Agness is 59 years old and a farmer from Malawi. She is married with nine children. Eighteen years ago, Agness began to experience troubling symptoms, including a small lump on her neck that grew bigger over time, causing problems with swallowing meals. She visited the nearest hospitals, where she was given some medications after the diagnosis of goiter was made, yet to no avail. With time, she couldn't carry heavy items on her head, concentrate on farm work, and was always tired. She was then referred to our medical partner's care center, Partners in Hope Medical Center (PIH), for support. Agness was diagnosed with a goiter, 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 Agness receive treatment. On March 10th, she will undergo a thyroidectomy, 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. "Words fail me; thank you in advance, you have space in heaven; your care has already given me hope that all will be well in the end," Agness said.

Pu is a 42-year-old man from Burma. He lives with his parents and older brother in a refugee camp in Tak Province, Thailand. His parents are retired, while his older sister works in the banana farm outside of the camp. Pu has stopped working since his accident in 2024. In his free time, he loves to hunt rats or mice in the forest to help them get by every month. Pu underwent a colostomy, in which the end of the colon is brought through an opening in the abdominal wall. This surgery is often performed to bypass bowel malformations, but colostomies are usually temporary and may call for reversal. In Pu's case, his colostomy requires reversal to restore bowel function and prevent future complications. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to cover the cost of a reverse colostomy for Pu. The surgery is scheduled to take place on March 10th and, once completed, will hopefully allow him to live more comfortably and confidently, and return to work. Pu said, "I want to recover and find work. Now with my colostomy bag, it prevents me from working. Thank you for helping me."

Ashley is a four-year-old preschooler from Haiti. She lives with her parents and one younger sister in an agricultural village in central Haiti. Her parents both work as farmers and raise animals. Ashley likes listening to music on the radio and singing in church. Ashley has a cardiac condition called patent ductus arteriosus. A hole exists between two major blood vessels next to her heart. Blood leaks through this hole, leaving her weak and short of breath. Ashley will fly to the Dominican Republic to receive treatment. On May 13th, she will undergo cardiac surgery at Hospital CEDIMAT, during which doctors will use a device on the end of a catheter to plug the hole in her heart, so that blood can no longer leak through it. Another organization, International Cardiac Alliance, is contributing $4,000 to pay for the surgery. Ashley's family also needs help to fund the costs of surgery prep. Our medical partner, International Cardiac Alliance, is requesting $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 Ashley's family overseas. Ashley's mother said: "We will be so happy when we can stop worrying so much about our daughter's health!"

Kelvin is an 18-year-old from Kenya. His mother is single and bringing up six children. She has had to depend on small-scale farming and casual jobs in her village to meet her children's needs and schooling. She describes raising her children as the most challenging journey of her life. Kelvin was involved in a serious road traffic accident one day while riding his brother's motorbike back home. He sustained an open fracture to his leg that was initially fixated and stabilized. Unfortunately, his recovery was beset with a series of recurrent infections, leading to a long and painful recovery and many hospital admissions. After his initial discharge, Kelvin continued his recovery at home with regular wound dressings. However, his condition worsened when he developed a sinus tract (a connection between a deep infection and the skin), and it was clear that his infection was persisting. He was readmitted to the hospital and eventually needed a skin graft and further antibiotics. The cost of this was provided by SAFE and this procedure was successful. Through it all, Kelvin endured chronic pain and disability, repeated surgeries, long hospital stays, and uncertainty became his daily reality. His mother has been by his side for all his procedures, but this has caused her considerable financial hardship. After many months Kelvin's wound is finally healed with no signs of infection. It is a remarkable recovery considering everything he has been through. But his recovery journey is not yet quite complete. The cost of his multiple surgeries has already exhausted all available resources, and his mother is unable to fund the last stage of Kelvin's recovery and treatment. Despite the substantial progress made, Kelvin’s leg remains unstable due to his partially healed fracture. He cannot walk without crutches, and even then, movement is painful and limited. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner can help. On March 18th, Kelvin will undergo a fracture repair procedure. For him to regain full function and return to a normal life, he now requires internal fixation with a bone graft, a crucial procedure to ensure proper bone healing. Now, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,014 to fund this procedure. Kelvin says, "I have been through a lot of surgeries and am looking forward to a day when I will walk without support. Please help me achieve my dream of helping my mother."

Noosokon is a 34-year-old mother of four from Kenya. She and her husband own two cows, relying on livestock farming for their family's livelihood. A few days ago, Noosokon was milking one of the cows, as was her daily routine, when the cow suddenly struck her on the right side of her jaw, pushing her against a sharp object that severely injured her face. She began bleeding and was in severe pain. She was rushed to a nearby health center before being referred to a hospital for further management. At the hospital, she received first aid treatment, including stitches to the open wound, and was given pain medication before being referred to our medical partner's care center, AIC Kijabe Hospital, for specialized care. Scans at the hospital revealed that her jaw had been fractured during the incident. Unfortunately, she has not been able to undergo treatment because her family is not able to raise the amount required for surgery. Her jaw remains swollen, and she has been unable to eat due to the pain and swelling; she can only take milk. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner can help. On March 3rd, Noosokon will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation. This procedure will help relieve her pain, help her heal and go back to her daily life. Now, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,115 to fund this procedure. Noosokon says, “I am in pain. I am unable to sleep due to the swelling.”

Htee is a 51-year-old man from Burma who currently lives in a refugee camp in Tak Province, Thailand. He lives with his wife, their three children, and his brother-in-law’s family. The family moved to the camp in September 2024 so that Htee could seek medical treatment in Thailand. His wife and brother-in-law work as agricultural day laborers, while Htee is unable to work due to his health condition. In June 2021, Htee began experiencing troubling symptoms. Doctors diagnosed him with urinary tract stones and prescribed oral medication, which helped improve his condition for a period of time. In August 2024, Htee's symptoms worsened. After several consultations and tests, doctors diagnosed him with a prostate urethral stone and recommended shockwave lithotripsy, a procedure that uses high-energy shock waves directed via X-ray or ultrasound to shatter kidney stones. Htee is scheduled to undergo treatment on February 2nd. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund this procedure. With treatment, Htee hopes to recover and regain his ability to support his family. “I feel helpless and unable to support my family,” said Htee. “My wife has to be the breadwinner in this family, which makes me very sad. We are struggling financially, and I can’t even send my children to school. I am grateful for the support with my treatment and hope to be free from this suffering.”

Ar is a 40-year-old woman from Burma. She lives with her husband and their six children in a refugee camp in Tha Song Yang District, Tak Province, Thailand. Ar and her family have been living in the camp for around nine years. Her husband helps his brother as a shopkeeper, while their children go to school in the camp. During her free time, she enjoys watching movies on her phone and spending time with her children. Ar is pregnant, and the doctors at the camp recommend she deliver via a c-section due to a high-risk pregnancy. This way, doctors can ensure the safety of both mother and child. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is helping Ar undergo a C-Section on December 16th. This procedure will cost $1500, and Ar needs your support. Ar said, “When I heard that my baby is in the wrong position and needs surgery to deliver him, I started feeling worried and stressed. I asked my brother-in-law to let me borrow money, but he told us that he cannot, as he does not have much either. I do not know what to do, which makes me more stressed and worried when it is closer to my due date. Finally, I am very happy to hear that there will be an organization that will help pay for my surgery cost. Thank you so much to BCMF and all your donors for your kind support. I still do not know where to look for money without your support. Thank you so much for helping me.”

Valentina is a 14-month-old girl from Bolivia. She has five older siblings and loves to laugh and play with her family. Her father works as a driver, and her mother sells food. When she was a young baby, Valentina's parents noticed she was always agitated and couldn't breathe normally, so they took her to the doctor who diagnosed a heart condition called ventricular septal defect. This means there is a hole between the two lower chambers of her heart and blood leaks through this hole instead of circulating normally, leaving her weak and short of breath. Valentina also has Down syndrome. On December 3rd, Valentina will undergo heart surgery at our medical partner's care center, Hospital del Niño Dr. Ovidio Aliaga Uría. During surgery, surgeons will sew a patch over the hole in her heart so that blood will no longer leak through it. Valentina's family needs help to fund the costs of cardiac care and surgery. Our medical partner, International Cardiac Alliance, requests $1,500 to cover the cost of cardiac exams and diagnostics, surgical costs, follow-up care, and medications. Valentina's father said, "Valentina is a sweet little girl, we hope everything goes well, so she can have a healthy heart!"

Angella is 46 years old and a single mother of two from Malawi. She sells jewelry and used to earn about $288.50 per month when she was in good health. However, her illness has significantly affected her business due to frequent hospital visits, which have drained her income. For two years, Angella has been experiencing severe pain on the left side of her abdomen, where a swelling had developed, accompanied by a backache. She promptly visited the hospital, where she was given painkillers. As time went by, the pain resurfaced, prompting more hospital visits. She has been diagnosed with uterine fibroids and needs a Total Abdominal Hysterectomy (TAH), a procedure in which surgeons will remove her uterus. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,363 to fund Angella's surgery. On October 7th, she will undergo gynecological surgery at our medical partner's care center, Partners in Hope Medical Center. Once recovered, Angella will be able to resume her daily activities free of pain. Angella shared, "I wish I could have peace of mind through surgery to get rid of pains, backache, and anemia."