Heng is a bright 6-year-old boy. He has three siblings - one brother and two sisters - and two of his siblings are married and live elsewhere in the village. His mother is a homemaker, and his father is a rice farmer. Heng attends kindergarten, which runs for half of the day, and enjoys playing with his toy trucks at home. His favorite meal is fried eggs and milk. Four years ago (when he was two years old), Heng developed a fever, received an injection at a local clinic, and soon after, developed muscle contractures that limited his ability to flex or straighten his right leg. He has no pain but is unable to fully straighten his knee, and he cannot walk well, something other children tease him about. When Heng's family learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), they traveled for four hours seeking treatment. On October 24th, surgeons at CSC will perform a quadricepsplasty procedure on Heng's right leg in order to improve the range of knee flexion and help him walk. CSC is requesting $482 to fund this procedure. Heng's family contributed $100 to his care. His mother said: "We hope Heng can walk better after he has his operation."

Mary is a nine-year-old girl from Kenya. She is the 5th among six children being raised by a single mom. When Mary was three years old, she was diagnosed with a bow leg on her left leg. This is a condition where one's leg is curved outward at the knees. It affects her movement, ability to perform daily tasks, and her self-esteem. Mary is scheduled for corrective surgery on February 27th. After surgery, she will be able to walk and move better and gain self-confidence. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,224 to fund Mary's surgery. “I will be able to walk well like other children and continue with my studies,” Mary said.

Corinelio is a tall, humble, patient and determined man. He is married and a father to one son and six daughters. All of his children are in school. Corinelio loved school, but his parents did not have enough money to pay his school fees, so he only managed to complete primary class seven. Corinelio supports his family from small-scale farming with his wife. However, they have limited land, and mostly grow what is needed to feed the family, selling any surplus to generate an income for the family. For three years, Corinelio has suffered with a left inguinal hernia, a condition where abdominal tissue bulges through a weak spot in the groin area. The swelling is more visible when Corinelio stands for a prolonged time, does a strenuous activity like cultivating, or when he coughs or laughs. Fortunately, on September 5th, Corinelio will undergo hernia repair surgery at our medical partner's care center. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $230 to fund the surgery. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully allow Corinelio to live more comfortably and confidently. Corinelio says, “I hope to get healed once I am given your support and expect a full recovery from this pain I’ve had for a long time.”

Kervens is a 6-month-old baby boy from Haiti. He lives with his mother and father and has two brothers that love him dearly. Kervens has been diagnosed with hydrocephalus, a condition in which excess cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the brain and increases intracranial pressure. This excess fluid causes the ventricles to widen, putting harmful pressure on the brain's tissues. As a result of his condition, Kervens has been experiencing intracranial swelling. Without treatment, Kervens will experience severe physical and developmental delays. The procedure that Kervens needs that is critical to his treatment will drain the excess fluid from his brain to reduce intracranial pressure. This will greatly improve his quality of life. With proper treatment, Kervens will hopefully develop into a strong, healthy young boy. Fortunately, our medical partner, Project Medishare (PM), has the only site in the country where the procedure is currently available. Doctors at PM were able to schedule the procedure for August 1st at Hospital Bernard Mevs. PM is now requesting $897 to help fund the cost of surgery for Kervens. Kerven's family said that they are heartbroken that their baby is sick. They now have hope that the surgery will give them a happy healthy child.

Kelvin is a student from Kenya and the eldest of 4 children. He is a student at Kitui School for the mentally challenged. His mother told us that he likes listening to music, playing football and operating a phone. Our partners in AIC Cure International met him at their Matuu clinic accompanied by his mother Petronilla who works as a peasant farmer. Kelvin has clubfoot of his right foot, a condition that was noted by the mother when he was 1 year old. His foot is twisted out of shape, which causes difficulty walking and wearing shoes. This condition formed because he used to convulse. He started medication and experienced delayed milestones. At the age of 3, Kelvin began to exhibit an unusual walking style and was diagnosed with hemiplegia, a type of unilateral cerebral palsy that causes paralysis on only one side of the body. Fortunately, our medical partner African Mission Healthcare (AMH) can help. AMH is requesting $1,286 to fund Kelvin's clubfoot repair. The treatment will be impactful to him because he will be able to walk without falling and play football with his friends. Kelvin’s mother shared, “I would love to see my son’s condition corrected so he can be independent. I will appreciate any support from AMH, and God bless you.”

Veun is an 82-year-old retired rice farmer from Kandal province in Cambodia. She is married and has seven children–one son and six daughters. Sadly, Veun's husband passed away 14 years ago. Now, she lives with one of her daughters who is also a rice farmer. Veun has 13 grandchildren, who she loves spending time with. Veun said that in her free time, she likes to listen to the monks pray on the radio. For the past two years, Veun has experienced itchiness, tearing, blurry vision, and photophobia in her left eye. She also has difficulty seeing things clearly, including colors and faces, and is worried about falling when walking. After examination, Veun was diagnosed with a cataract in her left eye. When Veun learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for two hours seeking treatment. On June 22nd, doctors will perform a small incision cataract surgery on Veun and implant an intraocular lens in her left eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Now, she needs help to fund this $253 procedure. Veun shared, "I hope after surgery I can feel comfortable to go out on my own again and enjoy my life more."

Vibol, who is 12 years old, is a student living in Phnom Penh, Cambodia with his parents and three younger siblings. His father works in construction, while his mother stays at home to care for the children. Vibol particularly enjoys studying mathematics and would like to be an engineer when he grows up. Four years ago, Vibol had an ear infection. This infection caused a cholesteatoma, or abnormal skin growth, to develop in the middle ear behind his ear drum. As a result, Vibol experiences ear fullness/pain, foul-smelling ear discharge, and increasingly poor hearing. He has not had any treatment because his family cannot afford the cost of medication. It is difficult for Vibol to communicate with others due to his poor hearing and he is often absent from class. Vibol and his family sought the help of our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre. On May 4th, he will undergo a mastoidectomy on his left ear at Kien Khleang National Rehabilitation Centre. During this procedure, ENT surgeons will remove the cholesteatoma so that Vibol will no longer experience his current symptoms. Children's Surgical Centre is requesting $926 to fund this procedure. This money will cover medications, supplies, and inpatient care. Vibol said: "I hope that my ear will stop the discharge and pain. When my hearing is better, I will feel better and do well in school."

Aaron is a 16-month-old baby boy from Haiti. He lives in Port-au-Prince with his two loving parents and three older sisters. His parents describe him as a happy and outgoing baby. Aaron was born with a congenital heart defect called Aortic coarctation, where a major blood vessel leading from the heart is too narrow. It forces the heart to pump harder to move blood through the aorta. Often, this condition can go undiagnosed and result in fatality later in life. Fortunately, Aaron was diagnosed by our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance (HCA), and a treatment plan has been created. On April 17th, doctors will perform the surgery and use a balloon attached to a catheter to stretch the aorta to a more appropriate size. HCA is requesting $1500 to fund the procedure. After the surgery, Aaron should live more comfortably and his parents with less worry. His mother says, "We are very excited to know that this surgery will finally be possible for our son!"

Collins is a handsome, two-year-old boy living in Roysambu, Kenya, with his parents and two siblings. Collins' mother is a housewife while his father works as a driver. In June 2022, Collins was diagnosed with cryptorchidism, a condition in which one or both testicles remains undescended. Surgery was performed in July 2022, but about a month ago, Collins' mother noticed that his testis had retreated into his groin again. The surgeon ordered a repeat orchidopexy- corrective surgery- which the family cannot afford and the NHIF has refused to pay for. They have been told that without surgery, Collins has an increased risk of developing hernias and testicular cancer, as well as experiencing fertility issues in the future. Fortunately, Collins will be receiving assistance from our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation. He is now scheduled to undergo corrective surgery on March 20th at Nazareth Hospital. African Mission Healthcare Foundation is requesting $483 to cover the total cost of Collins' procedure and care. “I am disappointed NHIF could not help us; I still hope that my baby is treated soon since I was explained the risks. We ask for your support so that he can get back to his normal growth like other boys,” said Collins' mother

Srey Moch is a 39-year-old mom of two from Cambodia with a daughter in fifth grade and a son in eighth grade. Her husband is a chef and she sells rice. In her free time, she likes watching movies with her kids. Ten years ago, Srey Moch had an ear infection that caused the ear drum in her right ear to perforate. Because of this, Srey Moch experiences ear pain, hearing loss, and tinnitus. She cannot communicate clearly at work and frequently experiences discomfort. Srey Moch traveled to our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, to receive treatment. On March 6th, she will undergo a myringoplasty procedure in her right ear, during which surgeons will close the perforation. CSC is requesting $487 to cover the procedure, medications, supplies, and inpatient care. Srey Moch said, "I hope my hearing will improve after surgery and I can do more during work."

Anastasia is a 12-month-old baby girl from Haiti. She lives with her parents and three older siblings in a small village in eastern Haiti where her parents are both farmers. Anastasia has a cardiac condition called ventricular septal defect, meaning that 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 weak and short of breath. Anastasia also has Down syndrome. Our medical partner Haiti Cardiac Alliance (HCA) is helping Anastasia which is especially challenging as the treatment she needs is not available within Haiti. On August 2nd, she will fly to the Dominican Republic to undergo cardiac surgery, during which surgeons will close the hole with a patch so that blood can no longer leak through it. HCA is subsidizing $8,000 of the cost of transportation and treatment, and Anastasia's family is asking for $1,500 to help to fund the costs of surgery prep, labs, medicines, and check-up and follow-up appointments. It will support passport obtainment and the social workers from HCA who will accompany Anastasia's family overseas. Anastasia's mother shared, "Our family would like to say thank you to everyone who is helping to fix our daughter's heart."

Seang Y is a 37-year-old mother from Cambodia. She hails from Kandal province and loves gardening and cooking. Her husband works in construction and she is a full-time mom to two young children. For the last three years, Seang Y has been experiencing a sore throat and difficulty swallowing. Constantly feeling unwell makes it difficult to care for her children and she is not able to eat properly due to the pain and inflammation. Seang Y was recently diagnosed with enlarged tonsils and adenoids, which, if left untreated, will cause her symptoms to persist and possibly intensify over time. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $265 to fund a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy for Seang Y, which is scheduled to take place on February 22nd. Surgeons will remove her tonsils and adenoids, hopefully relieving Seang Y of her symptoms and helping her live much more comfortably. She hopes after surgery she will feel normal again and have more energy for her kids.