"Mengistu is very likeable and intelligent," says our medical partner, Ortho FOCOS (OF). "He is currently in stage 1 at a local school and dreams of becoming a doctor!" Eight-year-old Mengistu lives in Ethiopia with his two siblings, father and step-mother. "The family lives in a two room mud house and does not have access to electricity or running water," says OF. Mengistu has kyphosis- an exaggerated rounding of the back. He has trouble standing straight and is developing a hunch back. He walks at a very slow pace. For $1500, OF can correct Mengistu's kyphosis and allow him to live without constant pain and discomfort. He is also expected to regain full mobility. "At such a young age with such a severe deformity, this surgery will save his life," says OF. Let's help make it happen!

“I am very nervous about the surgery but I know everything is in God’s hands and I will be protected,” says Landrie. Meet Landrie, a 26-year-old woman from Haiti. Landrie has a poorly functioning aortic valve in her heart that limits blood flow. “Several years ago, Landrie fell ill with a high fever that severely damaged the aortic valve of her heart," explains our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance (HCA). "As a result, her heart cannot adequately pump blood through her body at an adequate speed, leaving her very tired and sickly." Landrie lives with her mother and enjoys the company of her friends and family in Haiti. She particularly likes cooking and going to church. “Landrie studied informatics in college, but has been unable to finish her degree or work because of her cardiac condition,” continues HCA. For $1500, we can provide Landrie with an artificial heart valve to improve the functionality of her heart. Landrie will then be able to return and spend time with her friends and family. HCA adds: “Following surgery, Landrie will have to take lifelong blood thinners to maintain her artificial heart valve, but should otherwise be able to live a normal and healthy life.”

Meet Margaret, a 48-year-old wife and mother from Kenya. She and her husband have a small business where they sell basic goods to their neighbors and friends. About six months ago, Margaret began experiencing lower abdominal pain and bleeding. After trying to receive help from local doctors, she learned she has cervical cancer which could easily spread to other organs, and has made it impossible for her to work and socialize with friends. For $885, we can give Margaret a life-saving surgery, a radical hysterectomy, to stop the cancer from spreading and alleviate the pain and heavy bleeding. Margaret says she is looking forward to getting the medical treatment she needs to save her life, so let's make sure we can give it to her!

Meet Frantzia! She's a one-year-old girl from Haiti who, at just three months old, was diagnosed with hydrocephalus, a condition characterized by buildup of fluid in the brain. Hydrocephalus causes life-threatening swelling of the skull, facial distortion, and is usually fatal when left untreated. Frantzia’s mother has spent years struggling to rebuild her small business in the aftermath of the earthquake that devastated Haiti in 2010. Frantzia’s health problems have forced her mother to stop working entirely to care for her only child, limiting her financial resources in the face of increasing medical costs. For $1,260, Frantzia will receive life-altering surgery that will point her in the direction of healthy development. Her mother’s greatest wish is to see her child develop without deformities. This surgery will also allow Frantzia's mother to return to work and afford to send Frantzia to school. Let's help to make this a reality for them!

"I want to get well so that I [can] continue with my farming instead of depending on people to feed me," Lucy shares with her doctors. Lucy is 53 years old and the proud mother of grown children. She also has uterine fibroids, which are causing her unbearable abdominal pain and bleeding. Without treatment, Lucy is at risk of severe anemia and continually decreasing quality of life. Lucy lost her husband four years ago and depends on subsistence farming for her livelihood. Due to her condition and the excessive pain that it causes, Lucy can no longer farm and now depends on others for her food. A total abdominal hysterectomy will cure Lucy's condition. However, neither Lucy nor her children can afford the cost of the surgery. For $885, we can help Lucy get back on her feet and ensure that this treatable condition does not lead to further complications!

Choe was born with an Arteriovenous Malformation (AVM) in her leg. This extremely dangerous condition has caused the arteries and veins in her right leg to become entangled with each other, blocking proper blood flow between her heart and her body. Choe bleeds when her leg is touched lightly, even brushed. She has trouble sleeping because of itching and burning, and cannot walk long distances. Recently, she was forced to stop attending school because her teacher couldn't handle her persistent bleeding. Choe's mother is doing everything she can to take care of her daughter. She works as a day laborer and grows vegetables on a small plot of land. But she has another child and an aging mother to care for along with Choe, so her financial resources are stretched thin. $1,500 will fund a life-changing surgery to restore normal blood flow to Choe’s leg, as well as reduce the pain, bleeding, and immobility in her leg. This treatment will not only get Choe on a path toward health, but toward a normal life where she can attend school, play with friends, and live every day without worrying about her condition.