a high risk of losing his leg to amputation. Determined to save his limb, the surgical team carried out a complex and lengthy operation. After a long day in the operating room, the surgery was successful. Hillary recovered well and was transferred to the ward, where his wound is currently healing nicely. However, during ward rounds, Hillary began complaining of severe pain in his left arm. An X-ray revealed a displaced fracture of the left ulna, which now requires surgical fixation. Without this operation, Hillary risks losing proper function of his hand, further limiting his ability to work and care for his family. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner can help. On December 17th, Hillary will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation. This treatment will not only help save his limb and restore function to his hand but also bring hope to a young family that depends entirely on him. Now, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $861 to fund this procedure. Hillary says, "I have been in the hospital and had a challenge with an identification card. I was wondering how I would pay for bills, but God is indeed faithful. I also had a displaced left arm and require another surgery, please help me so that I can be of help to my family when I fully recover."

Aun is a 52-year-old working father from Phnom Penh, Cambodia. He lives with his wife and youngest daughter, who attends university in the city. His oldest daughter is married and visits often with her family. Before his hip pain, Aun enjoyed exercising in the park and riding his bicycle. Since 2022, Aun has had difficulty walking due to pain in his right hip. He now relies on crutches, which has affected his work and his daily activities. He is unable to stand for long periods of time and wakes up at night from the pain. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, can help. On November 10th, Aun will undergo a hip replacement procedure, which will relieve his pain and improve his mobility, allowing him to work and take care of his family. Aun and his family can contribute $100 toward the cost, but need help raising $1,400 more. Aun shared, “After the surgery, I hope that I can walk without crutches and feel better at work."