Grace is a four-month-old baby girl who lives with her parents and great-grandmother in a single-room house in Kenya. In October 2015, at only two weeks old, Grace underwent surgery to treat spina bifida, a birth defect characterized by the incomplete closure of the backbone and membranes around the spinal cord. “She was treated successfully and recovered from the surgery,” our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF), tells us. “Two months later, Grace’s parents noticed that her head was increasing in size much faster than the rest of her body,” AMHF continues. They returned to the hospital, where Grace was diagnosed with acquired hydrocephalus, an accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain. “Grace is at a risk of brain stem compression due to the increased pressure from the excessive fluid in her head,” AMHF explains. To drain the excess fluid, Grace needs a shunt placed in her brain to divert the fluid to her abdomen, where it can be resorbed by her body. Grace’s mother is a small-scale farmer, and her father is a tractor driver who works on a casual basis. “My husband’s small income is mostly spent on taking care of our grandmother,” shares Grace’s mother. “We are therefore not able to raise funds towards Grace’s surgery.” For $615, Grace will undergo surgery and spend five days in the hospital as she recovers. Funding also covers the costs of imaging, blood work, and medicine. “Grace’s surgery will help regulate her intracranial pressure and prevent brain stem compression that can result in death,” predicts AMHF. Let’s help fund surgery for baby Grace!

Kyaw is a 39-year-old farmer who lives with his wife and four children in Burma. He was referred to our medical partner, Burma Border Projects (BBP), after being diagnosed with a urinary tract infection and kidney stones. “Two years ago, Kyaw started to feel back pain and pain when he urinated,” explains BBP. “He also felt some numbness, and it was difficult to pass urine.” At that time, Kyaw borrowed money to pay for diagnostic tests, but he was unable to pay for the recommended procedures. Since then, Kyaw has been hospitalized twice and had the larger of two kidney stones removed. “Kyaw recovered well from this surgery,” BBP tells us. “He is now scheduled for removal of the kidney stone in his other kidney.” In addition to farming, Kyaw also works as an agricultural day laborer, raises and sells chickens, and grows rice and vegetables for his family. Despite his hard work, the family is not able to save money and will sometimes borrow money for unexpected expenses. For $1,500, Kyaw will undergo surgery to remove the kidney stone. An additional $3,099 from Burma Children Medical Fund will help to cover the costs of transportation to and from the hospital, pre-surgical consultations and tests, eight days of hospital care, and a follow-up visit after surgery. “Following surgery, Kyaw will not have recurring urinary tract infections, fever and back pain,” says BBP. “He will be able to work without pain and continue to support his family.”