Koem Seng is a friendly and helpful 14-year-old boy from Cambodia. He lives with his parents and his three younger sisters. To help support their family, his father works as a garbage collector. Koem Seng is currently enrolled in seventh grade. He enjoys playing football with his friends and helping his mother around the house. Six months ago, Koem Seng had an ear infection. This infection caused the tympanic membrane, or the ear drum, in his right ear to perforate. He now experiences headaches, pain, ringing in his ear, ear discharge, and hearing loss. Because of his condition and its effects, he also has difficulty communicating clearly with others. Fortunately, Koem Seng traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On July 19th, he will undergo a myringoplasty procedure in his right ear. During this procedure, surgeons will close the perforation. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $487 to fund this procedure. This covers supplies, treatment, and inpatient care. Koem Seng says, "I hope my hearing can improve and the discharge will stop."

Abigail is a bright three-year-old girl. She lives with her parents and one older brother in a neighborhood of Port-au-Prince, which is the capital of Haiti. Abigail was born with a condition called patent ductus arteriosus. The deformity causes blood to leak through a hole between two major blood vessels near the heart. That makes it difficult for her small heart to function properly and can lead to tiredness, shortness of breath and restricted growth as she gets older. Fortunately, the condition is highly treatable with surgery. Our medical partner Haiti Cardiac Alliance has arranged for Abigail, her family and an escort to travel to the Dominican Republic, where doctors will use a catheter to plug the hole near her heart. Abigail should then be able to go on to live a full, healthy life. Another charity, Gift of Life International, is also contributing $5,000 toward the procedure, which is scheduled to take place on May 24th. This $1,500 will help fund Abigail's life-changing surgery and related care. Abigail's mother says, "We would like to say thank you to everyone who is helping to heal our daughter's heart!"

Yang is a 46-year-old rice farmer from Cambodia. She and her husband have two children and one baby grandchild. The family all live together and work on their farm. She has been busy taking care of the grandchild, but during her free time away from work she likes to listen to the radio or watch dramas on TV. Two years ago, Yang developed a pterygium in her right eye, causing her blurry vision, tearing, and constant irritation. Pterygiums are non-cancerous growths of the conjunctiva, a mucous layer that lubricates the eye. The growths occur when the conjunctiva is exposed to excessive sun damage and the cells grow abnormally over the pupil. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, recognizing faces, working, and going anywhere outside. When Yang learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for two-and-a-half hours by taxi seeking treatment. Yang needs a surgical procedure to remove the abnormal conjunctiva from the cornea surface and replace it with a conjunctival graft to prevent recurrence. The total cost of her procedure is $216. This covers medications, supplies, and inpatient care for two days. The procedure is scheduled for July 6th. Yang shared, "This eye problem has been with me for a long time and I wish I could feel comfortable with my eye again. I hope I can have good vision and work well and take care of my family."

Lida is a young girl from Cambodia. She has five sisters and four brothers. She stopped studying in the fourth grade. She now wants to start her own business at home. She likes to watch TV and read in her free time. When she was five, Lida had an ear infection. This infection caused the tympanic membrane, or the ear drum, in her right ear to perforate. For this reason, Lida experiences ear discharge, hearing loss, tinnitus, and itchiness. She cannot communicate clearly with others and she has ear pain. Lida traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On January 11, she will undergo a myringoplasty procedure in her right ear. During this procedure, surgeons will close the perforation. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $423 to fund this procedure. This covers medications, supplies, and inpatient care. Her mother says, "I worry about my daughter's hearing and that she can't hear well."

Saika is a student from Haiti. She lives on the outskirts of Port-au-Prince with her parents, grandparents, and three siblings. She is in the seventh grade and likes writing and history. Saika has a cardiac condition called atrial septal defect. A hole exists between the two upper chambers of her heart. On October 10, she will undergo cardiac surgery at St. Damien Hospital, our medical partner's care center. During surgery, surgeons will use a patch to close the hole so that blood can no longer leak through it. Another organization, Gift of Life International, is contributing $1,500 to pay for surgery. Saika's family also needs help to fund the costs of surgery prep. The $1,500 requested by our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, covers cardiac exams and medications. She says, "I am looking forward to being healthy and strong after my surgery."

Tusiimwe is a small-scale farmer from Uganda. She is married with three children. Three years ago, Tusiimwe developed a swelling at the back of her upper right arm. If it is not treated, it may continue to swell, leading to persistent pain and disfigurement. Tusiimwe traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On August 21, surgeons will remove the mass. Now, Tusiimwe needs help to raise $187 to fund this procedure. Tusiimwe says, “I will continue with cultivation to cater for my family after surgery as I will be pain-free.”

Murungi is a child from Uganda. He is the youngest in a family of two. His parents are farmers For five months, Murungi has had an inguinal hernia. If nor treated, the hernia may result in intestinal tissue damage. Fortunately, on August 22, he will undergo hernia repair surgery at our medical partner's care center. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $249 to fund Murungi's surgery. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully allow him to live more comfortably. His mother says, “After my son’s surgery, he will grow with good health and I will have peace of mind.”

Nobel is a four-year-old boy from Tanzania. He loves playing with his homemade toys. Nobel’s mother supports her family by working in a flower farm. Nobel’s siblings are in school, and his mother hopes to enroll Nobel in school soon as well. Nobel has clubfoot of both feet. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. This causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Fortunately, Nobel traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, AIC Cure International Hospital. There, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on November 3. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $890 to fund Nobel's clubfoot repair. After treatment, he will be able to walk without pain and attend school. Nobel’s mother says, “I can’t believe my son will be able to walk normally and without pain, I had lost hope. Thank you all for making this possible for Nobel.”

“I have suffered enough,” says Mary, a 36-year-old woman from Kenya. “I hope be treated soon so that I can get back to helping my husband raise our children.” Mary and her husband have three children, aged between eight and 13 years old. Mary used to earn money for the family by picking tea as a day laborer. Lately, however, she has not been able to able to do this work. In December 2012, Mary—who is epileptic—had a seizure and fell into the kitchen fire. She sustained serious burns to her right hand and was hospitalized for two months. Despite this lengthy hospital stay, the burn did not heal correctly. Contractures, or tight, thickened patches of skin, formed where the burn had been. Three years later, Mary still experiences pain and numbness in the right hand, especially during the cold season. She is also unable to extend her fingers completely. Mary had a graft surgery in 2014 to begin to address this problem, but will need more operations to fully correct it. Her doctors have scheduled her for contracture release surgery on September 25. But because the contractures have decreased Mary’s ability to work, her family’s income has dropped. They need your help to pay for her surgery. $1,176 will sponsor Mary’s operation, as well as her lab tests, medications, and nine-day hospital stay. Let’s make sure this mother can return to good health so she can begin earning money again to support her children.

Virginia is a five-month-old baby girl living in rural Guatemala. She was born to a single mother who stays home to care for her. Unfortunately, Virginia's mother cannot produce breast milk, which has made it difficult for Virginia to receive the nourishment that she needs in her early months of life. Because of this, Virginia was recently diagnosed with malnutrition, a condition that occurs from consuming too little protein, calories, and nutrients. In the short term, malnutrition means Virginia has little energy to grow, and that her immune system is weak, leaving her vulnerable to diseases that could further compromise her growth. If left untreated, she may also face the long-term consequences of malnutrition, such as increased risk of chronic illness and a lowered IQ. Concerned for her well-being, her mother took Virginia to our medical partner, Wuqu' Kawoq, for treatment. Beginning June 13, Virginia will receive micronutrients, formula, and food supplementation, as well as regular growth monitoring. Community health workers will also teach her mother how to create a nutrient rich diet using limited resources. The $1,162 requested will cover all expenses of her continued treatment, allowing her to gain weight, strengthen her immune system, and catch up with other children her age. Virginia’s mother says, “I am scared because I do not have breast milk to give my daughter, and we are of scarce resources so I cannot afford to buy her much. I dream to see my daughter grow up well so that she can study and in the future become a teacher.”

Two-year-old Lucas lives with his family in the rural highlands of Guatemala. He loves to eat bananas and eggs and enjoys playing with his plastic toy horse. His mother works taking care of their family’s household, and his father works as a day laborer. Lucas’s parents are very worried about him because he is not gaining weight. Underweight and small for his age, Lucas has malnutrition, a dangerous condition that results from consuming too few calories and nutrients. In the short term, malnutrition means Lucas has little energy to grow, and his immune system is weak. He may also face malnutrition’s long-term consequences, such as increased risk of chronic diseases, low IQ, and higher likelihood of dropping out of school. While malnutrition can have devastating effects, it is also very treatable. Growth monitoring, micronutrients, and food supplementation coordinated by Watsi's medical partner, Wuqu' Kawoq, will help Lucas recover. He will gain weight and grow taller to catch up with other children his age, and his immune system will grow stronger with the increased caloric intake. Community health workers will teach his mother to create a nutrient-rich diet, even with limited resources. Lucas's parents do not have the financial resources to pay for the malnutrition treatment that he needs. They will need help raising $782 to pay for his care, which is scheduled to begin on February 28. "I am worried about my son’s health, but I am willing to do anything to see him get better," shares Lucas's mother. "I hope that with this treatment he will be healthier."

Mohamed is a seven-year-old child living in Tanzania with his parents and four siblings. His mother is a home maker, and his father sells some vegetables and fruits at an open market near their three-bedroom mud house. Mohamed likes to interact with other children. He enjoys playing with cars, throwing balls, and learning how to read and write. Mohamed was born with congenital contracture of the knees, and for years he could not walk at all. His mother used to massage his legs with oil, trying to stretch his knees, but it did not help. Three years ago, Mohamed started guided manipulation and casting of his legs, which showed great improvement. He also continued his recommended exercises daily and using calipers. Today, Mohamed is able to walk with his crutches. His orthopedic surgeon believes that, at this point, contracture release will further help straighten Mohamed’s knees and give him the ability to walk without support. Mohamed is eager to walk without crutches, as this will enable him to go to school. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, tells us that for $550, Mohamed can have the single contracture release procedure he needs. The total cost covers the procedure, supplies, medications, casting, and three days of inpatient care. Mohamed’s parents work hard to care for their children, but need financial support to cover this cost. Mohamed is expected to be able to walk without crutches following full recovery from his surgery. He dreams of becoming a nurse, and looks forward to attending school and helping his mother around the house. He tells us that he wants to become a nurse so he can help his little sister, who often has epistaxis, also known as "bloody nose."