Aye is a 13-month-old baby girl from Burma. Aye was born with a meningocele, a mass on the back of her head. Over time, Aye’s mother has noticed that the mass on her daughter’s head has gradually grown. The mass hurts when touched, which causes Aye to cry often and sleep poorly. Aye underwent surgery to remove the mass, and a post-op CT scan revealed enlarged ventricles in Aye's brain. The doctor who operated on Aye wants to get a follow-up CT scan to see if any of her symptoms remain. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $693 to cover the cost of the scan, scheduled to take place on July 17.

Elena is a 38-year-old from Guatemala. She lives with her mother, brother, and two children. A year and a half ago, Elena started to feel a mass in her breast. Since her symptoms started, Elena has been losing weight and feeling weak, which makes her both physically and emotionally fatigued. She also experiences pain when sitting up straight. Elena has been diagnosed with breast cancer. On July 22, Elena will begin receiving comprehensive chemotherapy through our medical partner, Wuqu' Kawoq. She will receive transportation and accompaniment while receiving her treatment. After finishing her chemotherapy sessions, Elena will receive follow-ups with experienced physicians. To help fund her treatment and its associated costs, Wuqu' Kawoq requests $1,461. Elena says, “Right now I am sad for this sickness because I have had to go far away from my family, but I know that it is necessary. I want to get cured because I have to take care of my children because I’m the only one they have. I thank you for this opportunity you are giving me, for the help. I was scared and alone but with the accompaniment you give me I feel better because you understand the doctors and what I mean to say. Thank you so much.”

Faison is a farmer from Malawi. He lives with his wife, and they run a small farm. Faison has a large family, and he is a leader in the church. He enjoys worshipping and working at his church in his free time. Since 2015, Faison has been experiencing pain and urinary difficulty. These symptoms are caused by an enlarged prostate, a condition called benign prostatic hyperplasia. He needs to undergo a prostate resection surgery, a procedure in which surgeons will remove part of the enlarged gland. Our medical partner, World Altering Medicine, is requesting $733 to fund Faison's surgery. On October 12, he will undergo prostate surgery at Nkhoma Hospital, our medical partner's care center. The requested money pays for supplies, medications, and two weeks of hospital stay. He says, "Thank you!"

Phyo is an 11-year-old girl from Burma who lives with her parents. Her parents work in a paddy field, cultivating rice mainly for home consumption and occasionally for sale. When Phyo was one month old, her parents noticed that her right eye appeared white and cloudy. They never sought medical care at the time, particularly because they believed that surgery might worsen Phyo's condition and did not have the resources to focus on Phyo's eyesight. Phyo was recently diagnosed with congenital cataracts, which have caused her to develop partial blindness. Her cataracts have now greatly affected her ability to learn, as her schoolteacher has refused to educate her because of her condition and special needs. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund cataract surgery for Phyo. The procedure is scheduled to take place on June 27 and, once completed, will hopefully restore Phyo's vision to as great of an extent as possible, allowing her to continue with her studies. "I enjoy reading and I am always found studying at home. I hope to be a teacher when I grow up," adds Phyo.

Meet 13-year-old Kwan from Thailand. Kwan is an avid basketball player and he also enjoys going motorcycling with his friends. Kwan is currently in year five at school. Kwan recently fractured his forearm during a basketball game. Doctors at a local hospital advised Kwan that he has a broken bone in his left forearm, for which he requires surgery. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, has arranged for Kwan to undergo surgery on October 4 to reposition the bone into its normal alignment. Kwan's parents are day laborers and cannot afford their son's $1,500 surgery. Kwan shares with us, "I want to be a singer when I grow up!" Let's help him to achieve his dreams.

Elias is a five-month-old boy from Tanzania. He is the first and only child to his parents, who love him dearly. His mother is a tailor, and his father is a construction worker. Three months ago, Elias's mother began noticing that his head was swelling and that he was becoming irritable and sick. She took Elias to a local hospital, where doctors diagnosed him with acquired hydrocephalus, a condition that occurs when a tumor, injury, or disease blocks the absorption of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain. If left untreated, hydrocephalus can cause severe physical and cognitive defects and become life-threatening. On July 12, Elias will receive a endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) insertion, which will create an opening to allow cerebrospinal fluid to flow in and around the brain. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,238 to fund the treatment. “I am grateful for the help," said Elias's mother. "I cannot wait for my child to get better.”

Elisa is a seven-month-old baby girl from Guatemala. She is a lively child who loves to play with her stuffed bear and eat bananas. Elisa has been diagnosed with malnutrition, a condition that results from consuming too little protein, calories, and nutrients. On May 25, Elisa will begin growth monitoring and nutritional supplementation at Clinic Tecpán, our medical partner's care center. Our medical partner, Wuqu’ Kawoq, is asking for $492 to cover the cost of Elisa's food supplementation, as well as an educational program that will teach her mother how to create a nutrient-rich diet for Elisa using limited resources. "We are grateful for the support our daughter will receive," say Elisa's parents. "We hope that through the program she can recover from malnutrition.”

Sok Thorn is a 16-year-old construction worker from Cambodia. He has four siblings, two sisters and two brothers. When not working, Sok Thorn likes to play badminton, watch TV, and listen to music. In January 2016, Sok Thorn was in an accident in which he fractured his right index finger. He was taken to the hospital, where surgeons performed an ORIF procedure. Though his fractured healed, Sok Thorn still cannot bend his finger. On May 17, Sok Thorn will undergo surgery at Kien Khleang National Rehabilitation Centre, our medical partner's care center, to have his finger amputated. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is asking for $446 to cover the cost of Sok Thorn's treatment. After surgery, Sok Thorn will be able to use his hand more comfortably.

Hla is a 55-year-old man who has pyelonephritis and urinary stones. He currently lives in Thailand with his wife, his children, and a grandson. Hla is originally from a village in Burma. Twenty years ago, due to the heavy fighting in the area, Hla and his wife decided to migrate to Mae Sot with their children. Hla and his wife used to work as agricultural day laborers until they retired five years ago. Hla enjoys planting vegetables on a small patch near the house. In early March 2017, Hla started to feel pain in his lower abdomen. He began to experience urinary and bowel dysfunction, and medications did not help. Two days later, he went to our medical partner's clinic and was admitted for three days. He was then sent to the hospital for an x-ray and an ultrasound. Doctors told him that they found a stone in his bladder around the size of a chicken egg. “I never thought I would be this sick in my life. I never expected it to be a big problem,” says Hla. On April 3, Hla will undergo surgery at Mae Sot General Hospital, our medical partner's care center. Surgeons will remove the bladder stone. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund his treatment.

Wense is the youngest of three children. His mother, Christine, works hard as a subsistence farmer on her small plot of land to grow food to support her young family. As a single mother, it is difficult for Christine to earn enough money to send her older children to school. Christine's neighbor provided her with money to take Wense to our medical partner's care center, Bwindi Community Hospital, for treatment. Wense has been diagnosed with severe pediatric malnutrition. Our medical partner, The Kellermann Foundation, has scheduled Wense for a treatment program that is to begin on March 13. Wense will be given medication, milk, and micronutrient supplements. During this time, Wense will stay at Bwindi Community Hospital. The treatment program will cost $316. Your donation will help to support Wense's recovery. "I had heard that I could get help for my child at the hospital, so I am very grateful to God for the donors and my neighbor who have helped us get here," says Christine.

Abner is a nine-month-old baby boy from Guatemala. He lives in a seven-person household and is his mother's first child. Abner is experiencing symptoms of malnutrition, a dangerous condition that results from consuming too few calories and nutrients. In the short term, this means that Abner has little energy to grow, and he also gets sick more often than other children. The long-term consequences of malnutrition include increased risk of chronic diseases and delayed development. While malnutrition can have devastating effects, it is also very treatable. Our medical partner, Wuqu’ Kawoq, is asking for $492 to fund treatment for Abner. On March 30, Abner will begin routine growth monitoring and nutrient supplementation. Local health workers will also teach Abner’s mother about nutrition. These interventions will ensure Abner grows up strong and healthy. Abner's mother is excited to learn how to manage her son's condition. She says, "I want to learn many things to be able to help my son grow in the best way."

Lester is a 12-year-old student and older brother from the Philippines. He has experienced painful abdominal symptoms since he was a baby. Although he loves to play outdoors, the pain sometimes prevents him from doing so. Persistent symptoms have caused Lester to miss long periods of school. Lester's parents work as laborers on a nearby farm, but their income is limited. They could not afford to bring Lester to a doctor. Fortunately, our medical partner, International Care Ministries, visited their community. Lester's parents took the opportunity to get Lester a medical consultation and laboratory tests. Lester was diagnosed with an inguinal hernia, a condition in which intestinal tissue protrudes through the groin. He is scheduled to undergo a repair surgery on January 11. After surgery, Lester will return to school full-time and resume his childhood. The surgery will cost $1,098. Your donation will help pay for the surgeon's fees, one night stay in the hospital, the use of an operating theater, and medication. "We are so blessed that Lester was given a chance to be treated," says Lester's mother. "He is a good child and an industrious one. He is very loving to us, his parents. He really deserves this treatment, but because of our financial status we cannot afford the surgery. Thank you for helping us and my son."