Sokea is a twelve-year-old girl from Cambodia. She was born with a congenital deformation of her left foot. She is unable to properly extend and move her foot or walk normally. Surgery will help to lengthen the Achilles tendon, allowing for further range of motion and congruent length of both her legs. She will also be able to walk and move her leg and foot without any difficulty. Surgery is scheduled for July 9 and will cost $497. Sokea is the youngest of five children, and she hopes to become a doctor when she gets older.

Nary is a fifth grade student from Cambodia. Her favorite subject in school is Khmer literature, and she hopes to become a doctor when she gets older. When she was just two years old, Nary was in an accident and burned both her ring and pinky fingers on her right hand. The burn contractures have healed, but resulted in the tightening of the skin around her burn and she is unable to move and extend her fingers properly. When Nary learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for one and a half hours seeking treatment. On July 2, surgeons at CSC will perform a burn contracture release surgery to release the skin on her fingers and allow her to move her fingers without restriction. Now, she needs help to fund this $448 procedure. Her mother says, "I hope that after surgery, my daughter will be able to move her fingers normally and can continue her normal activities without an issues."

Sopheak is a five-year-old boy from Cambodia. He loves going to school. In his free time, Sopheak enjoys drawing and making art. About five weeks ago, Sopheak began to feel sick and his tonsils became swollen. According to his mother, Sopheak has been getting a sore throat about once every month for the last year. He has been missing quite a bit of school due to this illness. Doctors are recommending that his tonsils be removed. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $221 to fund Sopheak's surgery. He is scheduled for treatment at our medical partner's care center, Kien Khleang National Rehabilitation Centre, on October 5. After treatment, Sopheak will be free from infection. "I hope my son can feel better after surgery," Sopheak's mother says.

Meet Gideon, a two-week old baby boy from Kenya. Gideon has been diagnosed with spina bifida, a medical condition where there is an incomplete formation of the spine, leaving the spinal cord exposed. Left untreated, Gideon is at risk of developing an infection or tethered spinal cord syndrome. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, has scheduled Gideon for spina bifida closure surgery on September 13. The total cost of Gideon's medical bill is $1,097. Gideon’s mother says, "I want to see my child grow up healthy and without any health-related problems."

Sok Chan is a second grader from Cambodia. She loves cartoons. Sok Chan was born with syndactyly of both hands. This means that three fingers on each hand are fused together. This condition makes it difficult to hold things, write, and have good hand function. Fortunately, on September 4, surgeons will perform a syndactyly repair procedure to separate and release the fused digits. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $365 to fund this procedure. After surgery, Sok Chan's mom wants her to go back to school and feel good playing with the other children. Her mother says, "I want my daughter to do well in school."

“I just want to see my daughter laugh and play again,” shares Shallon’s mother. Shallon, an 18-month-old baby girl from Uganda, has been sick for two months. She is extremely thin and weak, experiences diarrhea, and has lost her appetite. Her mother brought her to Bwindi Community Hospital, our medical partner's care center, where she was diagnosed with malnutrition. In addition to the immediate dangers that Shallon faces from a compromised immune system, she runs the long-term risks of compromised physical and cognitive development. Before she fell ill, Shallon was a very different girl. She was a lively child who liked running and playing. She would mimic everything she saw her mother do, from rinsing dishes and washing her father’s hands to digging in the garden. In order to restore her to this state of health and happiness, Shallon’s doctors need to provide her with emergency nutritional supplies, such as therapeutic milk and dextrose. On April 16, they will also run a number of lab tests to evaluate her body’s needs and to determine whether there are any additional causes for Shallon’s lack of appetite. Shallon’s parents—who provide food for the family through subsistence farming and earn a small income making bricks and baskets to sell—do not have enough money to pay for their daughter's medical care. But for $316, we can cover the costs of Shallon’s lab tests and nutritional supplies, as well as her ten-day stay at the hospital and transportation home. Let’s make sure Shallon can once more become the energetic child that her parents remember. “I am so grateful for the help,” says Shallon’s mother.

Aye is an eight-month-old baby girl from Burma. She lives with her mother, two sisters, grandparents, and two uncles. Her father lives in Bangkok, where he works in a restaurant, sending his earnings home to his family. Aye was born with meningocele, a condition in which membranes that cover the spine and part of the spinal cord protrude through a bone defect in the vertebral column. When Aye was born, she was too young for treatment. Now that Aye is older, she is eligible for treatment. Aye's mother heard of our medical partner's care center, Mae Tao Clinic (MTC), from people in her village. On January 26, Aye will undergo a CT scan at MTC. Our medical partner is asking for $693 in funds to cover physician and hospital stay fees. Having a CT scan will allow Aye's doctor to better understand her condition and plan for further treatment, so she can grow up to be a happy, healthy child.

Wedeline is a ten-year-old fourth grader who lives with her parents and two brothers in Mirebalais, a small city in the mountains of central Haiti. She hopes to become a doctor when she grows up, and she likes playing with her friends and singing in church. Wedeline was born with a cardiac condition called patent ductus arteriosus, in which a hole in the heart that normally closes shortly after birth remains open. This is dangerous because blood leaks through this hole without passing through the lungs to obtain oxygen, leaving her feeling weak. Wedeline needs to undergo heart surgery to close the hole at our medical partner's care center, St. Damien Hospital. First, Wedeline will undergo a full cardiac assessment on January 15. This assessment will include physical exams, labs, and an overnight stay at the hospital. Our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, is requesting $1,500 to fund these procedures. Funding for Wedeline also covers the cost of medications and social support for her and her family. Gift of Life International is contributing $3,500 to cover additional costs associated with Wedeline's surgical care. "Thank you to everyone who is making this surgery possible for our daughter!" says her father.

Youseline lives with her parents, two brothers, and extended family in Cap-Haitien, a city in northern Haiti. She is currently in the fourth grade and wishes to become either a teacher or a doctor. Youseline was born with an atrial septal defect, meaning that she has a hole between the two upper chambers of her heart. The hole results in increased blood flow through the lungs. Over time, this may cause damage to the blood vessels in the lungs. Youseline's condition leaves her short of breath and weak. Youseline needs to undergo open-heart surgery, during which surgeons will sew a patch onto her heart to close the hole. First, she will undergo a full cardiac assessment on January 16. This assessment will include physical exams, labs, and an overnight stay at the hospital. Our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, is requesting $1,500 to fund these procedures. Funding for Youseline also covers the cost of medications and social support for her and her family. Gift of Life International is contributing $3,500 to cover additional costs associated with Youseline's surgical care. Youseline is excited to return to school and play with her friends!

Keila is a fifteen-month old girl from Guatemala. She is the youngest in a family of four children. Keila likes playing with toys and watching television. Her favorite food is pasta. Keila was born with several birth defects. She has already received funding from Watsi for [malnutrition](https://watsi.org/profile/5c42dda9c889-keila). Now, she needs treatment for hydrocephalus, a condition in which excess cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the brain. On January 17, Keila will undergo a shunt insertion surgery at our medical partner's care center, Hospital Roosevelt. The procedure will drain the fluid from Keila's brain. Keila’s family wants her to get well but can’t afford her treatment. Our medical partner, Wuqu’ Kawoq, is asking for $1,445 in funds to cover the cost of Keila's surgery, labs, medication, family lodging, and followup treatments. Keila's mother says, "My hope is for Keila to have a normal life, and for all the people who supported her to see that she was a success." Keila's mother is looking forward to seeing her daughter get back to eating pasta, watching television, and playing with her brother!

Jessica is a six-month-old girl from Guatemala. Her family cannot afford to give her a nutritious diet filled with protein, calories, and nutrients. For this reason, she is only the size of a healthy two-month old. She has been diagnosed with acute malnutrition. She has little energy to grow, and her immune system is weak and vulnerable to illness. She is also at risk of chronic disease and delayed development. Fortunately, Jessica began malnutrition treatment on November 24, 2016. Jessica is the first child of two loving parents. They live in a one-room adobe house with a tin roof. Jessica loves to meet new people and play with them, and she loves to play with her rattle. Her father works harvesting blackberries as a day laborer, and her mother weaves traditional Mayan textiles. Even though they want the best for their daughter, they cannot afford to pay for her $512 treatment. While malnutrition can have devastating effects, it is also very treatable. Growth monitoring, micronutrients, and food supplementation will help Jessica recover. She will gain weight and grow taller to catch up with other children her age, and her immune system will grow stronger. Community health workers will teach her mother about creating a nutrient-rich diet from limited resources. Treatment will give Jessica a chance to grow healthy and strong. "With the help of this program, I am ready to do anything possible to help my daughter grow better," says Jessica's mother.