Faith is a beautiful baby girl born on January 10, 2017. Faith's mother works as a subsistence farmer, and her farther works on a flower farm. Shortly after Faith's birth, physicians noticed that her head was abnormally large. An ultrasound revealed hydrocephalus, a condition in which excess cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the brain. The excess fluid leads to cranial pressure, which can cause pain, vision impairment, brain damage, and developmental delays. Physicians have scheduled a shunt insertion procedure on February 2. This procedure will drain the fluid and relieve the pressure on Faith's brain. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $685 to fund Faith's procedure.

This is Adaessa, a five-year-old girl from Haiti. She lives in Port-au-Prince with her mother, father, and five older siblings. Adaessa is extremely friendly and outgoing, and loves to give hugs and dance. Adaessa was born with a condition called ventricular septal defect. A large hole exists between the two lower chambers of her heart. Because of this, blood leaks through this hole without first passing through her lungs to obtain oxygen. The oxygenated and deoxygenated blood therefore mix, leaving Adaessa sickly and weak. Adaessa will fly to the Cayman Islands to receive treatment. On January 26, she will undergo cardiac surgery. This $12,000 surgery is subsidized by Have a Heart Cayman Islands. Adaessa's family also needs help to fund the costs of surgery prep. The $1,500 bill covers labs, medicines, and checkup and followup appointments. It also supports passport obtainment and the social workers from our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, who will accompany Adaessa's family overseas. Her mother shares with us, "I see Adaessa get tired very easily when she tries to play with other children. I am hopeful that after the surgery she can play with no problems."

Ibrahimu is a quiet one-month-old baby boy who lives with his parents and siblings in Tanzania. Both of his parents work as small scale farmers, selling corn, beans, and green bananas. Ibrahimu was born with myelomeningocele, a severe case of spina bifida. Myelomeningocele causes a protrusion of the spinal cord through the back. As a result, Ibrahimu also has hydrocephalus, a buildup of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in his brain. Ibrahimu often experiences a high fever and frequent crying. If he does not receive treatment, his condition could become life-threatening. AMHF can treat Ibrahimu’s condition with surgery to close the mass in his back, and drain the fluid from his brain. After surgery, “the lesion will heal, preventing Ibrahimu from losing CSF and easily contracting fatal infections," AMHF shares. The total cost of the treatment is $1,200. This cost also covers all surgical fees, a 10 day stay in the hospital, and physiotherapy. “All we need is for our baby to get well, and grow up like his brother,” says Ibrahimu’s mother.