Faraja is a two-year-old girl and the last born child in a family of two children in Tanzania. Faraja’s father works as a night guard and during the day he tries to seek casual laboring jobs like working on other people’s farms with his wife in order to supplement the little income he is able to get from his night guard job. Faraja has clubfoot of her right foot. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. This causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Fortunately, Faraja traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre. There, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on February 11th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $890 to fund Faraja's clubfoot repair. After treatment, she will be able to walk without difficulty. Faraja’s mother says, “Please help treat my daughter. We are not able to afford her treatment due to financial challenges.”

Colar is a 53-year-old woman who lives with her husband in Karen State in Burma. She has two sons who are students across the border in Mae Sot, Thailand. Both Colar and her husband are subsistence farmers but are no longer able to work on the farm due to their poor health. Their limited income comes from breeding and selling pigs and goats. In June 2018, Colar began to suffer from significant lower abdominal and back pain, constipation, headaches, frequent urination, blood in her urine and nausea. Her neighbor advised her to treat the pain with traditional medicine, initially believing this was caused by the fruit she was eating in the forest. However, after a week of severe pain, Colar lost consciousness and her neighbor called her brother who works as a medic at Mae Tao Clinic (MTC). Her brother advised them to bring Colar to MTC for treatment. At MTC, Colar underwent a blood test, urine test and ultrasound afterwards, the doctor at MTC diagnosed her with a renal stone in her left kidney and advised her she would need surgery. Colar still suffers from constant pain and discomfort, she is very worried about the upcoming surgery, her health, and how she is going to support her husband and two sons who are still students. Colar said the constant worry for her health and her husband's is causing them significant anxiety and depression. When she feels well enough, she likes to forage in the forest for fruits and vegetables and tend to her garden. When Colar recovers from surgery and her health improves, she hopes to grow enough fruit and vegetables to feed her family and to sell.

Chan is a 36-year-old woman who lives with her husband and father-in-law in Shwepyithar Town, Yangon Division. Chan’s husband works as a day labourer on a construction site, while Chan is a seamstress who works from home. In 2010, Chan started to feel tired, had a rapid heartbeat and developed joint pain. She went to the clinic in Thaton, where she lived at that time, and received an an echocardiogram (echo) and x-ray. The doctor also told her that, if her heart became too enlarged, she would not be able to control her condition with oral medication and she would not be able to have a baby. She then received oral medication for a week which made her feel better for a while. In September 2019, when she went back for her follow-up appointment, she received another echo. Following this, the doctor explained to her that her condition could no longer be stabilized with medication. As he knew that Chan could not afford to pay for her surgery, he referred her to Pinlon Hospital. On 17th September 2019, she met the staff at Pin Long Hospital and who then referred her to Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF). Currently, Chan suffers from chest pain, has difficulty breathing, has a rapid heartbeat and has lost weight. In her free times Chan likes to sew, cook and do housework. “When I’m fully recovered, I will continue to work as a seamstress, save money and live happily with family,” said Chan. “Once I have enough money, my husband and I have decided to adopt one child. And I want to do charity work and help poor people as much as I can.”

Ky has seven children and thirteen grandchildren. In her free time, she enjoys visiting the local pagoda, helping with the housework, and looking after her grandchildren. Since last year, Ky has experienced pain in both of her legs and in her lower back. She is unable to work at the rice farm, and has a difficult time sleeping and walking. Surgery will enable Ky to move and walk again without any pain and discomfort, and will allow her to return to her work at the rice farm. Ky said, "I hope that I will no longer have any back pain and will be able to work and walk again without any problems."

Aziza is a pupil from Tanzania. Aziza is a twelve-year-old girl who hopes to become a teacher in future. The class five pupil enjoys learning mathematics and Swahili. However, she struggles with her left land due to secondary burn contractures. When she was three years old, Aziza fell on an open fire when playing with her two siblings. She suffered wrist burns and after a hospital stay, she was discharged to continue with dressing at home. Unfortunately, she healed with contractures on her left wrist. One of her aunts referred her to our facility whereupon review, contracture release was advised. The aunt is afraid that she might not receive surgery as they do not have sufficient money. Aziza's mother passed away three years ago. Aziza currently lives with her aunt who does laundry labourer to provide for the family. Their income is limited to meet just basic needs. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is helping Aziza receive treatment. On October 17th, surgeons at their care center will perform a burn contracture release surgery to allow Aziza fully utilize her hand. Now, she needs help to fund this $832 procedure. Aziza’s aunt says, “Aziza already has a lot of challenges we would be happy and life would be easier for her if she could get her hand treated and be able to use both of her hands in her daily activities.”

Joseph hails from Juhudi in Lamu county. He is married and had two children who passed away 2 years ago due to heart disease. His wife left home on losing the two children and due to the hardship they were experiencing in the family. Joseph is a farmer and a house attendant in one of the farms in Lamu. He lives in a one-roomed mud-house. Joseph has a condition called Blount disease causing bow legged. This condition has affected his normal life like walking; he complains of pain. He cannot walk for a long distance or work for many hours. Joseph is scheduled to undergo high tibial osteotomy, a surgery that will help him walk without difficulty as well as alleviate pain on her. . He cannot afford the estimated bill and thus requests support.

Chit is a 30-year-old man who lives with his wife, daughter, son and father-in-law in Noh Poe Village, Myawaddy Township, Karen State, Burma. Chit’s daughter and son go to school. Chit, together with his wife and father-in-law work as farmers on land they rent. Chit’s family does not have regular income, but they sell durian and betel nut that they grow in their garden. Seven years ago, Chit started to experience pain in his lower left abdomen. He also had difficulty passing urine so he went to Myawaddy Hospital for help. He received an ultrasound and an x-ray before the doctor informed him that he has a urinary tract infection (UTI) and a kidney stone. He was treated for the UTI but he did not received treatment for the kidney stone. He was given a follow-up appointment for every month, to receive medication for the abdominal pain. He continued to return for his appointments until late-2018, but when he did not feel better he followed his neighbour’s suggestion and sought help at Mae Tao Clinic (MTC) in Thailand on 20 February 2019. When Chit arrived at MTC, he received an ultrasound as well as a urine and blood test. After the tests, the medic informed him that he has a kidney stone and he was prescribed some medication. On 29 February, MTC referred him to Mae Sot Hospital (MSH) for further investigation. At MSH, he underwent an intravenous pyelogram (IVP) and was asked to return to MSH for his follow-up appointments and he returned several times. Eventually, he was told that the kidney stone had moved into his urethra and that he would need to undergo laser treatment to break up the stone. Currently, Chit still experiences pain in his lower left abdomen and sometimes he has difficulty passing urine. He worries that his condition will get worse if he does not get treatment. Sometimes his urine has blood in it, especially when he drinks less water and he has difficulty passing urine. Sometimes, he feels like the pain of his abdominal is worse and he is not able to walk or work. He is unable to sleep, and he feels more comfortable when he lies down and rests. In his free time, Chit loves to forage for vegetables in the forest.

Chantrea is a young man from Cambodia. Chantrea enjoys listening to music, watching television, cooking for his family, and going for walks with his friends. In February 2019, he was involved in a motor vehicle accident, suffering trauma to his right leg. He sought care at a private hospital in Phnom Penh where he was placed in a bamboo splint for two months. He was then able to regain movement in his leg, allowing him to walk normally. However, the bone did not heal properly and has since become deformed and shortened. Treatment will help realign the bones in Chantrea's leg, making sure they heal properly. Treatment will also elongate the tissue and return his leg to its appropriate length. Surgery is scheduled for July 3 and will cost $390.

Esther was born with a cardiac condition called ventricular septal defect, in which a hole exists between the two lower chambers of her heart. Blood leaks through this hole without passing through her lungs to obtain oxygen, leaving her sick and short of breath. Esther lives in Port-au-Prince with her parents; she likes listening to music and going to church with her parents. Esther will fly to India to receive treatment. On August 6, she will undergo cardiac surgery. Another organization, Rotary International, is contributing $8,000 to pay for surgery. Her 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 her family overseas.

Andrice is a student from Haiti. He lives with his parents and younger brother in a neighborhood of Port-au-Prince; he is in the second grade. Andrice has a cardiac condition called rheumatic mitral regurgitation. One of the four valves of his heart is severely damaged due to an infection he suffered earlier in childhood. As a result, his heart cannot properly circulate blood through his body. Andrice will fly to Dominican Republic to receive treatment. On May 27, he will undergo cardiac surgery, during which surgeons will attempt to repair his damaged mitral valve; if this is not possible, they will implant an artificial replacement. Another organization, The Mitral Foundation, is contributing $8,500 to pay for surgery. Andrice'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 Andrice's family overseas. His mother says, "Our family is praying for a successful surgery and for our son to become healthy."

U Aung is a 70-year-old man who lives with his wife, three sons, two daughters-in-law and his daughter. T U Aung was diagnosed with diabetes ten years ago. Last year in May, his right heel became swollen and later developed into an ulcer. When the ulcer would not heal, he came to the hospital for treatment. The doctor told him that he would need to receive surgery. Currently, U Aung feels tired and he has no appetite. He also has a fever. Fortunately, he is scheduled to undergo a wound debridement surgery on April 2. He needs help raising $694 to fund this procedure.

Aung San Mon is a boy from Burma. He lives with his grandmother, mother and brother in a village in Mon State, Burma. When he was four year old, San Mon’s skin turned pale and yellowish. He also had frequent fevers. Currently, San Mon suffers from fatigue and has difficulty breathing. Aung San Mon has been diagnosed with thalassemia, a blood disorder. He needs to undergo spleen surgery, scheduled for April 2, to treat the condition. Our medical partner is requesting $1,500 to help fund this procedure. His mother says, "Now I am very happy that he will receive surgery through BCMF and BCMF’s donors soon.”