Alex is a four-year-old boy who lives with his parents and three siblings in Tanzania. His parents are small scale farmers. Alex was brought to Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre in October after having been involved in an accident in 2020, that resulted in burns and deformed toes on both of his feet. His condition makes it painful for Alex to wear shoes or to walk, and the surgeons at our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, have advised Alex's parents that the optimal treatment would be the amputation of his toes. As small scale farmers, Alex's parents have struggled during the recent droughts in Tanzania. Therefore, they are looking to you to help fund the $1,088 for the surgery that Alex needs to resume a full and happy life, which is scheduled to take place on December 1st, at Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre. Alex’s father says: “Alex is having a hard time walking barefooted. I hope one day he is able to wear shoes and to walk without enduring pain.”

Regina is a small-scale farmer from Kenya. She rears cattle on a rented piece of land. She has two cows from which she gets milk for sale. Her husband is unemployed, and the income Regina earns is not sufficient to cater to all the family's needs. Regina first experienced a painful lump in her right breast in early August when she was taking a shower. She immediately went to a local health facility for a check-up and was later referred to a local government hospital in Olkalau town, situated several kilometers from her home. She has since had several tests including a mammogram and a CT scan. The result revealed the presence of cancerous cells. She opted to visit Kijabe Hospitals’s breast clinic after a referral by a friend. After a review, doctors recommended a partial mastectomy and she needs financial assistance to go through the surgery. Without treatment, the cancer may spread to other organs. The mastectomy, a surgery to remove breast tissue, aims to rid her body of breast cancer and to prevent the cancer from metastasizing. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1110 to cover the cost of a mastectomy for Regina. The procedure is scheduled to take place on November 2nd. After treatment, Regina will hopefully return to a cancer-free life. Regina says, “This is shocking, but I know God will give me strength to overcome the cancer.”

Aye is a 47-year-old mother, living with her daughter in Thailand. Up until four months ago, Aye worked as a day laborer on a farm. Because she has had to stop working, Aye's daughter left school, and now works as a nanny to help support her mother. Aye's siblings have also stepped up to support their sister. Five years ago, Aye began to experience pain on the left side of her body. She also developed a fever and vomiting, lost her appetite, and found it difficult to sleep. In addition, she experienced night sweats and a stiff neck. Aye was treated by a local health worker, and for a while, she felt better. However, in June 2021, her symptoms worsened, and she went to Mae Tao Clinic (MTC), where she was told to go to the hospital. Due to a lack of funds, Aye could not go to the hospital, and was treated at a local clinic, instead. In April 2022, Aye's symptoms returned, and she went back to Mae Tao Clinic, where she was diagnosed with stones in her left kidney. This time she did go the hospital, where she was told that she would need to have surgery, to remove the stones from her kidney. Thanks to our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, Aye is scheduled for surgery to remove the kidney stones on October 3rd, at Mae Sot General Hospital. After she has recovered, Aye should be able to return to her work and to enjoying her life, free from all of her uncomfortable symptoms. Aye and her family need your help to cover the $1,500 needed to pay for her surgery. Aye said: "I am happy that I will be able to receive surgery through donors. Thank you so much for saving my life.”

Minh is a 57-year-old construction worker. He is married and has one daughter, two sons, and two grandchildren. Minh lives with his wife who is a pillow seller to help support their family. Minh likes to listen to the news on the radio and watch TV. Two years ago, Minh developed a pterygium in his left eye, causing him itchiness and tearing. 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. He has difficulty seeing things clearly, recognizing faces, working, and going anywhere outside. Luckily, our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, can help Minh by performing 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 his procedure is $225. This covers medications, supplies, and inpatient care for two days. The procedure is scheduled for May 3rd. Minh says, "I hope after surgery my eye feels comfortable so I can return to my work."

BB Martine is a 10-month-old baby from Haiti. He is his parent's only child. They shared how much he likes to smile and the joy this brings to them. BB Martine has been diagnosed with hydrocephalus, a condition in which excess cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the brain and increases intracranial pressure. As a result of his condition, BB Martine has been experiencing an increasing head circumference, which is very worrisome for their family. Without treatment, BB Martine will experience severe physical and developmental delays. Our medical partner, Project Medishare, is requesting $957 to cover the cost of surgery for BB Martine at Hospital Bernard Mevs that will treat his hydrocephalus. This is the only site in the country where this care is currently available and the procedure is scheduled to take place on April 13th. This critical treatment will place a shunt to drain the excess fluid from BB Martine's brain to reduce intracranial pressure and greatly improve his quality of life. With proper treatment, BB Martine will hopefully develop into a strong, healthy young boy. BB Martine's family is hopeful that with treatment, their son will have a chance at a healthy childhood.

Tracey is a sweet and adorable newborn baby from Kenya who was born just over a week ago at a local government hospital. She is the youngest in a family of three children. To support their family, her parents both do casual labor for their neighbors. Tracey was born with spina bifida, a type of neural tube condition in which the spine does not properly close around the spinal cord. Without treatment, Tracey is at risk of lower-limb paralysis, infection of the exposed nervous tissue, development of tethered cord syndrome, and developmental delays. Her parents share that they do not have insurance and are unable to pay for their daughter's needed treatment due to financial constraints. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,151 to cover the cost of Tracey's spina bifida closure surgery. The procedure is scheduled to take place on August 8th. This procedure will hopefully spare Tracey from the risks associated with her condition, instead allowing her to grow and develop along a healthy trajectory. Tracey’s mother says, “When I got more informed about her condition, I felt bad. I just want her to be treated and be well.”

Meet Sok Kieng, a 21-year-old man with one brother and two sisters. Their parents are both rice farmers. In his free time, Sok Kieng enjoys playing football, fishing at the lake, listening to music, and helping his family at home. On June 1st, Sok Kieng was in an accident at work, where sharp metal cut his Achilles tendon. After the accident, he went to a local health center for first aid. While there, he was referred to our medical partner Children's Surgical Centre for more extensive treatment, as he had an infected open wound on his right heel, swelling, pain, and difficulty walking. On June 13th, surgeons at Kien Khleang National Rehabilitation Centre will debride the wound, and reconstruct his Achilles tendon. Children's Surgical Centre is seeking $991 to fund this procedure, which should enable Sok Kieng to resume working, and to doing all of the things which bring him pleasure, free from pain. Sok Kieng says: "I hope after surgery my right foot is healed and I am able to walk without pain."

Francis is a 17-year-old student who tries to live each day to its fullest as best he can. He lives together with his siblings, parents, and grandparents in their ancestral home. Francis's mom works at a local tea farm, while his father takes on labor jobs to help provide for the family. Francis was born with spina bifida, which is a spinal condition that occurs when the neural tube does not close all the way. Francis is part of the BethanyKids Hospital program and uses a Clean Intermittent Catheterization (C.I.C) to help regulate his bladder. A few months ago, Francis noticed a wound near the catheter site that made it difficult for him to use the C.I.C. A nurse referred him to the hospital for review and doctors there diagnosed the condition as a urethral fistula. The medical team determined that Francis will need to undergo surgery to heal. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is helping Francis receive treatment. On May 18th, he will undergo urethroplasty surgery. AMH is requesting $834 to fund his procedure and related care. Francis hopes to feel better soon and says, “It has been a struggle for me to perform C.I.C because of this wound."

Klyn is a 12-year-old boy who lives in a small town in central Haiti with his parents, grandparents, and several other relatives. He likes school, especially science and math. Klyn was born with a condition called atrial septal defect. The defect means there is a hole between the two upper chambers of Klyn's heart. Blood leaks through this hole, which leaves him often weak and short of breath. Our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, has arranged for Klyn and his mother to travel to the Dominican Republic for surgery since this treatment is not available within Haiti. On May 24th, doctors will first attempt to use a catheter to close the opening between Klyn's upper cardiac chambers. If that's not possible, they will need to perform open-heart surgery and use a patch to close the hole in Klyn's heart. Another organization, Gift of Life International, is contributing $5,000 for Klyn's care. His family is raising $1,500 to help cover remaining costs of the procedure and related care, including travel expenses for Klyn. Klyn's mother says, "We are very thankful to everyone who is making this surgery possible for our son!"

Allan is an adorable two-year-old boy from the Philippines. Allan loves to sing nursery rhymes and listen to music. Allan's father works as a welder in Saudi Arabia, while his mother stays at home to look after their children. Allan’s father's income is only enough to support their basic needs, the family works hard to shoulder Allan’s medical treatment. Allan was born with an anorectal malformation, a congenital abnormality that leads to a complete or partial intestinal blockage. Allan needs to undergo a series of procedures to eliminate bowel dysfunction. Allan is scheduled to undergo surgery to correct his condition on April 4th. Our medical partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines, is helping Allan's family raise $1,279 to cover the total cost of Allan's procedure and care. After his recovery, Allan will no longer experience bowel dysfunction or be at risk of developing health complications in the future. Allan's mother shared, “This surgery is important for us. Through this, Allan will have a chance to grow as a normal kid - no more discomforts and pain. This will also ease our financial burden to buy his colostomy supplies. WSFP and WATSI will be of really great help to us, and so we’re grateful to them!”

Karen is a hardworking and independent woman. She is the second-born in a family of four children. To make a living, Karen sells clothes in a neighborhood of the capital city of Nairobi in Kenya. In February, Karen was removing a gas cylinder from a shelf when it fell on her hand. She visited a local clinic where pain medication was prescribed, but she did not experience relief. After an x-ray, she was diagnosed with a closed fracture on her left hand and surgery was recommended. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is helping Karen receive treatment. On March 2nd, she will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation. After the procedure, she will be able to work normally with no pain. Now, AMH is requesting $1,049 to fund her procedure and care. Karen shared, "I always liked to be an independent lady. This is disturbing since I am not able to work. I request help and will be very grateful so that I can be okay again and continue with my work."

Haron is a young boy who also has a twin sister. He has fallen behind her in school because of his difficulty hearing and other medical challenges he has faced, like meningitis and bladder stones. But he has now enrolled in a special school and with hearing treatment too, they are hopeful that he can have a higher quality of life ahead. Haron needs hearing aids in both ears to help him hear clearly again and communicate with his peers. Haron's mother sells food in their local community in Soweto and currently, his father has no source of income. The family has been working hard to pay for his frequent medical visits since he was very young and needs assistance to help with the cost of his hearing treatment. Haron's mother shared, “We have been through a lot. We have visited several hospitals since our kid was born. He is currently unable to hear, and it is affecting his studies. We have now taken him to a special school because of his condition.“