Hai is a 21-year-old construction worker from Cambodia. During his free time, he plays football and helps his family on their farm. Hai has chronic otitis media -- or chronic ear infections -- also coupled with a perforated tympanic membrane. According to our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC), “When Hai was 12 years old, he began experiencing chronic discharge from his left ear. Over time this infection has perforated his tympanic membrane and caused hearing loss, tinnitus, and pain.” Hai says of his condition, “It is difficult for me to communicate with other people because I cannot hear well.” Hai travelled two hours to reach CSC, accompanied by his aunt. With $399, Hai will receive a myringoplasty, a procedure in which a surgeon will repair the hole in Hai’s eardrum with skin grafts. After the surgery, the discharge and pain will stop. Hai will experience fewer ear infections and his hearing will improve. Hai shares, “I hope the ear discharge stops and I will have good hearing."

Meet Bora, a 21-year-old man from Cambodia. Our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC), shares: “After Bora finished grade 12, he began working in a garment factory making clothes. He is unmarried, and has two sisters and one brother. He likes listening to the radio and playing football with his neighbors in the village.” When Bora was six years old, he began to notice discharge, or otorrhea, coming from his right ear. Bora has a condition known as cholesteatoma (abnormal skin growth in the middle ear) and otorrhea is one of the major symptoms. According to CSC, Bora’s cholesteatoma is the source of recurrent discharge, hearing loss, and ear pain. "I have discharge everyday, which makes me unhappy,” says Bora. “I also cannot work anymore because of the pain." After hearing about CSC from a friend, Bora and his brother traveled two hours to visit the clinic. While there, they learned that Bora’s condition can be treated with a mastoidectomy. For $225, Bora will undergo a mastoidectomy. During this procedure, Bora’s mastoid air cells will be removed, lessening Bora’s discharge and allowing him to regain his hearing. Bora’s brother expresses, "I hope that after the operation my brother won't have any pain and his hearing will improve."

Meet Mary Lady, a seven-year-old girl who lives with her mother in the Philippines. When Mary Lady isn’t in school, she is expressing herself through her drawings or playing with some friends. Mary Lady has had some gastrointestinal issues in the past, which caused her to get a portion of her colon removed. Following this procedure, Mary Lady had to get a colostomy bag which collects stool outside of her body. Mary Lady is often bullied in school because of the smell that comes from her colostomy bag. She has also been having recurrent infections around the area where the bag is located. Mary Lady’s intestinal issues have been linked to Hirschsprung’s disease, a congenital disorder in which some nerves that allow the colon to contract and relax do not form. If she does not receive treatment for this disorder, she will have to wear a colostomy bag for the rest of her life. Fortunately, Hirschsprung’s disease can be treated with anal surgery. According to our medical partner, International Care Ministries, “The treatment will create a normal passage of stool for Mary Lady so that after it, she can have a complete treatment. After the treatment, she will be able to have another surgery that would close the colostomy.” For $965, all of Mary Lady’s surgical expenses will be covered, including seven days of hospital stay. “I am hoping and praying that my daughter will receive complete healing through your help, and that she will be able to live a normal life just like any other kid,” shares Mary Lady's mother.

"Ramadhani is a friendly and talkative four-year-old boy," shares our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). "He likes attention and to be close to people, playing with other children even when sometimes they are a bit scared of the scar on his eye." Ramadhani suffered extensive injuries from a household accident. "One evening, as Ramadhani was walking towards the kitchen door he accidentally hit a pan of hot water," says AMHF. "The water came pouring on him, leaving him with severe wounds. He lost his vision in one eye, and only after a long time did the wound on his chest, back and arm heal." Ramadhani continues to suffer from a contracture in his right elbow. "Ramadhani cannot straighten his arm, which limits his ability to play," says AMHF. "If untreated, he will not be able to fully use his arm." "Ramadhani doesn’t mind...he is a happy boy and loves being outside playing with wooden cars and other children," AMHF tells us. "His parents have spent a lot of money on his treatment, and they can no longer afford the cost of operation which their son needs." With $550 in funding, Ramadhani will receive surgery to remedy the contracture in his right elbow. “We really hope that our son will be able to properly use his right arm," shares Ramadhani's father. "We will work hard to take him to school so that later on he can get a good career and not pity what happened to him when he was a child."

“I want to fight for my little one. I want him to be healthy and strong like his siblings,” says the mother of Luciano, a three-year-old boy from Guatemala who loves looking at picture books and playing make-believe with his sister. Luciano came to our medical partner, Wuqu’ Kawoq (WK), with developmental delays. “Luciano was born normal and healthy but over time began to have regular seizures and fevers,” explains WK. “Luciano also suffers from malnutrition. He is hospitalized every 15 to 30 days, and his mother is running out of money to afford his medical care.” The financial impact of Luciano’s care has made it difficult for his mother to buy food for the family and school supplies for his five siblings. Her time away from work to accompany Luciano to the hospital also decreases the amount of money available to support the family. $1,385 will fund a thorough diagnostic work-up, treatment, and ongoing therapy for Luciano. “This treatment will allow Luciano to receive medical visits, the correct anti-seizure medication and physical/speech therapy,” says WK. “This will improve his quality of life, ability to communicate, and potential for success. His health will improve, and he will not have to go to the hospital regularly.” Let’s help make that happen for Luciano!

“Chanthy really likes to listen to the monks praying,” shares our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC). Meet Chanthy, this smiling 60-year-old woman from Cambodia. “Chanthy has a pterygium that causes her much pain and irritation,” explains CSC. A ptergyium is a non-cancerous growth that forms on the conjunctiva—the mucous membrane that covers the cornea. This condition is caused by prolonged sun exposure which causes damage to the eye. Cambodia’s proximity to the equator makes pterygium a common condition among this population. Ptyergium leads to decreased vision, irritation, and itchiness. “Chanthy’s face is always red and puffy and it makes her self-conscious,” continues CSC. Without surgical intervention, Chanthy will continue to experience regular discomfort. $150 will fund the procedure Chanthy needs to remove the affected conjunctiva from her eye. After the growth is removed, an opthalomogist will place a conjunctival graft to prevent recurrence of the growth. CSC expects Chanthy to return to normal vision within 1-2 weeks. CSC adds, “after surgery she looks forward to regaining her independence, having no more pain, taking care of her grandchildren and helping clean around the house.”

76-year-old Choeun is a grandfather from Cambodia. "Choeun has had cataracts in both of his eyes for three years," says our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC). "He is confined to his home and can't really see faces. If he wants to go outside he must have one of his grandchildren escort him." In order to treat his cataracts, Choeun needs surgery to replace his clouded lens with artificial lens, which will entirely restore his vision. $225 will fund surgery for both of his eyes, which will take place one week apart. "Choeun is married with ten children and six grandchildren. He enjoys listening to the radio, doing yardwork with the assistance of a grandchild, and playing with his grandchildren," CSC adds. "After his surgery, he looks forward to going to the pagoda alone, planting veggies around his house, and spending more time with his grandchildren." Let's help make it happen!

Meet Orn, a husband and father of three children from Cambodia. Our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC), shares that Orn has an appreciation for music and enjoys “watching music videos on TV and listening to Khmer classical music on the radio.” “Three months ago, Orn was in a moto accident that left him with a broken arm,” CSC informs us. Due to the humerus fracture sustained from the accident, “he has not been able to work since the accident and he can’t even do much to help around the house. He is so sad because he cannot provide money for his family.” $405 will fund Orn’s operation to surgically correct his humerus. After undergoing surgery, ten days of hospitalization and physiotherapy sessions, “Orn will be able to use his arm again and return to work,” CSC says. Orn is enthusiastic about a successful surgery so that he will once again be able to support his wife, daughter, and sons.

Meet Kadogo, an eight-year-old girl from Tanzania who has a clubfoot – a condition that prevents her from walking normally. “Kadogo is using the lateral aspect of her feet for walking, which is painful," reports our partner African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). "If not treated, Kadogo will never have a normal gait and she will most likely have an increased risk of developing osteoarthritis at a young age." Kadogo is the sixth of seven children in her family. AMHF tells us, “She is in kindergarten and enjoys singing the ABC’s and counting numbers. She also likes to play ball games. Kadogo’s father is a night guard at a private organization and her mother is a homemaker and also does a little bit of farming. Kadogo’s parents work hard to take care of their children. It has just been difficult to come up with enough money to pay for the treatment which Kadogo needs." For $1160, we can heal Kadogo’s clubfoot and allow her to walk normally. After treatment, AMHF explains, “Kadogo’s gait will improve. She will be able to walk on a plantigrade and have a reduced risk of developing osteoarthritis at a young age."

“My wish is to be able to walk again so that I can at least visit my neighbors, children, grandchildren and have the ability to do a few chores at home and not become completely dependent on other people to look after me,” says Sabas. Sabas is a seventy-year-old man from Tanzania. He is a husband, father of four, and a grandfather. Sabas used to be a farmer. Sabas has difficulty walking without pain, due to osteoarthritis, a degenerative joint disease, in his right knee. The pain on Sabas’s right knee started ten years ago and has been increasing since then. Now, the osteoarthritis has advanced so far that his right knee has bent inwards making it painful to walk. "It has become very difficult for Sabas to walk even a short distance due to excruciating pain on his right knee. It is especially difficult to stand up from a sitting position. If not treated, Sabas will end up becoming a bedridden person and completely dependent on other people," reports our medical partner, the African Mission Healthcare Foundation. A total knee replacement will allow Sabas to walk without pain. He is covered by the national health insurance fund, but this does not cover the whole cost of total knee replacement. Let's raise $960 and help Sabas be the active man he wants to be!

Meet Aydarus, a 26-year old man living in Somaliland. He sustained severe burns in an accident, and has had to travel 16 hours round-trip to receive constant treatment in the last year, including skin grafts. Aydarus needs further medical care, but is unable to afford it since he hasn't been able to work since his accident. For $1,500 he will receive the care his wounds need as well as have his bilateral axillary contractures released, which will allow him to "be able to move his arms more freely...and therefore obtain more autonomy in his daily living" shares our partner, Edna Adan Hospital (EAH). “Aydarus is looking forward to the end of his treatment so he can start 'fresh,'" adds EAH. Let's help him get there!

Meet Mariano, a 60-year-old father of eight living in Guatemala with his wife. Mariano used to work as a health promoter in his rural farming community, until his condition worsened and kept him from working. Mariano has severe diabetes, a long-term condition characterized by high blood sugar. This high blood sugar results from two possible sources - either the body doesn’t produce enough insulin, or the body doesn’t properly respond to insulin. “Because of severe diabetes-related symptoms, blurred vision, fatigue and dizziness, [Mariano] has been unable to work,” our medical partners at Wuqu’ Kawoq (WK) explain. “He’s had three hospitalizations for severe high blood glucose in the last few months. He can’t afford the medicine, and without urgent intervention he is in danger of dying from this condition.” “I want to feel well, I want to spend time with my family, I want to watch my grandchildren grow up,” Mariano tells us. For $450, we can fund the treatment Mariano needs for his acute diabetes. His doctors at WK expect that the treatment will result in “resolved severe high blood sugars, prevention of hospitalization and death, [and the] ability to spend time with his family.” Let’s come together to make this happen for Mariano!