Kevin is a baby from Kenya. He is the last-born of five children. The family lives in a one-room house in the coastal region of Kenya. Kevin’s mother is a stay-at-home mother, while his father does casual tasks in construction sites to support his family. Kevin 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, Kevin has been experiencing irritability. Without treatment, Kevin will experience severe physical and developmental delays. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $685 to cover the cost of surgery for Kevin that will treat his hydrocephalus. The procedure is scheduled to take place on November 10 and will drain the excess fluid from Kevin's brain. This will reduce intracranial pressure and greatly improve his quality of life. With proper treatment, Kevin will hopefully develop into a strong, healthy young boy. “I looking forward to that day when I will see my child well and thriving,” shares Kevin’s mother.

Meet Karl, a three-year-old boy from Haiti. Karl lives with his mother, father, and older brother. “His father repairs automobiles and his mother stays at home," shares our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance (HCA). "He is a shy child, but likes to play with his brother and help his parents at home.” “Karl was born with a cardiac condition called pulmonic stenosis, in which the valve leading from his heart to his lungs is unusually narrow," explains HCA. "As result, blood had difficulty reaching his lungs, and backs up into his heart, leading to heart failure. If untreated, this condition could be fatal.” For $1,500, we can fund a treatment that will restore normal blood flow to Karl’s heart, and allow him to live a normal life. This amount funds overseas preparation and transportation, as HCA secures overseas heart surgeries for procedures that are not easily accessible in Haiti. The treatment is subsidized by a $10,000 donation from Safra Children’s Hospital. Karl's mother shares, “We are hopeful that Karl will be healthy after his surgery so that he can start going to preschool with the other children.”

“I am glad we’ve found a place for our daughter, Blessing, to be treated," Blessing's mother says. "I thank the Almighty God, and am hopeful for a successful surgery." Meet Blessing, a newborn baby girl from Kenya who has spina bifida – a birth defect in which the spinal cord fails to develop properly. “Blessing is at high risk of infection and developing a tethered cord if not treated soon," our partner African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF) reports. “Two-day-old Blessing’s birth brought joy and happiness to her parents who had previously lost two children," AMHF tells us. "Unfortunately she was born with a mass on her back, and the joy turned into sadness and agony. Her parents live in a two-room timber house, and are small scale farmers, earning a monthly income of approximately $60 from their farm’s produce. This barely meets the family’s basic needs, let alone Blessing's need for surgical care." For $805, we can treat Blessing’s mass and help her grow normally. AMHF concludes, “The surgery will prevent Blessing from getting an infection through her leaking back as well as development of a tethered cord.”

“I want to bring pride to my family by working hard at school,” says Kar. Meet Kar, a seven-year-old boy from Burma who has a cyst extending from his ear down to his chin. “Kar experiences a cold sensation under his jaw whenever he drinks liquid," reports our medical partner, Burma Border Projects (BBP). "He also complains that he cannot hear well from his right ear. The mass makes Kar shy away from other children at school who sometimes poke fun at him." Kar is in first grade, and has a three-year-old younger brother. “Both of Kar’s parents work in a small compound, near their rented apartment, where they make bricks for construction. Their job is not stable and it greatly depends on the season and the demand,” continues BBP. For $1500, we can fund the removal of the cyst, and help prevent further medical complications. BBP concludes: “Treatment will improve the appearance of Kar’s neck which will in turn improve his self-confidence. Treatment will enable him to succeed in school and hopefully improve his hearing from his right ear.”

“Yusuf has had an abnormally large head since birth. He is often irritable and appears uncomfortable. He is slower meeting his milestones compared to other children his age,” shares Edna Adan Hospital (EAH), our medical partner in Somalia. Yusuf is a one-year-old boy with hydrocephalus, a condition causing build up of fluid in the brain that can impair function. EAH shares more about Yusuf, “He is the youngest of six children. His other siblings are healthy. He had previously been to a traditional healer prior to this where he sustained burns to his head as treatment.” For $640, we can fund a procedure to drain the excess fluid in Yusuf’s brain. This treatment is expected to reduce the circumference of Yusuf’s head, leaving him less irritable and more likely to reach age-appropriate milestones such as sitting unassisted. EAH says Yusuf’s mother "is hopeful that the treatment will make Yusuf more comfortable and less irritable so he can feed better and develop like his siblings.” Together, we can help Yusuf get back on track.

22-year-old Soeun lives in Cambodia with his wife where he works in a garment factory. Our medical partner Children's Surgical Centre tells us, "A month ago Soeun was in a motor accident that left him with a broken and deformed wrist. It causes him much pain and he can't really use his left hand for anything, which means he cannot go to work." “Souen had been working long hours at the garment factory in hopes of saving enough money to have a child with his wife," Children's Surgical Center explains. Soeun cannot afford the surgery he needs to heal his wrist nor is he able to save for his family until he improves. That's where we come in! $405 will fund surgery for Soeun's wrist, which will allow him to regain functionality in his left hand and help him get back to work.

This is one-year-old Fafane from Haiti. She lives with her mother and grandmother while her father is still in school. Fafane was born with a cleft lip and palate which has made it difficult for her mother to breastfeed -- and feed -- her. Luckily, our partner, Project Medishare, is ready to help. With $960 they will be able to do a cleft lip and palate repair surgery for Fafane. This will make it easier for her to eat, among other things. "I am excited," says Fafane's mother. Together we can put Fafane's parents at ease and improve the quality of this baby girl's life moving forward. Let's do it!

“I really wanted to deliver safely and I am thankful for those who are willing to help me,” says Amalia. This is Amalia, a 25-year-old pregnant mother of one from the Philippines. “Her first child was delivered through a Cesarean Section, making her current pregnancy at risk during delivery,” reports our medical partner, International Care Ministries. Amalia’s financial situation has prevented her from receiving adequate healthcare during her pregnancy. “She does not have a permanent home to stay and she has separated from her partner,” relays our medical partner. “After her delivery, she is planning to look for someone who could be a foster parent for her child because her financial capacity can not compensate the needs of her children.” For $70, we can ensure that Amalia will have a safe delivery, protecting the lives of both her and her newborn child.

“When I’m not working as a nurse, I enjoy cleaning my house and cooking for my kids,” Sarin, a 55-year-old woman from Cambodia, tells us. Sarin raises three children by herself, as her husband passed away a few years ago. “Two months ago, after getting into an argument, Sarin was attacked by someone with a large knife," our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, writes. "She has pus consistently coming out of her ear as well as hearing loss and other facial injuries." Sarin has been diagnosed with left facial nerve palsy, meaning that the muscles on that side of her face do not receive the necessary signals in order to function properly. Essentially, they have become paralyzed. Her paralysis is irreversible. But fortunately, there is a surgery that can remove the infected part of Sarin's ear, help her hear well again, and let her move on with her life. The surgery costs $810, more than she can afford to pay. Let's help her out!

Sophy, a 28-year-old woman from Cambodia, works at a produce factory to help support her family. She enjoys helping her mother around the house in her spare time. Sophy has chronic otitis media, which is long-term damage to the middle ear by infection and inflammation. “Over the last six years Sophy has been battling chronic ear discharge and reduced hearing,” explains our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre. Sophy’s hearing is getting progressively worse and she needs our help to pay for treatment. $225 will fund a myringoplasty, a surgery that will restore hearing loss and lower the risk for further infection and discharge.

Su Su is a 23-year-old woman living in Burma with her parents and three-year-old nephew. Due to her heart condition, Su Su had to drop out of school years ago and has had to rely on her parents for many things. “Su Su’s current symptoms include heart palpitations, difficulty breathing and tiredness. She has lost weight and is too thin for her age and height. She cannot eat much and has trouble sleeping,” our partners at Burma Border Projects (BBP) tell us. “Her mother has to assist her when visiting a clinic or hospital. If she tries to walk long distances she experiences tiredness and dizziness. She said even doing chores around the house makes her feel weak.” After many hospital and clinic visits, Su Su has finally been diagnosed with atrial septal defect, a congenital heart disease. The cardiac specialist at BBP has determined that Su Su will need an operation to fix this condition. It will cost $1,500 to fund the surgery to fix Su Su’s heart defect, which is far more than Su Su’s parents can afford. They have already sold their farm to pay for past medical expenses, and do not have the money to cover the costs of this important surgery for Su Su. After treatment, Su Su hopes to live healthy and strong, continuing her education or starting a business – let's help make that happen!

Juana is a 6-year-old girl who lives in Guatemala with her mother, a single parent. She has Down's syndrome and, like many children with this condition, she also suffers from congenital heart disease. Juana has a type of heart disease called a ventricular septal defect. The defect will need to be repaired surgically to prevent heart failure. Before her heart can be repaired, Juana will need a little dental work to prevent serious infection during her surgery. Once both the dental work and heart surgery are completed, Juana will have a well-functioning heart for years to come. With $1475, we can give Juana a shot at living a healthy, happy life with her mother. Let's do it.