Goldstein is a preschooler from Haiti. He lives with his parents on the outskirts of Port-au-Prince. His parents are both vendors. He is a very curious and outgoing boy who makes friends easily. Goldstein has a cardiac condition called atrioventricular canal defect. A large hole exists between the chambers of Goldstein's heart, causing blood to leak between all four chambers of the heart without circulating through the lungs to obtain oxygen. This leaves him weak and short of breath, and will lead to heart failure if not corrected. Goldstein will fly to the Dominican Republic to receive treatment. On December 16th, he will undergo cardiac surgery, during which surgeons will close the hole with a patch so that blood can no longer leak through it. Another organization is contributing to pay for his surgery. But Goldstein's family also needs help to fund the costs of surgery prep. Our medical partner, International Cardiac Alliance, is requesting $1,500 to cover labs, medicines, and check-up and follow-up appointments. It also supports securing travel documents for the family and travel costs for the social workers from our medical partner, who will accompany Goldstein's family overseas. Goldstein's mother shared, "Our family has been praying for this surgery ever since our son was a small baby, and we want to say thank you to everyone!"

Cecilia is a 10-year-old girl from Malawi. She is the oldest of two children. Her mother sells baked Irish potatoes, while her father is a driver. She is in the fifth grade and is a very bright student. When Cecilia was four years old, her mother observed that Cecilia would experience abdominal pain. She took Cecilia to different hospitals, where Cecilia was given pain medication, but her condition did not improve and worsened over time. This affected her health, her attendance at school, and her ability to perform daily tasks. Cecilia was referred to our medical partner's care center, Partners in Hope Medical Center, where she will undergo hernia repair surgery on October 7th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $575 to fund Cecilia's surgery. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully allow her to live more comfortably and confidently. Cecilia's mother shared, "I can't wait to see my daughter well and happy again."

Fabienne, a 15-year-old student, lives with her parents and sister in a small town in central Haiti. She is in the ninth grade and aspires to become a nurse or doctor when she grows up. Fabienne has a cardiac condition called rheumatic mitral regurgitation. One of the four valves of Fabienne's heart is severely damaged as a result of an infection she suffered earlier in childhood. This has rendered her heart incapable of pumping blood normally through her body. Fabienne will fly to the Dominican Republic, where, on July 15th, she will undergo cardiac surgery, during which surgeons will either repair her damaged mitral valve or remove it and implant an artificial replacement. Our medical partner, International Cardiac Alliance, is contributing $6000 to pay for the surgery. Fabienne's family also needs $1,500 to help fund the costs of pre-surgery preparation, lab tests, medications, and follow-up visits. This money will also help secure travel documents for the family and cover travel costs for the social workers who will accompany Fabienne and her family on their trip. Fabienne said: "I am looking forward to this surgery, so that I will have more energy, and can stop worrying about my heart!"

Emanuel is a 7-month-old baby from Tanzania who is the first child in his family. Recently, Emanuel has begun trying to stand and take his first steps, a joyful milestone for his adoring parents. Emanuel's parents are hardworking farmers who cultivate maize and sorghum to support their family. They dream of seeing their son grow strong, run freely outdoors, and wear shoes comfortably so he can join other children in their community. Emanuel has clubfoot on his right foot. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. The tissues connecting the muscle to the bones are shorter than usual, and this causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Fortunately, Emanuel's family traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, Kafika House, where surgeons will begin clubfoot treatment on November 14th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $341 to fund Emanuel's clubfoot repair. After treatment, he will be able to walk easily. Emmanuel's mother said, "It is sad that every time I see my boy stand, his leg reminds me of the challenge he was born with."

Theara is a four-year-old girl from Cambodia. She lives with her parents and older brother. Her parents are rice farmers. Theara is currently in kindergarten, where her favorite subject is art as she loves to draw with colored pencils. Her mother shared that Theara enjoys eating rice with fried or grilled fish and enjoys spending her free time playing games with her brother. When Theara was 14 months old, she accidentally crawled into a fire, resulting in burns to her left hand and fingers. She received treatment at a provincial hospital, but the burns caused contracture scars and restricted her finger movement, making it challenging for her to fully flex them. She has difficulty holding objects and cannot grasp things with her left hand. When Theara's parents learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, they traveled for four hours so Theara could seek treatment. On November 26th, surgeons at CSC will perform a burn contracture release surgery to help her use her hand more easily and improve her overall hand function. Theara's family is able to contribute Now, she needs help to fund this $495 procedure. Theara's mother said: "I hope the operation will improve her fingers and remove the scars so she can use her hand."

Meet Precious, an active and joyful four-year-old from Kenya. Her father engages in construction jobs, while her mother stays home to care for Precious and her sister. In 2023, the family grew concerned when they realized Precious couldn’t interact with her peers. After multiple hospital visits, tests confirmed that Precious cannot hear, which explains her delayed speech. Her parents struggled to accept the diagnosis and hoped that enrolling Precious in school and having her interact with other children, would help Precious improve. But in school, Precious sees other children raising their hands and laughing at jokes she can’t understand. She is unable to fully participate and has not been able to progress to the next grade, because she can’t hear her teachers and can’t take exams. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, can help. On November 14th, Precious will start the process necessary to fit hearing aids at our medical partner's care center, AIC Kijabe Hospital. Her family is seeking your help to raise $748 to fund the hearing aids that Precious needs, so that she can begin to experience the world around her and enjoy her childhood. Precious's mother says: "We took Precious to school hoping she would improve, but seeing the other children progress while she can only watch, has only made us more heartbroken."

Meet Sithorn, a 14-year-old girl who lives with her parents and three siblings in Prey Veng province in Cambodia. Her father is a construction worker, while her mother works in a clothing factory. Her oldest brother is a waiter, while her younger siblings are in primary school. Sithorn dropped out of eighth grade at the start of the school year, due to back pain, which made it difficult for her to sit comfortably at her desk. She now stays at home to help her mother with cooking, cleaning the house, and taking care of her younger siblings. Several months ago, Sithorn's mother noticed an abnormal curvature of her daughter's spine, which was later diagnosed as Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS). This condition, which typically develops between the ages of ten and 18, causes Sithorn's spine to curve sideways in an "S" shape. Sithorn complains of back pain that extends to her neck, making it hard for her to sit for long periods. She also experiences fullness in her chest, and difficulty breathing, especially at night. Fortunately, our medical partner, the Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC), can help. On September 11th, surgeons will perform posterior spinal fusion surgery to correct the curvature of Sithorn's spine. Sithorn's mother can only afford $100 toward her daughter’s care and needs your help to raise the remaining $1,400 for the surgery, hospitalization, post-operative medication, and physiotherapy. This surgery will help alleviate Sithorn's pain, improve her posture, and enable her to return to school again. Sithorn shared, "I hope my surgery will be successful so I can return to school and focus on my studies."

Rahab is a 51-year-old woman from Kenya. She is married and has three children. Rahab and her husband used to work, but when COVID-19 struck, they both lost their jobs. Struggling to sustain their family, they returned to their family home, where they now engage in small-scale farming. Although their income is limited, it is enough to cover their family's basic needs. For about a year, Rahab has been experiencing intermittent, excessive bleeding. She initially sought treatment at a nearby hospital but was eventually referred to our medical partner's care center, Nazareth Hospital, where she was diagnosed with uterine fibroids. Unfortunately, due to their current financial situation, Rahab and her husband cannot afford the cost of the surgery and need assistance. If left untreated, Rahab will continue to experience bleeding, which could lead to complications such as anemia. She needs to undergo a hysterectomy, a procedure in which surgeons will remove her uterus. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $657 to fund Rahab's surgery. On September 27th, she will undergo gynecological surgery that will help Rahab resume her daily activities free of pain. Rahab said “I have been weak due to excessive bleeding, and I live in fear of the unknown because of the fibroids, I am unable to afford the treatment advised and seek your help to restore my health. After the treatment, I will be able to work to provide for my family”

Jackson is a 28-year-old young man from Kenya. He is the second born in a family of three children and was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at birth, which caused paralysis on one side of his body. He lives with his parents in a rural county. His father is a pastor at a small church in their hometown, and his mother is a homemaker. He loves to learn and was sponsored to take a computer-networking course at a local technical institute in the capital city. On July 29th, Jackson was involved in a road traffic accident that caused a fracture on his left leg. He was hit by a speeding vehicle along a busy highway as he was trying to cross the road. He was rushed to a nearby local hospital where an x-ray revealed a broken bone that needed surgery. He had a cast applied and requested to return to the facility once he raised the amount needed for the surgery. Jackson is currently confined to a wheelchair and unable to walk on his own. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner African Mission Healthcare (AMH) can help. On August 3rd, Jackson will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation. The procedure will relieve him of pain and help him walk easily again. He will also be able to resume his studies. AMH is requesting $1,500 to fund this procedure. Jackson says, “I can feel the bones pricking my legs from the inside. I cannot walk, and I am in pain. I have so far missed my classes because of the accident.”

Naiduka is a 14-year-old boy from a large family in Ngorongoro, Tanzania. His father, a livestock keeper and being the eldest child of his family, Naiduka has always harbored a strong desire to attend school. Unfortunately, his aspirations have been thwarted, as most of his siblings were fortunate enough to receive an education, while he was left behind to care for the family’s livestock. At the tender age of 4, Naiduka’s legs began to bow inward, marking the onset of a mild condition that has since worsened as he grew older. While attending church, Naiduka received news of an upcoming clinic for children with treatable disabilities, which would be staffed by visiting doctors and nurses. He was excited to hear of this clinic and hopeful for a chance at receiving the treatment he needed. On July 6th, a kind priest facilitated his transportation to our medical partner African Mission Healthcare (AMH). Naiduka was diagnosed with bilateral genu valgus, meaning that his legs bow inwards. This condition is typically caused by an excessive accumulation of fluoride in the bones, which often stems from contaminated drinking water. As a result, this condition severely limits his purpose and role in his Maasai community, preventing him from undertaking the crucial task of herding cattle over vast distances in search of nourishing green pastures. He was also diagnosed with malnutrition and has been undergoing treatment and the implementation of a feeding plan to address this issue before he undergoes surgery. Our medical partner African Mission Healthcare (AMH) is requesting $880 to fund surgery for Naiduka, which is scheduled for June 27th. Treatment will hopefully restore Naiduka's mobility, allow him to participate in a variety of activities, and greatly decrease his risk of future complications. Naiduka says, "I wish to get better and for my legs to look normal. Hopefully, after this treatment, my legs will be fine."

Rose is a 62-year-old widow with two fully grown children. She lost her husband four years ago. Rose owns a small business where she sells sand and also performs garden maintenance for a small fee. Rose gets support from both children, who are married with children themselves now. She lives with her second-born child in a three-bedroom house without water and electricity. Rose likes doing house chores and enjoys eating nsima, a culinary tradition of Malawi, made from maize flour with vegetables. In 2014, Rose started experiencing pain when she swallowed. She visited the hospital near her home, where she was treated. The treatment worked for awhile until December of last year when her daughter noticed that Rose's neck was swollen on the right side. In March, Rose noticed that the swelling was getting larger and also causing consistent pain. Rose decided it was time to visit Kamuzu Central Hospital in Malawi where a scan revealed her mass had grown substantially and was stemming from the right thyroid lobe. Her doctor diagnosed her with a goiter and determined that surgery would be needed. Due to her financial challenges, Rose could not afford the surgery. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), can help. Rose met with a surgeon who confirmed her diagnosis and the need for surgical intervention called a thyroidectomy, which removes part or all of the thyroid gland. Rose believes the surgery will help her to get better and prevent her symptoms from impacting her day to day life, and allow her to focus on how good her life is. She was able to contribute $10 toward her care and is grateful to all to help her raise the $1,015 needed. Rose said, “Thank you donors for supporting me, I want to live my normal life.”

Kim Huoy is a 13-year-old girl who lives in Kampong Cham province, Cambodia, with her parents and two brothers. Her mom works long hours in a factory making medical gloves, and her father works at a nearby construction site. Kim Houy's favorite subject is Cambodian history, and her dream is to get good grades so she can study to become a writer. In her free time, she likes to read and play hide and seek with her friends in the village. For the last few years, Kim Houy has had bad posture, and occasional discomfort in her back. Then, in June, she fell off the top of the stairs at the front of her house, which caused her back pain to worsen. Her parents took her to a nearby clinic, where her x-ray showed curvature of the spine, and she was diagnosed with scoliosis. Kim Houy and her family traveled 3 hours by shared taxi hoping to receive treatment at our medical partner Children's Surgical Centre (CSC). On July 31st, she will undergo a scoliosis correction procedure with implants to improve the position of her spine. Surgeons will realign and fuse together the curved vertebrae so that she feels comfortable and can stand straighter. Her mom shared, "I hope my daughter can feel better after surgery and go to school without any problems."