Meet Laurie, a sweet 15-year-old from Haiti. She lives on an island off the coast of the mainland with her parents and several younger siblings. She's in the eighth grade, and loves playing with her classmates at school. Unfortunately, Laurie is living with a heart condition called patent ductus arteriosus, where a hole in the heart which normally closes after birth remains open. As a result, not all of the blood that circulates through her body passes through her lungs to obtain oxygen, and she is frequently out of breath and fatigued. Without surgery, this condition could be fatal. Because she lives on a remote island off of Haiti, her family cannot afford both the travel and the treatment for Laurie. This is where we come in! For $1,500, Laurie will receive surgery to repair the hole in her heart and allow her to live a long and healthy life. "I am excited to have surgery because I don't like being tired all the time and want to be normal like all of my classmates," Laurie says. Let's help Laurie regain her energy, her time spent with friends and family, and her health!

Meet Saul, a very cheerful 11-year-old boy from Guatemala. Saul likes attending school and playing soccer. Unfortunately, sometimes he is prevented from doing his favorite activities because he has life-threatening asthma attacks. Saul's condition grew worse when he moved from a tropical region of the country to the highlands. Our medical partners at Wuqu' Kawoq report that "since asthma is a condition that is not common or well-understood in the Guatemalan medical community, he's not received proper ongoing treatment and education to get his disease into remission." Saul tells his doctors that he would like to get better so that he can be 'normal' like the other kids at school. For $450, we can grant this wish to Saul. He will receive intensive asthma therapy that will allow him to achieve better long-term asthma control as well as improve his exercise ability and performance in school. Let's give Saul a reason to keep smiling!

Two years ago, little Albina fell into a pot of hot lentil soup and was seriously burned. Now, she is an active three-year-old girl who is having trouble eating because of the scar tissue that has built up on her hand. Albina has six siblings and her family are farmers in Nepal, so a corrective surgery is out of their reach. But Albina’s mother hopes that Albina can one day grow up to get a good education and work in a government organization. For $1,415, we can provide Albina with a burn contracture surgery to remove the scar tissue and a skin graft to correct the appearance and use of her hand. Let’s help give Albina a chance at a healthier life!

Rosemary is a radiant woman from Kenya. She and her husband work as farmers. She is deeply involved with her community, and she is a loving mother to four children. Recently, Rosemary started experiencing severe abdominal pain and swelling. She was diagnosed with multiple uterine fibroids, tumors in the uterus that require emergency removal when they cause painful symptoms. Despite their hard work, Rosemary and her husband cannot afford the $750 surgery she needs to live a healthy life. Rosemary says she hopes to get better and resume her involvement in local women groups. "I hope to be a leader in one of my groups as soon as I regain my strength." Our donations will work directly to provide Rosemary with the health she needs to continue leading her community.