Loy is a 54-year-old farmer with four children - two sons, two daughters, and now four grandchildren. His youngest son is unmarried and lives with him and his wife - they are all rice farmers in a remote northeast province six hours away from Phnom Penh. In March 2022, Loy was in a motor vehicle accident and fractured in his left femur and tibia. After the accident, he could not afford to visit a clinic, so he went to a Khmer traditional healer who placed a bamboo splint on his leg. His left leg is now shorter than his right leg, and he is in constant pain. It is difficult for him to walk, so he must use crutches. He is unable to manage his farm and is worried he cannot feed his family. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, can help. On September 13th, Loy will undergo a fracture repair procedure, which will cost $483. This procedure will help him walk again and manage his farm to support the family. Loy said: "After surgery, I hope my left leg will be better, and I will be able to walk with no pain."

Jhonatan Mercado is a creative four-year-old from Venezuela. A year ago his family moved to Medellin in Colombia seeking for a better future for their kids. Jhonatan is an older brother in a family of two children, his little brother is one year old. Jhonatan he loves to play with his mom with Legos. He already loves soccer too. Jhonatan Mercado has clubfoot of both feet. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. This causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Fortunately, Jhonatan Mercado's family traveled to visit our Medical Partner Clínica Noel. There, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on December 20th. Our medical partner, Clínica Noel, is requesting $1500 to fund Jhonatan Mercado's bilateral clubfoot repair. After treatment, he will be able to walk without pain or further complications. His mother said "We are really glad that finally we found help, we have been in different treatments since he was 6 months old but now we have a lot of faith in this procedure and in Doctor Miguel."

Clarance is a playful and happy 11-year-old boy. He's a good student in grade four in school. His parents are separated and Clarance lives with his father, who works as a cleaner in a train station in Nairobi, Kenya Clarance has been diagnosed with cryptorchidism, a condition in which one of the testicles remains undescended. If left untreated, Clarance will have an increased risk of developing hernias, testicular cancer, and fertility problems in the future. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is helping Clarance receive treatment. On September 14th, he will undergo corrective surgery at AMH's care center. Now, AMH is requesting $646 to cover the total cost of his procedure and care. Clarance’s father shared, "I would really like my child to be treated and go back to school."

Stanley is a manual labourer from Kenya. A father of 3 children, all between 11 to 22 years old, his children are in school and are dependent on him for support. Depending on the availability of work, he and his wife do daily manual jobs. As a result, their income is not stable, and they also do not have medical coverage. They live in a 2-room house in their ancestral home in Ndeiya. Last month, Stanley was working to offload and reload hay. He and some other workers had gone to deliver the grass to a client in a village a few kilometres from their town of Limuru. Stanley was trying to direct the lorry through a corner. Once the driver had finished driving through the corner, Stanley tried to jump back into the vehicle while it sped off. He missed a step and flipped, causing serious wounds on his thigh and a fracture on the left fibula head and left femoral condul. He also has an unstable knee. Following this accident, Stanley has undergone multiple debridement surgeries to treat the wound. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is helping Stanley receive treatment. On November 18th, surgeons will perform a debridement and skin graft procedure to finally help him heal and prevent infection. Now, Stanley needs help to fund this $1,185 procedure. Stanley shared, “My bills have really gone up and I am not able to settle them. I still need this surgery recommended by the doctors so that I can heal properly and avoid infections.”

Annet is a peasant farmer from Uganda. Annet has suffered from a goiter for the past four years, resulting in persistent headache, fatigue and difficulty in breathing. Due to this condition, her performance in the farm has reduced and without treatment, she might have further complications . She has been to several hospitals but the medication prescribed has not been helpful. She came to our facility and upon review, was diagnosed with a goiter and thyroidectomy surgery was recommended. Annet is a peasant farmer who relies on her few farm outputs to compliment her husband's income. The husband is a carpenter. Annet has four children, who are all in school. With little income, Annet may not be able to afford the cost of care. She thus appeals for financial assistance. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is helping Annet receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on November 12 at our medical partner's care center. Surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. This procedure will cost $240, and she and her family need help raising money. Annet says, “I am more optimistic to having a changed life after my surgery and continue with work at the farm.”

Suy is a 37-year-old rice farmer from Cambodia. In his spare time, he likes to listen to music, watch television, and help his family with the housework. Three years ago, Suy started experiencing chronic arthritis in his right knee. It causes him pain and it is difficult for him to rotate his knee. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, can help. On August 5, Suy will undergo a fracture repair procedure, which will cost $430. Surgery will help secure the knee bone and allow Suy to walk without any pain or difficulty. He says, "I hope that I no longer suffer from any pain and I will be able to walk normally again."

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.”

Two weeks ago, Elizabeth sustained a fracture of the tibia fibula after a fall on her right leg. She was taken to county referral hospital where she was admitted and a back slab was fixed to stabilize her fracture as she waits to be operated. Ten days later, there were no signs of her being treated because the family didn’t have money needed for the surgery. The fracture site developed blisters which later ruptured and formed wounds. Elizabeth's family requested to be referred to AIC Kapsowar hospital hoping they will receive help because they were worried about her condition. Elizabeth was brought to our hospital accompanied by a few family members. An X-ray was done on arrival which confirmed the fracture of the proximal tibia fibula. After a social worker's assessment, Elizabeth was admitted as she waits to be operated. Elizabeth is a mother of four girls. Her daughters are all married and they live with their husbands in the upcountry. Elizabeth's husband Joseph is old and he cannot perform any duties at home such as farming. Elizabeth is the breadwinner of the family since she tends to the farm. She feels his husband is now suffering because they don’t have enough food in the home and they only depend on farming. Elizabeth requires urgent surgery to fix her fracture but she cannot afford medical treatment due to lack of funds. $968.00 is needed for her to continue with treatment. The family is requesting for financial support to help Elizabeth get treatment required. Elizabeth’s daughter says, “Mum is sleeping helplessly in bed, we have nothing to offer for her surgery. I hope she gets treated, she really deserves a good life.”

Sarah has a cardiac condition called pulmonary atresia, in which one of the four valves of the heart is missing, and blood cannot adequately reach the lungs. Last year, she underwent a procedure called a cardiac catheterization to confirm that her condition can be fixed; now, she is ready to proceed with the surgery. Sarah lives with her parents and older brothers in a neighborhood of Port-au-Prince; she likes playing with her cousins and her neighborhood friends. Sarah's mother said, "We know this is a very big surgery for Sarah but are hopeful that when it is done her heart will be normal."

Prince is a four-year-old boy from Tanzania. He has been diagnosed with genu varus. His legs bow outward. This condition is typically caused by an excessive accumulation of fluoride in the bones, which often stems from contaminated drinking water. As a result, he has difficulty walking. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $940 to fund corrective surgery for Prince. The procedure is scheduled to take place on June 21. Treatment will hopefully restore Prince's mobility, allow him to participate in a variety of activities, and greatly decrease his risk of future complications. Prince’s mother says, “We would like to see our son walking normally like his sister but we are unable to afford the treatment cost please help us.”

Emmanuel is a student from Haiti. He lives with his mother and younger sister in a small village in the mountains of southwest Haiti. He enjoys going to school and would like to be an engineer. Emmanuel has a cardiac condition called rheumatic mitral regurgitation. One of the four valves of his heart is damaged due to an infection he suffered earlier in childhood; as a result, it cannot circulate blood through his body effectively. Emmanuel will fly to Dominican Republic to receive treatment. On May 28, he will undergo cardiac surgery, during which surgeons will remove his damaged valve and implant an artificial replacement. Another organization, The Mitral Foundation, is contributing $8,000 to pay for surgery. Emmanuel'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 Emmanuel's family overseas. He says, "I am looking forward to this surgery so that I can start school again!"

Julius is a man from Kenya. A while ago, Julius developed a cataract in his right cataract, causing him blurry vision. A cataract occurs when the lens of the eye becomes opaque, blurring vision. He has difficulty seeing his children. Fortunately, Julius is scheduled to undergo cataract surgery at our medical partner's care center. Surgeons will remove and replace the blurred lens. After recovery, he will be able to see clearly. Now, he needs help to fund this $220 procedure. Julius says, “I want to regain my eyesight and continue providing for my wife."