Precious is a baby from Kenya. She has a left inguinal hernia. Fortunately, on May 24, she will undergo repair surgery at our medical partner's care center. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $423 to fund Precious's surgery. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully allow her to live more comfortably.

Lorine is a two-year-old girl who is the second of two children. Her father is a teacher at a local school and her mother works as a shopkeeper. Lorine has very severely bowed legs. The bowing started when she began to walk and progressed until she can barely walk at all. Her parents therefore sought out treatment for Lorine. She requires surgery to realign and stabilize her knees and legs. $940 will cover the cost of this surgery, which will greatly improve how Lorine walks, allowing greater mobility and improve future development. Lorine's mother said, "I am so blessed to have found a place where Lorine can be treated. I hope that she will be able to walk like her peers and attend kindergarten."

Tin was born via normal delivery at Mae Tao Clinic (MTC) in Thailand on July 16th, 2016. After her birth, doctors discovered that she has a large teratoma—a benign tumor that contains cells that can grow hair, teeth, or nails—protruding from her groin. The teratoma is about half the baby’s body size. Baby Tin is able to urinate and pass waste, but her breathing is labored, and her heartbeat has lowered slightly because her body is under the strain of having to pump blood and oxygen in and out of the large teratoma. Since two months before Tin's birth, her mother has been living at Social Action for Women (SAW), an organization in Mae Sot, Thailand, that helps women in need. When she arrived at SAW, she traveled to MTC with a medic who works at the clinic because she thought she had a mass in her abdomen. There, she learned that she was seven months pregnant. She did not know that Tin had a large growth on her body until she was born. Tin will need surgery to remove the teratoma so that she can grow and develop normally. Unfortunately, Tin's mother has no income and no family support. She receives a small stipend from SAW to cover minor expenses, and she sleeps and eats for free at SAW’s safe house. MTC referred Tin to Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF) for surgical care. $1500 pays for surgery to remove the teratoma from Tin's body as well as transportation to and from the hospital, pre- and post-surgical consults, and 40 days of hospital care, including lab tests, imaging, medicine, and food for Tin and her mother. Let's help fund surgery for Baby Tin!

Walter, who is 10 years old, has been having seizures his whole life. He has also undergone a stroke and severe developmental delays that is likely due to an infection that he had as an infant. His body wastes several hundred calories each day having seizures, which are now much more under control than before, and this problem is complicated by the fact that his parents can't afford to give him the high-calorie and high-protein foods that he needs. Walter lives with his parents and older sister, who is his primary caregiver since his parents both work. His father works half day as a school janitor, and the other half of the day as a day laborer harvesting corn and squash. His mother works as a weaver, making traditional textiles to sell to help cover Walterr's medical costs. Even though they both want the best for their son, they lack the resources to give him the high-calorie food supplements and micronutrients he needs in order to gain weight and overcome his acute malnutrition. The few foods his parents can buy for him are hard for him to chew and swallow, making it impossible for him to gain weight. He has fallen into acute malnutrition, and his body is weak. He is at greater risk of getting sick, and diarrhea, respiratory illness and fevers can be life threatening for him in his weakened state. Growth monitoring, micronutrients and food supplementation will help Walter recover from malnutrition--saving his life now and putting him on track to live a better life in the future. He will gain weight, his immune system will grow stronger with the increased caloric intake, preventing him from having any life-threatening situations with diarrhea and fevers. This will further increase his appetite and help him use the extra calories to develop mentally instead of those calories being wasted on getting over frequent illnesses. His parents will receive the support they need to feel empowered to give Walter the diet he needs to grow and develop healthily. Intervention now will prevent the future devastating effects of malnutrition, and give Walter the chance to live a healthy and productive life, finish school, get a good job, and escape the cycle of malnutrition and poverty that made him sick in the first place. His sister shares, "I want for my brother to gain weight. I don't want for my brother to suffer."

Meet Phally, a 60-year-old woman and crop farmer from Cambodia. “Phally is married without children. Phally enjoys watching Indian dramas on TV," shares our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC). Three years ago, Phally developed mature cataracts in each eye. A cataract occurs when a thin, cloudy layer forms over the eye’s lens. "This causes her blurred vision, discharge, tearing, and fear of bright lights. It is hard for her to see clearly, do work, or go anywhere outside," CSC explains. After learning about CSC, Phally and her sister travelled two hours to visit their clinic. They learned that a simple surgical procedure may restore Phally's sight. With $225, Phally will undergo cataract surgery, during which her old lenses will be removed and replaced with sheer artificial implants, allowing her to see again immediately after her operation.

“Shital was collecting fodder for his cattle when he slipped and fell down, injuring himself,” our medical partner, Possible, explains. “Not only did he fracture his left (wrist) joint, but he is wounded on the face too.” Shital is a 14-year-old boy from Nepal. “As the eldest son, Shital is responsible for taking care of his younger brother and sister and the cattle as well,” Possible continues. “He currently studies in the eighth standard and enjoys playing volleyball with his friends.” Shital's parents tend to the farm to make ends meet and support the family. $224 will cover the cost of orthopedic surgery to ensure Shital's broken wrist heals correctly. "Shital is a brave child. He has been trying not to cry despite the pain and the stress of getting his treatment," His father shares.

Meet Olivia, a 15-month-old girl from Guatemala who has recently been diagnosed with acute malnutrition. "Olivia's height and weight are over two standard deviations below normal, meaning she is not getting the food she needs to grow," our medical partner, Wuqu Kawoq' (WK), reports. "Her immune system has also been weakened by her poor diet." Acute malnutrition is characterized by the lack of proper nutrients, proteins, and calories needed to grow. It weakens the immune system and often causes diarrhea, coughs, and fevers. If not treated, Olivia will have an increased risk of developing chronic disease later in life and could experience developmental delays. "Treating her now will have a large impact," WK details. "She will likely be able to reach developmental milestones just like healthy kids her age, setting her up for a successful life instead of one filled with malnutrition and poverty." Olivia's father works as a farmer, and is unable to afford the treatment that his daughter needs because of the volatile seasonality of his income. The treatment will cost $512 and will allow Olivia to receive growth monitoring, micronutrients, deworming medication, and food supplementation. Olivia's parents will also receive nutrition lessons to teach them what, when, and how to feed her a proper diet that will help her grow up healthy. Olivia loves to play with her older sister and her mother is excited for her to receive treatment. "I would like for my daughter to be healthy, and to not get sick anymore," she shares.

Meet William, a 22-month-old boy from Guatemala who lives with his mom and two siblings. William loves to laugh and eat noodles, chicken, and bananas. His older brother, Eswin, takes care of him so that his mother can weave textiles to earn money for their family. “William is acutely malnourished,” our medical partner, Wuqu’ Kawoq (WK) shares. "The lack of nutrients has made his body weak and unable to grow. He often suffers from stomachaches and diarrhea, since his immune system has been weakened. In the long term, William could end up with stunted development and a great risk of chronic diseases if he does not receive treatment now.” William’s mother was not aware that he was malnourished before WK’s medical team came to visit. “Even though his mother does her best, she does not have the resources to buy him a single egg, fruit, or vegetable each day, making it impossible for Esvin to get the nutrition he needs,” WK explains. $512 will cover the cost of William’s treatment. “Growth monitoring, micronutrients, food supplementation, and deworming medication,” WK explains, “will help William gain weight and grow taller to catch up with other children his age.” “I am grateful that this program will bring treatment to my son, and I am hoping that he will gain weight and grow taller,” William’s mother shares.

At 19 months old, Kanakate is an active little girl who loves talking, running, and taking walks with her parents near their home in Ethiopia. “Kanakate was born with a birth defect called anorectal malformation,” our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF), tells us. “Children with this defect have an imperforate anus, or they have no opening where the anus should have been. As a result, Kanakate cannot pass stool in the normal way.” Treatment for an anorectal malformation typically involves three surgical procedures. In the first procedure—a colostomy—doctors pull an end of the colon through a cut in the abdominal wall and suture it in place to create an opening for passing stool. This is followed by an anorectoplasty to create an anal opening and then, two or three months later, a colostomy closure. Kanakate underwent an emergency colostomy after she developed a bowel obstruction. Currently, “Kanakate has multiple issues with her colostomy care and associated complications from the colostomy,” explains AMHF. Because of these issues, the next steps in her care—anorectoplasty and colostomy closure—are more urgent. Kanakate’s parents, who work as farmers, have been unable to afford the care that she needs. “We have no money to cover our child's hospital bill. And that is really worrying us,” shares her father. In addition, the social stigma associated with Kanakate’s condition has been challenging for the family. $1,500 covers the costs of the final two surgical procedures and inpatient care, including labs, imaging, pain medicine, and antibiotics. After surgery, “Kanakate will be able to pass stool in a normal way,” says AMHF. “We hope that our daughter will get treatment and be well after all these months of waiting for treatment,” says Kanakate’s father.

Brysoni is a two-year-old boy from Tanzania. In September of 2015, Brysoni sustained severe burns after surviving a fire in his home. Neighbors rescued Brysoni and his brother and took them to the hospital. “Brysoni’s wounds healed but the fire left him with deformed muscles in his left hand,” states our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). “If not treated, Brysoni will be left with a non-functional hand.” Brysoni’s mother is raising her children on her own. She owned a small fruit and vegetable stand but was forced to close it down after the fire. She is currently unemployed and relies on family for support. $550 will cover the cost of surgery to remove scar tissue from the joints in Brysoni’s hand, promoting muscle growth and movement. This surgery will restore movement in Brysoni’s hand, giving him far more opportunity to go to school and work in the future. “I pray my son will get well and later on get good education,” says Brysoni’s mother.

In February of 2015, 50-year-old Ngeth was hit by a car while riding her moto in Cambodia. "The accident resulted in a closed fracture of her right tibia," reports our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC). Since the accident, Ngeth has had difficulty walking and even simple movements cause her pain. Ngeth needs surgery to permanently heal her fracture. "After an open reduction internal fixation surgery (ORIF), Ngeth will be able to walk without pain again," CSC shares. An ORIF surgery will realign the bone and use screws, rods, or plates to stabilize the bone and prevent further infection. $405 covers the cost of the ORIF procedure, as well as a five day hospital stay while she is recovering. With your help, we can get Ngeth back on her feet and doing the things she loves. As a mother of three, Ngeth supports her family through farming and cooking. Since the accident, she has not been able to farm, and the pain makes simple tasks difficult for her. After receiving the treatment, Ngeth will be able to go back to caring for her family. "I hope after the operation that I will be able to walk properly again and go to work to support my family," Ngeth tells us.

For a decade now, 65-year-old Sreng has been suffering from a pterygium, or noncancerous lesion, in his right eye. “This causes him blurred vision, irritation, itchiness, [and] redness,” explains our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC), “and he is afraid of sunshine.” Sreng is a rice and crop farmer by trade, but because of the growth in his eye, “it is hard for Sreng to do work well, or go anywhere outside by himself,” continues CSC. Sreng’s difficulty navigating the world outside his home in Cambodia affects his ability not only to farm his crops, but also to engage in his favorite pastime: visiting his place of worship—the local pagoda. There, he likes to listen to the monks pray, as well as to participate in rituals himself. For $150, Sreng can get the treatment he needs to improve his vision so he can participate in both work and worship more regularly. He’ll receive a pterygium excision surgery, a procedure that will remove the pink, fleshy lesion on the white of his eye. Funding will also cover his stay at the hospital as he recovers from the operation. After his pterygium excision operation, “Sreng's burning, irritation, and redness will be relieved. His eye will look much better,” CSC tells us. Sreng’s wife says she is hopeful that after the surgery, she and her husband will no longer have to “worry that the cyst will grow bigger than it currently is and give him further problems in the future.”