Three month old Keziah lives with her parents and two older siblings in Kenya. Her father, who works as an artist, is the sole breadwinner for the family. Keziah was born with open spina bifida and bilateral club feet. Spina bifida is a type of neural tube defect, in which the spine does not properly close around the spinal cord. While she has undergone some therapy for her condition, without additional treatment, Keziah is at risk of lower limb paralysis, infection of the exposed nervous tissue, and developmental delays. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,151 to cover the cost of Keziah's spina bifida closure surgery. The procedure is scheduled to take place on January 5th at BethanyKids Kijabe Hospital. This surgery will hopefully spare Keziah from the risks associated with her condition, allowing her to grow and develop along a healthy trajectory. Keziah's father says: “She is a jovial kid. We are sad that she is unwell. I hope that she is treated, and she can walk in the future.”

Thorn is a 23 year-old who lives in Kandal province with his parents and two siblings. Three of his siblings have moved nearby with their families and visit often. Thorn enjoys playing soccer, volleyball, and checking out social media. On October 12th, Thorn was in a motorbike accident and wounded his right foot. He went to a nearby hospital and had wound debridement and regular dressings. Thorn returned home and continued to care for the wound, but it still has not healed and is now infected. He is in pain and cannot walk properly. On December 4th, Thorn will have a leg surgery to remove damaged tissue and reconstruct defects in the foot and ankle. After surgery, he will be able to walk more easily and eliminate pain from the infection. Our medical partner Children's Surgical Centre is requesting $991 to fund this surgery. Thorn shared, "I hope I can feel better so I can go back to work and hope to play soccer again too."

Su said, "I gave up after I learned the surgery would cost more than we could ever pay. I thought about taking medications to control my symptoms until my time came to go. But now I feel less stressed. Thank you so much for releasing us from our financial problem. I am looking forward to returning to work once I recover." Su lives with her husband, who works as a baker. She stopped working as a factory worker in August due to her deteriorating health and is currently unemployed. Back in 2016, Su began experiencing occasional tiredness, which worsened with physical activity. She also has difficulty sleeping, irregular heartbeat, and loss of appetite. Subsequent investigations, including an ECHO and ECG, revealed she needs a heart surgery called mitral valve replacement. After the surgery, she will no longer experience tiredness, irregular heartbeat, or difficulty sleeping.

15-year-old Min, whose parents passed away five years ago, lives with his uncle and his cousins in a village on the border of Burma and Thailand. He helps his uncle with his work as a farmer. On March 19, 2023, Min accidentally hit a stopped tractor-trailer with his motorcycle while driving at night. He was unable to move due to his pain, but people who were nearby brought him to the hospital. Currently, Min continues to live in pain and is unable to move his legs. With the help of our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, Min will undergo surgery to reset his fractured bones, and ensure proper healing. The procedure is scheduled for March 19th at Mae Sot General Hospital and will cost $1,500. Now Min and his family need your help to raise the money for Min's surgery, which will enable him to walk again. Min said: "I feel sorry for the accident. I want to thank you [BCMF and the donor] for helping me get treatment. I hope for full recovery. After I get treated, I will try to help my uncle who has been raising me and taking care of me all the time.”

Three year old Tilian is the youngest of the 12 children in his family. They all live in a remote village in the Kiteto Manyara region of Tanzania. The family resides in a communal boma, consisting of small mud houses, which are just enough to accommodate them all. Tilian's parents are small farmers who depend on agriculture and livestock for sustenance and income. However, their region has been plagued by prolonged dry seasons, leading to the death of cattle and reduced harvests. As the sole provider for the family, the father has been compelled to seek day jobs to support them. Unfortunately, his income falls short of meeting the most basic necessities for their family. In September 2022, while Tilian was playing with his friends, he inadvertently came into contact with a stove, and accidentally knocked over a container of hot water. This resulted in Tilian sustaining severe burns to his arms and chest. His injuries were extensive, and Tilian was brought to the nearest dispensary for immediate first aid and wound care. After the initial treatment, Tilian was discharged and sent home with instructions for caring for the wounds, because the dispensary lacked the resources to continue caring for him. The burns on Tilian's hands took more than two months to heal, while the one on his chest required even more time for proper recovery. In March 2023, Tilian was brought to our medical partner's center. The medical team thoroughly assessed his condition, and told his parents about the availability of visiting doctors who specialize in treating similar cases. Initiating a daily wound care regimen, the medical team began to attend to Tilian’s needs. However, Tilian's father struggled to afford the transportation for multiple trips to the center. As a result, the family had to make the difficult decision to leave Tilian at the facility as a resident, while he underwent his wound care, and awaited treatment at the plastic surgery clinic. During a plastic surgery clinic this month, Tilian was evaluated by visiting surgeons. The proposed course of action is surgery to facilitate the healing of the wound on his chest. Additionally, the doctors will need to address the burn scar contractures that have developed, tightening the skin around his arm. His parents are appealing for help to ensure their son receives the proper and necessary treatment for his wounds. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Tilian receive treatment. On August 15th, surgeons will perform a burn contracture release surgery to enable him to use his hand with ease. With continued care, the wound on his chest will heal completely, preventing any further risk of infection, and allowing Tilian to lead a normal life as he grows. Now, his family needs your help to fund this $874 procedure. Tilian’s father says: “We hope for his improvement, which would reduce the concerns about the risk of infection in his wound and allow him to play freely with his friends.”

Annizabelle is an 11-year-old fifth-grader who lives with her parents and three siblings in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Her father is a mechanic, and her mother is a vendor. Anizabelle has a cardiac condition called rheumatic mitral regurgitation. One of the valves in her heart is severely damaged due to an infection she suffered earlier in her childhood. As a result, her heart is unable to adequately pump blood through her body, leaving her weak and short of breath. Fortunately, our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance (HCA), is helping Annizabelle receive treatment. Annizabelle and her family will fly to the Dominican Republic, where she will undergo cardiac surgery at Hospital CEDIMAT on August 8th. During the surgery, doctors will attempt to repair her existing valve. If they cannot repair the valve, they will remove it, and implant an artificial replacement. HCA is contributing $9,000 to pay for the surgery. Now Annizabelle and her family need help to cover the $1,500 for the pre-surgical prep, lab tests, medicines and post operative follow up visits. In addition, this sum will pay for the passports for the social workers who will accompany the family overseas. Annizabelle's mother said: "Our family is praying that this surgery will be a success so that our daughter can get back to focusing on school and the rest of her life."

Lucy, a 3-year-old girl, is shy with a heart full of joy. As the third and youngest child in her family, Lucy brings delight to her loved ones. Her mother shared that Lucy enjoys singing, spending time with her friends, engaging in playful activities, and assisting with household chores. Lucy's father is a farmer, while her mother oversees the household. During our medical partner's encounter with Lucy at the Nyahururu clinic, she was accompanied by her mother, who expressed concerns about a leg deformity. Her mother mentioned that Lucy has recently been limping and frequently complains of pain when walking and playing with her friends. Lucy was diagnosed with clubfoot on the right foot. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape, which causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Fortunately, Lucy's family visited our medical partner's care center, AIC Cure International Hospital. There, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on July 12th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, requests $1,286 to fund Lucy's clubfoot repair. After treatment, she can walk without pain, continue her education and play with friends. "It would bring me joy to have Lucy walking and playing like other children," Lucy's mother told us.

Htwe is a 12-year-old student who lives with his uncle's family in Thailand. His parents are day laborers in Bangkok, who send his uncle money every month to support him. In his free time, Htwe enjoys playing football with his friends. Two years ago, Htwe's right eyelid became swollen and red. By July 2021, the swelling had worsened and he felt a small mass in his right eyelid. He also developed double vision. He visited several clinics and was given oral medications and eye drops, but he never felt better. Currently, Htwe has redness and swelling in his right eyelid, and sometimes his eye will water. He also has blurry vision and feels uncomfortable with the mass pressing on his eyelid. Due to his blurry vision, he finds it hard to study and do his homework. Eventually, his aunt took Htwe to Mae Sot Hospital (MSH), where he was diagnosed with a cyst in his right eyelid. The doctor told him that he will need to have surgery to remove the cyst. Thanks to our partner's care center, Htwe will have the cyst surgically removed on May 11th. Now his family needs your help to fund this $1,500 procedure. Htwe said, “I want to be a football player when I grow up.” (His family hopes he'll become a medic himself one day and can help others in need!)

Chit Htun is a 21-year-old man from Burma who lives with his mother, two sisters and a brother. His mother is a homemaker, while Chit Htun and his siblings are students. They are supported financially by two aunties and Chit Htun's former teacher. Chit Htun was born with spina bifida as well as hydrocephalus. When Chit Htun was just over a month old, he had a shunt inserted in his brain to control hydrocephalus. In October 202, Chit Htun fell down the stairs in his home and hit his head during the fall. Since that time, he has been experiencing headaches and dizziness with occasional loss of consciousness. Chit Htun's mother brought him to a hospital in Yangon, where he received a CT scans showing that the original shunt was in place. A second shunt was inserted to help with the loss of consciousness, but the headaches and dizziness continued to be a problem. In October 2022, Chit Htun had a seizure, accompanied by nausea and vomiting. Chit Htun's mother brought him to Mae Sot Hospital, where he received a CT scan on November 28th, 2022 with the help of Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF). The doctor diagnosed Chit Htun with severe chronic hydrocephalus and suspected shunt malfunction. BCMF is now fundraising $1,500 to help cover the cost of surgery to replace Chit Htun's current shunt. Chit Htun's mother shared, "My son and I have been in Mae Sot for the past two months and we are homesick already. I hope that he will receive surgery soon and recover from his symptoms."

Paw is 52-year-old woman from Thailand. She lives with her husband, two daughters and son-in-law in a refugee camp. She and her husband are homemakers, while her eldest daughter and son-in-law are teachers. Her youngest daughter is a student. She has cataracts and she has blurred vision in both of her eyes. Because of her poor vision, she has difficulty walking around the refugee camp and she has had to stop weaving and selling traditional Karen clothes from her home-region of Burma. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund lens replacement surgery for Paw. On December 29th, doctors will perform a lens replacement, during which they will remove Paw's natural lenses and replace them with an intraocular lens implant in each eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Now, she needs help to fund this $1,500 procedure. "I hope that my treatment will be successful. I want to be able to see well. I want to continue weaving clothes in the future, and I want to live with my family for the rest of my life,” she said.