Leng is an 84-year-old retired rice farmer from Cambodia. She has two sons, two daughters, and twenty grandchildren. She lives with one of her daughters since her husband passed away six years ago. Her daughter's family works on their farm. Leng enjoys cooking traditional Khmer foods for her family, and going with her grandchildren to a local pagoda. Nine years ago, Leng developed a cataract in her right eye, causing her blurry vision, tearing, and photophobia. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, recognizing faces, and going anywhere outside. When Leng learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for three-and-a-half hours seeking treatment. On August 7th, doctors will perform a small incision cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in her right eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Now, she needs help to fund this $229 procedure. Leng said, "I hope after my eye surgery I can show my family that I am strong and I can walk everywhere myself, and I hope that I can still cook well and make some delicious foods for my grandchildren."

Antonia Tzaj is a hardworking woman from Guatemala. She lives with her husband and three children in a rural community. Antonia Tzaj underwent a pap smear test with the nurses in our medical partner's women's health program, and the results of her pap came back positive. Though Antonia Tzaj does not currently have symptoms, she still needs to undergo a colposcopy, which is a guided biopsy procedure that removes affected areas of the cervix. A colposcopy is often curative for cancerous or precancerous lesions of the cervix, and it is therefore is the best way to prevent the spread of cervical cancer. With $218 in funding, Antonia Tzaj will consult with a specialist who will perform the colposcopy. Even if cancer or pre-cancer is found in her biopsy results, this procedure is often curative. She will be able to continue to work and sustain her family. The procedure is scheduled for September 7. She says, "I have limited resources but I am willing to travel as many times as necessary to combat the disease."

Four-year-old Bin from Cambodia was born with a cataract in each eye. Diagnosed with cataracts as a newborn, Bin’s natural lenses are cloudy instead of clear. With impaired vision, he can’t walk anywhere by himself or play with his younger sister and his friends. He enjoys playing with his toy car. After traveling two hours to reach our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Center (CSC), Bin’s parents are hopeful that Bin can receive funding to see clearly. Bin’s cataract treatment will cost $225. “After a lens aspiration surgery in each eye, Bin will be able to see clearly for the first time in his life,” CSC explains. Bin’s family is hopeful for his recovery. “I hope my son can see everything normally like the other kids so I won’t need to worry about his eyes becoming blind,” shares Bin’s father. “Then, I can bring him to school and he can play with the other kids.”

Meet Yanci, a two-year-old girl from Guatemala and a patient with our medical partner Wuqu’ Kawoq (WK). She is the youngest of three children, and loves to play with her older brothers. "Yanci’s two older brothers are deaf, and now as she is starting to learn how to talk, her parents are seeing similar issues," explains our medical partner, WK. "She is having issues forming words and although she does respond to noises, they have to be louder than what a normal child seems to respond to." $386 funds a multifaceted intervention for Yanci's condition. "She needs testing and speech therapy now to prevent permanent damage to her ability to communicate with others," WK says. " Language therapy will give her tools to communicate, and will provide additional testing to rule out any complications that may need to be addressed." WK continues, "Her family is poor and not only can they not afford the therapy, but they cannot afford the transport to the language center. This therapy will provide Yanci tools to communicate with her family and siblings." Yanci’s mother shares, "I am so worried that she may not be able to hear. I hope this therapy will help her to communicate and help us understand how we can help her more."

Meet San, a 53-year-old woman from Cambodia. “San is married with two sons, one daughter, and four grandchildren. She is a crop farmer. In her free time she enjoys watching social news on TV and doing housework," shares our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC). Three years ago, San developed a pterygium in her right eye. A pterygium occurs when growth starts on the clear tissue of the eye and spreads to the cornea. "This causes her to have blurred vision and experience tearing, irritation, and burning," CSC explains. After learning about CSC, San and her husband son traveled three hours to visit their clinic. They learned that a simple surgical procedure may restore San’s sight. With $150, San will undergo an excision surgery, and her cyst will be removed. “The burning, pain, and irritation will be released. Her right eye will look much better after the operation,” CSC explains. San’s husband son shares, “I hope my wife she can have her cyst removed and not worry about her vision anymore.”

Moniko is 15 years old and lives in Cambodia. The youngest of the family, Moniko has five brothers and three sisters. Besides drinking sour soup and playing with drums, Moniko likes to paint landscapes. He is currently in the eighth grade. Moniko has a misaligned eye that blurs his vision and interferes with his artwork, our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), shares. "I feel so sad because my eye prevents me from looking straight like other people,” says Moniko. "It makes me so shy with everyone, especially when they say I am cross eyed." With $290, CSC shares, "Moniko's eyes will be aligned and his vision will improve.” "In the future I want to be a musician, and I want to go to school looking good and not be shy with anyone," Moniko says.

“My dream is to become a lawyer,” says Claudia, a 20-year-old young woman from Tanzania. “When I am able to take myself to school, that is the career I will pursue." Claudia currently lives with her cousin and has joined a tailoring class. According to our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF), Claudia has bilateral genu valgus, or knocked knees. This condition causes pain and prevents her from walking or standing for extended periods of time. Claudia first noticed this condition when she was three years old, and it has gotten worse in the past two years. "Claudia is worried if nothing is done she may eventually fail to walk due to the pain which keeps on increasing," AMHF shares. “Claudia is at high risk of developing osteoarthritis if not treated." "Claudia’s cousin has her own family to look after and unable to provide the funds needed for Claudia’s operation," AMHF shares. "The same applies to Claudia’s parents who rely on leasing land to get their daily bread." $940 will fund a surgery and casting to correct Claudia’s condition. AMHF expects that after treatment “she will no longer feel the pain that has been disturbing her for a long time, and her chances of developing osteoarthritis at a young age will also decrease."

Meet Grant, a 78-year-old man from Nigeria. Grant is dealing with the effects of benign prostatic hypertrophy with urinary retention. Essentially, this means that Grant has difficulty urinating. Patients with this condition often have trouble emptying their bladder completely, constantly feel as though they need to urinate, or still feel as though they need to urinate even after they are finished. Our medical partner, Hope for West Africa (HFWA), explains, “Grant has been dealing with the inability to pass urine for two years (with a regular infection) as a result of a permanent catheter that was inserted.” With this uncomfortable condition, everyday activities are a struggle. However, for $1,465 Grant’s catheter will be removed and, according to HFWA, “The treatment will enable Grant to live a normal life without urine retention and recurring infection.” Grant is the patriarch of a large family and is excited for the time when he will be able to spend for time with them once again. “Grant is married with seven children,” says HFWA. “He is a loving father and a grandfather. He looks forward to spending more time with his grandchildren when the catheter is removed.”

Christine is a 26-year-old woman from Uganda. As the owner of a small business selling goods at a local market, Christine takes care of her two children and her home. She is currently pregnant with her third child. Our medical partner, The Kellerman Foundation (KF), shares, "What makes her happiest is seeing her children at prayers at home. She and her husband, James, are both excited for this new baby." Because this is her third pregnancy after two cesarean sections, it is necessary for Christine to have a cesarean section with this pregnancy as well. $303 will fund Christine's care to ensure a safe delivery for her and her baby. "Christine wants to thank the donors for their generosity and prays that God rewards them a great deal," KF adds.

“Khaing is a 45-year-old woman who was referred from a clinic in Burma to our treatment centre,” shares our medical partner, Burma Border Projects (BBP). “She has two daughters and one son who are all married and live with their own families. Her husband works as an unloading worker.” BBP tells us that Khaing began noticing abdominal problems two years ago. “She felt a mass in her abdomen when she touched it,” explains BBP. “She first went to the hospital in late 2013 to have her abdomen checked. The doctor performed an ultrasound and said she had a mass in her uterus.” That doctor recommended she travel to another hospital for treatment, but Khaing could not afford it. As it has gone untreated, the mass has been getting larger and Khaing is experiencing more pain. Doctors are now recommending surgery. Khaing had to stop working because of her condition, and her husband now only makes minimal income to support them both. It is not enough to cover the costs of treatment. With our support of $1500, Khaing will receive a hysterectomy to remove the mass. She will spend one to two days recovering at the hospital followed by four to six weeks recovering at home. Doctors anticipate that after the surgery, Khaing won’t experience any more pain. She will be able to get back to her family at home. Khaing is ambitious, and is eager to get back to work. “I want to build my own small shop at home and sell some snacks to generate income to be able to help my husband,” she shares with us.

Meet Maria, a 46-year-old woman who lives in Kenya. “Maria has been a house help in the same household for almost 25 years, and she is originally from Tanzania,” says our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). “Maria has a lump in her right breast. She first felt a lump in her breast last year and went to a local public hospital. After testing, Maria was informed that the lump is benign and it was removed. Early this year, she felt a lump again in the same breast,” AMHF explains. She has been diagnosed with breast cancer and needs a mastectomy to remove the cancerous part of her breast. “We expect that after the surgery and subsequent chemo and radio therapy, Maria will no longer have recurring lumps," AMHF says. “Maria has never been married and is a proud mother of a playful three-year-old boy. Maria's aged parents are small-scale farmers back in Tanzania and are barely able to fend for themselves, and all her siblings are married and raising their own families. Maria goes back home once or twice a year to visit her family,” AMHF explains. "One day I will go back home and start a business that will enable me support my son,” says Maria. A mastectomy will cost $740. AMHF reports, “Maria is not able to raise the funds for her treatment and up to this point, her employer has been catering for all her medical bills. Maria's employer is not able to raise the funds needed for Maria's surgery.” Let's help Maria be cancer-free so she can continue to work and care for her son.

“Eric is shy,” shares our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). “He likes to play with mud - building some houses and shapes of people and other things.” This is Eric, an adorable, three-year-old boy from Tanzania. “Eric is the only child to his mother, who is a single parent. She loves her son very much and works very hard to take good care of him,” continues AMHF. “She sells some vegetables and fruits at an open market in their village. The little that she earns is not enough to cover the cost of operation which her son needs.” Eric has bilateral genu valgus, a condition in which the knees angle inward and touch one another when the legs are straightened. “Eric is unable to walk without knocking his knees. It is difficult for him to run or walk fast and compete with other children when playing,” reports AMHF. “If not treated, Eric’s gait will continue to be affected and chances of developing osteoarthritis at an early age will increase.” Eric’s mother remarks, “I am worried that my son may fail to walk later on if the condition keeps getting worse.” With $940 in funding, Eric will undergo a combination of casting and surgery that will realign his knee joint and thighbone, straightening his legs. This cost includes the procedure, hospital stay, cast change, medication, labs, outpatient physiotherapy, and a stay at the Plaster House (a recovery center for kids). “Eric’s gait will improve, he will be able to walk without knocking his knees, and chances of developing osteoarthritis will also decrease,” explains AMHF. “I dream of seeing him as a successful, influential young man in the future,” Eric's mother shares. “I want him to live a better life than mine.”