Mao is a 52-year-old rice farmer from Cambodia. She is married with one son and three daughters. Her two oldest daughters work in a nearby garment factory to help support the family. Her other children are in middle and high school. In her free time, Mao likes to listen to the news on the radio and cook for her family. In July, after a big rainstorm, Mao slipped and fell in the rice paddy and broke her arm. It is difficult for her to move her hand, and she is experiencing pain and discomfort. Mao has only been able to work a few days since the accident. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), can help. On August 15th, Mao will undergo a fracture repair procedure to alleviate her pain and help restore function in her hand and arm. CSC is requesting $483 to fund this procedure. Mao contributed $100 to her care. She shared, "I hope I can have surgery so I can return to work and do my job properly."

Meet Sabina: a married mother of six children aged 23, 16, 12, 10, 6 and 4 years from Malawi. She is a farmer together with her husband. Her first child is married with one child and the rest of the children are in primary school except the last born who is yet to join school. Sabina likes chatting with her children and enjoys eating nsima made from maize flour with vegetables. Sabina was well until 18 months ago when she noted a small lump on her right breast that was not painful. She visited the nearest hospital where she was referred to Kamuzu Central Hospital (KCH) for further assessments. At KCH, different tests were done, and a diagnosis of invasive ductal carcinoma was made followed by four cycles of neo-adjuvant therapy during September 2023. Sabina was later scheduled for surgery that same month, but unfortunately she did not report back since her last child was sick and admitted to the hospital for malaria. On January 16th this year, Sabina went back to KCH where she was referred to our medical partner's care center PIH for a modified radical mastectomy. Of late, Sabina has been experiencing needle pricking pains that are becoming unbearable without pain-relieving medications plus backache, weakness, and leg & chest pains affecting her farm work plus household chores. Sabina believes the surgical operation will help her get back to her normal condition and for her to continue taking care of her children and resume her farm work. Sabina said, “It is better to remain with one breast than have two with problems, I will move on with one breast.”

Victoria is a 3-month-old baby from Bolivia. She lives with her mother in a neighborhood in La Paz. Her mother makes and sells handcrafted hats for a living. Victoria was born with a cardiac condition called Total anomalous pulmonary vein return. With this condition, the major blood vessels connect to Victoria's heart at abnormal locations, making it difficult for blood to flow through her lungs and leaving her weak and short of breath. Fortunately, our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, can help Victoria receive the treatment she needs. On July 12th, she will undergo cardiac surgery, during which the doctors will disconnect the blood vessels and reattach them at the anatomically correct locations. Our medical partner is requesting $1,500 to fund VIctoria's surgery costs. Victoria's mother said, "I am very hopeful that my daughter will be able to breathe normally and gain weight after this surgery!"

10 year old Dennis is the third child in a family of four children, all of whom study at a local primary school. Dennis' father - who is from Uganda - and his mother - who is from Kenya - separated several years ago. Now Dennis and his siblings live with their mother in Marakwet West, Kenya, where Dennis' mother is a casual laborer, working on local farms. On weekends and holidays, Dennis and his siblings assist their mother in her work, so as to earn additional money for the family. While helping a neighbor cut animal feed into small pieces, Dennis' hand was injured by a chaff cutter. When Dennis was brought to the hospital, it was determined that several of the fingers on his right hand had been damaged. Two of the fingers had to be amputated right away, while the third finger subsequently developed gangrene, and also needed to be amputated. While Dennis has recovered from his injuries, the wound on his hand has never healed completely. The surgeon advised the family that Dennis requires skin grafting, in order to replace the skin that he lost when his hand was injured, and to ensure the total healing of the wound. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is here to help. They are requesting $1,089 to fund Dennis' skin grafting procedure, which is scheduled for May 19th, at AIC Kapsowar Hospital. This procedure will enable Dennis to fully recover, so that he can return to school, and resume the life of a 10 year old boy. Dennis's mother said: "It is so sad that my son has lost his fingers, but I am grateful to God that he is still alive. I am looking forward to seeing him get well so that he may continue with his education and become successful in life. Kindly help him so that he may recover well."

Naw Bay is a 36-year-old woman from Thailand. She lives with her husband and five children in a refugee camp in Mae Hong Son Province, Thailand. Originally from Karenni State, Burma, she and her family fled to the refugee camp in 2011 due to armed conflict in their area. Naw Bay is a homemaker, while her husband is a laboratory staff at the hospital in the refugee camp. All of her children go to school in the refugee camp. During her free time, Naw Bay enjoys foraging for bamboo shoots near the refugee camp. In 2018, Naw Bay gave birth to twin boys. She gave birth to her first son at the hospital in the refugee camp but had difficulty delivering her second son and had to undergo an emergency C-section at Mae Sariang Hospital. Afterwards, she had postpartum hemorrhage and anemia. In January 2023, Naw Bay became pregnant again and has been receiving regular antenatal care at the hospital in the refugee camp. Doctor told her she would need to have a C-section again so that doctors can ensure the safety of both mother and child. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is helping Naw Bay undergo a C-Section on October 4th. This procedure will cost $1500, and Naw Bay and her family need your support. Naw Bay hopes for a better life for her and her family in the future. She said, “I would love to relocate to another country so that my children can have a better future."

Ma Tin is a 41-year-old mother from Burma. She lives with her husband and three sons in Karen State - an area with conflict and lots of uncertainty and insecurity for the people who live there. Her husband is a day laborer and her three sons are students. Ma Tin is a homemaker but she also sells vegetables sometimes to earn extra money. Her husband's income is usually enough to cover their basic needs, but they sometimes rely on financial support of their adult children. In her free time, she enjoys playing with her children. She is currently expecting a baby and her doctors recommend that she deliver via a caesarean section because she started to leak amniotic fluid at 32 weeks. On April 3rd, she experienced pain and the doctor scheduled her to undergo an emergency c-section to ensure the safety of both mother and child. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is helping Ma Tin undergo a C-Section on April 4th at Taw Win Thu Kha Hospital. This procedure will cost $1328, and Ma Tin needs your support. Ma Tin said, "When I learned that I would need a c-section, I lost hope. I thought about giving birth at home and if I were lucky, I would be able to give birth like before [without complications]. If not, I would die. Now that I was told that there would be donors to help pay for my c-section, I felt so happy. You are a miracle that appeared in my life to help me when I needed it with the cost of my surgery. Thank you so much to all the staff and donors who are willing to help me."

Kanha is a 21-year-old woman from Cambodia who lives with her family. She has three brothers and two sisters who also still live at home with their parents. Because of an unknown birth condition, she does not speak, so she has never attended school. She occasionally helps out her family by harvesting fruit from local orchards to earn extra income. On March 4th, Kanha fell from a mango tree while collecting fruit and injured her back. She experiences severe pain in her neck and back and is unable to walk. Her family took her to a local provincial hospital, but they could not pay for her care. Instead, the doctors recommended that the family drive four hours to the capital city of Phnom Penh for treatment. She has been diagnosed with a fractured spin and requires surgery. Fortunately, our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), is helping Kanha receive treatment. On March 10th, doctors at CSC will perform a spinal laminectomy with metal implants to stabilize her spinal column. A laminectomy enlarges the spinal canal to relieve pressure on the spinal cord. Now, Kanha and her family need help raising $1,500 to fund her procedure and care. The cost includes hospitalization, surgery, implants, physical therapy, and medications. After recovery, Kanha's pain should improve significantly, and she should have full mobility after four to eight weeks. Kanha's mother shared, "we hope after surgery, my daughter will no longer be in pain and will be able to walk."

Abnet, a precious 9-month-old baby girl from Ethiopia, has captured our hearts with her beauty and spirit. She is the only child of her young 20-year-old parents. Her father works alongside his own father as a coffee farmer, while her mother lovingly tends to their home. Despite not having had the opportunity for formal education, they pour their efforts into providing for their family through the limited farming they do, though it yields barely enough to sustain them. From the very beginning, Abnet's parents demonstrated their determination to seek medical care for their daughter, even in the face of financial challenges. Abnet was born with a congenital anorectal malformation, a condition that disrupts bowel function due to a partial or complete blockage of the intestines. In order to alleviate her suffering and restore her health, she must undergo a series of intricate procedures. Their family initially went to a government hospital, where they were referred to another medical facility. Sadly, their hopes were dashed as they were asked to return two years later. Recognizing the worsening state of Abnet's health, they reached out to a local social worker, sharing their child's condition. Fortunately, the social worker was able to introduce them to our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH). Abnet underwent a thorough evaluation leading to a recommendation for the necessary surgery. Abnet is now scheduled for surgery on August 15th. AMH is requesting $1500 to help fund her procedure. Following her successful recovery, Abnet will be a healthy little girl, able to resume normal activities. Abnet's mother shared, "When we first learned of our daughter's condition, a sense of worry and helplessness engulfed us. The path forward seemed uncertain and daunting. Despite the challenges we faced, we relentlessly pursued treatment for our beloved child. Though previous avenues turned us away, the administrative office introduced us to this lifeline of support. We embraced it with hope, and it has brought us to this moment, filled with gratitude and anticipation."

Ruth is an 11-year-old girl from the Eastern region of Kenya. She is in Grade 5 and is the youngest of three children. Her father is a local farmer and her mother mother is a homemaker. They live in a traditional mud house. She is a jovial and social young girl who aspires to become a doctor in the future so that she can help children in need of different treatments. When Ruth was 7 years old, her mother began to notice an unusual knee deformity which greatly affected her mobility. Her walking style is characterized by limping, and she cannot walk long distances. This has greatly affected her studies, as she is unable to attend school which is quite a distance away. Ruth is scheduled for a knee repair surgery with our medical partner African Mission Healthcare (AMH) on July 17th. Ruth and her family are requesting $1,224 to fully fund the procedure. This surgery will enable her to walk without pain and to attend school. It will also greatly boost her self-esteem and enable her to interact with her friends at school. Ruth’s mother said, “I am pleading for support for my daughter to undergo surgery and continue with her normal life like other children.”

Naw is a 47-year-old mother from Burma. Her whole family is now unemployed as they moved from Burma due to conflict near their village. She enjoys gardening and growing flowers in her free time. Naw was diagnosed with a heart condition that involves a malformation of her mitral valve, the valve between the left atrium and left ventricle. This valve controls the flow of blood, but certain conditions may cause blood to flow backward or the valve to narrow. Currently, Naw has difficulty breathing, tiredness, and trouble sleeping at night. She often has headaches and feels dizzy. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund a mitral valve replacement for Naw. The treatment is scheduled to take place on June 16th and, once completed, will hopefully allow her to live more comfortably. Naw said, “I felt very happy when I heard about you. I almost cried from happiness. I hope that I can recover completely. After I am treated, I want to get a suitable job that is comfortable enough for me because I do not want to feel tired like this again.”

Maylin, who is 14 months old, lives with her parents and two older siblings in the mountains of central Bolivia. Her father is a truck driver, while her mother is a farmer and a homemaker. Maylin was born with Down syndrome and a cardiac condition called ventricular septal defect, in which a hole exists between the two lower chambers of her heart. Blood leaks through this hole without passing through the lungs to obtain oxygen, leaving her weak and short of breath. Maylin will need surgery to correct her cardiac defect. Our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, is seeking $1,500 to fund Maylin's surgery, which is scheduled to take place on May 16th at Hospital del Niño Dr. Ovidio Aliaga Uría. This surgery will enable Maylin to lead a healthy and happy life. Maylin's mother said: "Our family would like to say thank you to everyone who is helping our daughter get better!"