Hannah is a casual laborer from Kenya. She was married but separated from her husband, left to care for their five children alone. Hannah does casual work picking tea from her neighbors' farms to sustain her family. Her children are now grown up and also doing casual jobs. Six years ago, Hannah began to experience troubling symptoms, including a dry cough that was becoming consistent and difficulty in swallowing. She started going to different local clinics, and the treatment she received did not give her relief. Over time, she started having headaches, sometimes severe, and noted a swelling on her neck. Someone advised her to go to a big hospital, and she decided to come to our medical partner's care center, Nazareth Hospital, where she was diagnosed with a multinodular goiter, an abnormal swelling of the thyroid gland. She needs surgery to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Hannah receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on December 4th. Surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. This procedure will cost $633, and she and her family need help raising money. Hannah said, "This problem has kept me going to different places to look for help." I am worried because I need to be there for my children. I ask for support so that I can be operated on and be back to my everyday life."

Malita is a 50-year-old married mother of eight from Dedza District, Malawi. Before her illness, she lived an active life, working on a farm. Since 2022, Malita has been experiencing painful abdominal swelling. The condition has significantly affected her daily life as both a farmer and a mother. Currently, the pain is so severe that she is unable to perform any household or farming activities, and her relatives have paused their own activities to care for her. Malita had to visit several hospitals before finally being diagnosed with uterine fibroids. She needs to undergo a hysterectomy, a procedure in which surgeons will remove her uterus. Malita's family has raised some funds for her surgery, but needs help with the remaining amount. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,363 to fund Malita's surgery. On November 8th, she will undergo gynecological surgery at our medical partner's care center, Partners in Hope Medical Center. Once recovered, Malita will be able to resume her daily activities free of pain. Malita says, "I am in pain. Kindly save my life."

Meng Hong is a 17-year-old student from the Kampong Spueu province, Cambodia. He is the oldest among three siblings. His father works as a poultry farmer, and his mother manages the household and cares for the children. In his free time, he enjoys reading books, listening to music, and eating fried beef and pork. When he was seven months old, Meng Hong rolled off a bed, injuring his right leg. As he started to learn to walk, his parents noted that his right foot and ankle were misaligned, and his condition worsened over time. Meng Hong finds it difficult to walk and experiences pain in his foot and ankle. Several years ago, Meng Hong's parents took him to a children's hospital, where the recommended treatment was amputation, which his parents refused. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, can help. On October 1st, Meng Hong will undergo a fracture repair procedure to correct the position of his ankle and foot, reduce his chronic pain, and help him walk. Meng Hong and his parents believe this will allow him to focus on his studies, achieve his dream of becoming a teacher, and make it possible for him to participate in more activities with his peers. Meng Hong's family needs help to fund this $588 surgery. Meng Hong's mother said: "After the surgery, I hope my son will no longer experience pain when walking and that he can continue attending school."

Spider is a 75-year-old elderly man from Malawi. He has ten children from two wives, though he lost his first wife. A small-scale farmer, he is currently not able to work due to his age and condition. Spider struggles to get meals and sometimes goes to bed on an empty stomach. He only gets support from his seventh-born daughter, who mostly brings cash for food and helps with farming, but the rest also struggle with their families. In 2023, Spider was diagnosed with a right inguinal hernia, a condition that develops when abdominal tissue pushes through a weak spot in the abdominal wall. This was after undergoing a left inguinal hernia surgery the same year. Spider started having the same symptoms he had before his surgery, but this time it was on his right side. Spider visited the referral hospital where a diagnosis of right inguinal hernia was confirmed, but at the same time, he was also being followed up for a heart problem, and treatment was in progress. He experienced painful, on-and-off swelling episodes in his right inguinal region, which affected his daily activities. Later, he was referred to our medical partner's care center, Partners in Hope, for surgery treatment. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Spider receive treatment. On August 5th, he will undergo hernia repair surgery, allowing him a healthier life. Spider believes that the operation will help him get better, as evidenced by the first surgery he underwent. Now, he needs help to fund this $575 procedure. "I can't wait to spend the remaining days on earth in good health after surgery," said Spider.

Flora is a 31-year-old woman from Malawi who is married and has two children, aged 4 and 2 years old. She works as a cleaner at a private primary school, and her husband works part-time as a driver. Two years ago, Flora was diagnosed with a paraumbilical hernia, which occurs when there is a bulge or lump that appears near the belly button (umbilicus) due to weakness of the abdominal muscles. Flora started experiencing intense swelling episodes and was rushed to the hospital for support. Unfortunately, her condition worsened over time, as she did not receive any treatment. Flora is now unable to eat enough, bend or carry heavy items, and sleeps often, unable to go to work due to the intense pain. Flora was referred to our medical partner's hospital for urgent attention. After meeting with the surgeon, they determined she needs to undergo hernia repair surgery. Flora believes the surgical operation will help her get better and resume her work and responsibilities. She wants to be in good health in order to provide for her children. Fortunately, on June 12th, Flora will undergo hernia repair surgery at our medical partner's hospital. Once completed, this procedure will allow her to live more comfortably and confidently. Flora and her family contributed a co-pay toward her care and needs assistance raising $575 to fund Flora's surgery. Flora said, "Kindly help me to get better because my children are still very young and depend on me."

Bin is a 15-year-old student from Cambodia. He is the middle child in his family. His mother sells Khmer congee, a traditional Cambodian rice porridge, at the market in the mornings, while his father repairs motorbikes from their home. Bin is currently in grade 10 and enjoys studying math and science. His favorite meal is Samlor Proher, a popular Cambodian fish and lemongrass soup. In his free time, Bin loves playing soccer with his friends. About five years ago, Bin had an ear infection. This infection caused the tympanic membrane, or the eardrum, in his right ear to perforate. For this reason, Bin experiences discharge from his right ear, followed by hearing loss. He has difficulty hearing conversations, especially in noisy places, which sometimes makes it hard for him to communicate clearly with others and keep up in class. Bin traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On May 7th, he will undergo a myringoplasty procedure in his right ear. During this procedure, surgeons will close the perforation. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $487 to fund this procedure. This covers medications, supplies, and inpatient care. Bin said, “I want to be free from this problem so I can enjoy time at school and with my friends.”

Emmaculate is a bright, cheerful seven-year-old girl from Kenya. She lives with her single mother, who is a domestic worker. At the age of four, Emmaculate was diagnosed with hearing loss. The doctors recommended hearing aids, but the cost was far beyond their reach. Emmaculate is in a school for the hearing-impaired, but still faces challenges when communicating with others outside of school. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Emmaculate. They request $1,171 to fund the cost of hearing aids for her. Emmaculate’s mother says, “Emmaculate would rather stay alone in the house than play with other children. They often mimic her speech and laugh at her; it breaks her heart, and she comes home in tears. We ask that you help her with her situation. Thank you so much.”

Heang is a 49-year-old woman from Cambodia. She lives with her elderly mother and younger brother in Kampong Cham province. She works in a small local market in town, while her brother sells drinking water from home. In her free time, Heang manages the outdoor chores around the house and tends to a vegetable garden in the backyard. For about four years, Heang has experienced chronic pain in her left ear with a polyp or a small growth. Recently, her condition worsened, with earaches that spread to her head and ear discharge over the past two weeks. She is concerned about her hearing ability and sought help from neighbors who suggested she visit our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), as she fears it may cause further infections or complications. Surgeons diagnosed Heang with a preauricular cyst, also known as a preauricular sinus or fissure, characterized by a small dimple or hole located in front of the ear. There is a hole under the skin that marks an incorrectly placed sinus tract. In most cases, people do not realize they have a sinus pit until they develop an infection. On April 1st, surgeons will excise the cyst from her left ear to help alleviate her pain, prevent further infections, and improve her overall ear health. Heang can contribute $75 and needs to raise $222 to fund her procedure and care. Heang shared: "I hope to be free of pain in my left ear so that I will not need to spend money on further ear treatments."

Leah is 27 years old and a mother of two from Malawi. Her husband is not working at this time. Leah supports her family by selling tomatoes for a living. In 2023, Leah began to experience troubling symptoms, including neck pains, increased mass on her neck, swallowing difficulties, frequent coughs, especially at night, inability to carry heavy items, breathlessness, and weakness. The symptoms affected her daily activities and business, reducing her income. In 2024, Leah underwent surgery that gave her temporary relief from her symptoms. As her symptoms came back, she sought further treatment. Leah was diagnosed with papillary thyroid carcinoma, a type of thyroid cancer, and requires a total thyroidectomy or the removal of her thyroid. The thyroid is the gland located in front of your neck and produces thyroid hormones. These hormones are responsible for functions such as metabolism, growth and other bodily functions. She needs surgery to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. If left untreated, it can spread to the lymph nodes and other areas of the body. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Leah receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on January 28th where surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. This procedure will cost $1,015 and she and her family need help raising money. Leah shared, “The symptoms are overwhelming; I just want to be myself again."

Nae is a 38-year-old woman who lives with her family in a refugee camp in Mae Hong Son Province, Thailand. They receive support from development agencies for food and household expenses. They also have access to basic healthcare and education in the camp. In her free time, Nae loves to embroider traditional clothes for extra income. Since June 2024, Nae has been experiencing pain in her lower abdomen. She cannot sit for long periods and feels tired easily. She diagnosed her with a leiomyoma or a benign tumor in the cervix. She needs to undergo a hysterectomy, a procedure in which surgeons will remove her uterus. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund Nae's surgery. On March 5th, she will undergo gynecological surgery that will help address her symptoms and allow her to resume her daily activities free of pain. Nae said, "I would like to have the surgery to finally be healthy again. The monthly follow-ups and not feeling better make it difficult for me to manage my daily life."

Respik is an active and sociable 5-year-old from Tanzania. His family traveled a long journey of 11 hours seeking help for their son. Respik has been facing challenges for four years. He first arrived at our medical partner's care center in December and was diagnosed with bilateral varus. With support, he was able to undergo his first surgery, a bilateral PTO to correct both legs. Now, after his recovery, Respik is ready for his second surgery to undergo a bilateral DFO as the next stage of his treatment. Respik was diagnosed with bilateral genu varus, a condition in which his legs bow outward at the knee. Several factors can cause this condition, such as growth disorders, vitamin deficiencies, or excessive fluoride found in contaminated drinking water. As a result, the knees can be angled inwards or outwards, making it difficult to walk and may cause long-term joint damage. For Respik, he has difficulty walking. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is requesting $777 to fund treatment for Respik. The procedure will take place on February 11th at AMH's care center. This treatment will restore Respik's mobility, allow him to participate in a variety of activities, and greatly decrease his risk of future complications. Respik's mother said, "Thank you so much for holding my son's hand as he goes through his treatment journey. I wish he completes his treatment so that he is able to enjoy spending time with his friends."

Chhul is a 48-year-old rice farmer and part-time toddy tapper from Cambodia. He lives in Kampong Cham province with his wife, daughter and son. Both of his children attend the local school. His wife manages the household and grows various vegetables like cucumber, cabbage and turnip to augment their diet or sell at the local market. After finishing his work with the rice, he climbs palm trees to extract sap. The sap is then processed into a fermented drink called toddy, or into palm sugar for sale. When he was 18, Chhul had an ear infection, causing the tympanic membrane, or the ear drum, in both ears to perforate. For this reason, Chhul experiences continued infections with pain and ear discharge from both ears. For the last five months, he has started to lose his hearing. He cannot communicate clearly with others and is embarrassed that he cannot understand his family members when they speak to him. Chhul traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On January 28th, he will undergo a myringoplasty procedure in both ears. During this procedure, surgeons will close the perforations. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $914 to fund this procedure. Chhul said: "I hope after surgery my ears will get better and I can hear again."