At one-month-old, Ana is the youngest of eight children. Her father works as a laborer harvesting coffee in their native Guatemala, and “does not make enough money to even buy basic foods for his family, let alone expensive infant formula,” explains our medical partner, Wuqu' Kawoq (WK). Ana's mother cannot produce breastmilk, and because the family is unable to afford formula, Ana is now acutely malnourished. "Her life is in danger if she does not receive formula," explains WK. Ana’s hunger causes her to cry frequently, and she frequently has diarrhea, a common symptom of malnutrition. “In the long term,” WK explains, “she could face permanent brain damage, have developmental delays, and have stunted growth if she does not receive treatment.” For $1016, we can fund a multi-pronged treatment plan that will restore her health. “Ana’s mother will receive deliveries of formula every week for a year, and will have in-home motivational nutrition classes to teach her about what Ana needs to be healthy,” WK reports. “This treatment will help Ana grow, strengthen her immune system, and help her avoid life-threatening seizures and diarrhea.” Ana’s mother is optimistic about Ana’s future. “Now that we can receive your help, we are sure that our daughter will be able to grow healthy. We hope that she will be a very intelligent girl and will become a professional."

Soe is a 27-year-old woman who lives with her husband in Burma. Soe came to our medical partner, Burma Border Projects (BBP), seeking treatment for gallstones. The gallbladder—a small, pear-shaped organ that sits under the liver—stores and drains bile. When an individual has gallstones, bile drainage may be blocked, causing irritation, spasms, pain, nausea, and vomiting. “Soe is experiencing stomach and lower back pain making it difficult for her to sleep and eat,” BBP tells us. “Usually, when she eats, she feels nauseous and needs to vomit.” Until recently, Soe had a job as a waitress at a hotel restaurant in Thailand, but her symptoms made it impossible for her to work. Facing financial trouble, she and her husband returned to Burma in the hopes of finding treatment for Soe and receiving support from their family. For $1,500, Soe will undergo a laparotomy, a surgical procedure to access the abdominal cavity and remove the gallbladder. Funding also covers the costs of an eight-day hospital stay, transportation to and from the hospital, pre- and post-surgical consultations, and blood tests. “Soe should fully recover following her gallstone surgery,” says BBP. “She should be able to return to her family and again find a job so that she and her husband can save money for their future.” Soe looks forward to a successful operation. “I will work and save money for the next few years, and then, one day, we will have a happy family,” she shared in her pre-operative interview with BBP.

“I want to go back to school and live a normal life,” shares Wesly, a 20-year-old student living in Haiti. Wesly has been diagnosed with a heart defect called mitral and aortic regurgitation. As a result of this condition, two of Wesly’s heart valves cannot pump blood regularly. Wesly's heart is now starting to fail. “Without urgent surgery, this condition would be fatal," says our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance (HCA). Wesly lives with his aunt and grandmother, who have raised him since he was little. He is a junior in high school and he enjoys riding his bike and reading books when he is not working on his dream of becoming a mechanical engineer. HCA has raised $12,000 to cover the cost of Wesly's heart surgery. However, an additional $1,500 is needed to fund surgery preparation and overseas transportation, as this specialized procedure is not readily available in Haiti. During surgery, “one or possibly two artificial valves will be implanted in Wesly’s heart, replacing the damaged ones,” HCA explains. Once he receives surgery, “he should be able to lead a near-normal life although he will require daily blood-thinning medication for the rest of his life, and periodic blood tests.”

Meet Yesiraw, a 11-year-old boy from Ethiopia. "Yesiraw was born with a congenital anomaly in which his bladder is exposed and outside his body," our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF), explains. Bladder exstrophy presents at birth, and has led Yesiraw to experience pain from irritation of the bladder and leakage. Because his bladder is exposed, he risks infection and further injury. As a result of his condition, Yesiraw has not been able to attend school and partake in many activities. With a small income and a large family to support, Yesiraw's father is not able to pay for the treatment of his son's condition. He tells us that "all Yesiraw wants to do is go to school by any means possible." The treatment for bladder exstrophy is surgery. $1,500 will cover Yesiraw's surgery, medication, lab tests, and hospital stay. "We expect that after the surgery and recovery, Yesiraw will be able to join school," AMHF informs us. "He will no longer have leakage or be at risk of direct bladder injury."

Princess is a two-month-old girl who lives with her parents in Kenya. Her father is a carpenter and her mother stays home to care for her. Princess was born with spina bifida, a congenital condition caused by an incomplete vertebrae closing around the spinal cord. This causes areas of the spinal cord to bulge outwards, forming a mass. The mass causes Princess to be in a lot of pain, and has taken an emotional toll on her parents. “Princess's agonizing cries, whenever the mass is touched, crushes their soul. They do their best to comfort and sooth her, but are always left feeling helpless,” says her doctor at African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). Without treatment, Princess is at risk for developing complications, such as paralysis or scoliosis, an abnormal spinal curvature. Fortunately, AMHF can help Princess and her family. Spina bifida closure surgery will cost a total of $805 and “will help prevent risk of infections, development of a tethered spinal cord and paralysis of Princess's legs.” “Please help our firstborn daughter make it,” adds Princess’ mother.

Meet 15-day-old Delia, who lives with her family in a rural village in Guatemala. She is the youngest of her six siblings. Our medical partner, Wuqu’ Kawoq (WK), explains that Delia’s mother has lactation failure, which is when a new mother produces either insufficient or no breast milk at all. “Delia was born with a healthy birth weight of 7 pounds, but after 12 days she had lost weight and made the nurses at the health center very worried,” shares WK. Her mother is not producing enough breast milk, and consequently Delia is not receiving enough calories to survive. “I am eating certain foods and trying to make my milk thicker for my baby but it is just not enough,” she explains. For $1220, Delia’s mother can receive treatment and educational support to help Delia's condition improve. “This treatment will provide the family with lifesaving formula that will provide Delia with the calories and nutrients she needs to grow,” says WK. “Her mother will participate in one on one education classes to help her not only use the formula, but understand when and how to start implementing solid food into her daughter’s diet to prevent malnutrition.” WK explains that lactation failure is easily treatable. “I appreciate that you want to help us,” shares Delia’s mother, “I want to see my daughter grow up and be healthy like other children.”

Francisco is a three-month-old baby from Guatemala. His parents "believe he is the largest gift they have ever received," says our medical partner, Wuqu' Kawoq (WK). "His mother had lost their last baby during the third trimester of her pregnancy, so when she got pregnant again with Francisco, it was a wonderful surprise." "Shortly after giving birth, Francisco's mother realized that she could not produce enough breast milk to feed her baby," WK explains. Soon after, doctors at WK diagnosed Francisco's mother with a condition called lactation failure. Due to the lack of nutritious breast milk from his mother, "Francisco started to lose weight and now he is below the average height and average weight for his age," says WK. Without access to maternal milk, he is at risk of dehydration and starvation, which will quickly begin to impact his development. Francisco's parents are very concerned that their baby will continue to lose weight. "They do not have a lot of money and formula is out of their budget," WK tells us. $1,220 covers the cost of a 12-month program that will provide Francisco with infant formula in order to replenish his calories and nutrition. This funding will also provide his mother with intensive counseling on how to properly prepare and mix infant formula, as well has one-on-one health education to prepare her for transitioning Francisco's diet to solid food and watching out for other signs of illness. Francisco's parents are very dedicated to their son's health and hopeful for his future. "Their dream for their child is that he will grow up to become a young professional, and have the dream to be a doctor and help his people like we do," says WK.

Lorvenson is a 20-month-old Haitian boy who lives with his parents. According to our medical partner, Project Medishare (PM), Lorvenson has a collection of pus in his lungs called an empyema. "Lorvenson started having trouble breathing, has a fever and severe abdominal pain, cries a lots during the nights and he has lost his appetite." His father took him to the hospital where CT scans revealed Lorevenson's empyema. Both of Lorvenson’s parents are unemployed and the family cannot pay for the surgery themselves. PM adds that, "his father says he is excited to find a job after the surgery of his baby in order to provide him a healthier life." With $1,500, Lorvenson will be admitted to the pediatric critical care unit where doctors will drain the pus from his lungs, and treat his infection with antibiotics. PM expects that after surgery, “Lorvenson will be healthy again and go back home with his family."

Meet Roxana, a four-year old girl from Guatemala. According to our medical partner, Wuqu' Kawoq (WK), Roxana loves playing with her little brother, her favorite playmate. Roxana has a heart condition and developmental delays due to Down Syndrome, leaving her with “limited mobility and communication skills,” according to WK. “Additionally, her appetite is low and her parents do not have enough resources to feed her nutrient-dense foods, which has left her malnourished and limited her physical development.” For $1,385, we can fund a multifaceted treatment that will help Roxana progress on her developmental path. “This treatment will allow Roxana access to physical and speech therapy that will increase her quality of life,” explains WK. “She will be able to better communicate with those around her, thereby increasing her ability to learn from her experiences and surroundings.” “She will have better mobility thus increasing her independence and chance to attend a specialized school and maintain a job in the future,” continues WK. “Her mother will receive counseling to help her raise her special needs child, and our team will supply regular medical checkups.” “It has been hard, one thing after the next, but I lover her and I want her to succeed in whatever way is possible,” shares Roxana’s mother. “Thank you for this chance.” Let's help Roxana get back on track and fund this treatment!

Meet Brayan, a one-month-old boy from Kenya. "Brayan is the only child to his single mother. He lives with his mother and grandparents in a remote village," shares our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). "His mother dropped out of school after developing a mental disability. Both Brayan and his mother are under the care of his grandparents who practice small scale farming.” Brayan was born with spina bifida—a birth defect in which part of the spinal cord is exposed through a gap in the backbone. AMHF reports that “the open swelling on Brayan’s back exposes him to infection and risk of developing a tethered cord if not treated.” To live safely, Brayan needs surgery to close the opening over the spinal cord. This procedure costs $805, an amount that Brayan’s grandparents cannot afford. AMHF tells us, “after surgery the risk of infection and development of tethered cord will reduce.” Brayan’s uncle shares, “it is very disheartening to see my nephew sick, and I hope he gets treatment soon.”