Christina is a young child from Tanzania. She is the youngest in a family of three children. Unfortunately, Christina's father passed way. This left Christina's mother with three children to support without a job. She started a small business of cooking food in local hotel to support her children. Christina was diagnosed with genu varus. Her legs are bent outwards at the knees. This condition is typically caused by an excessive accumulation of fluoride in the bones, which often stems from contaminated drinking water. As a result, she experiences discomfort after walking for a short distance. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $940 to fund corrective surgery for Christina. The procedure is scheduled to take place on October 10. Treatment will hopefully restore Christina's mobility, allow her to participate in a variety of activities, and greatly decrease her risk of future complications. Christian’s mother says, “ Please help my daughter. My financial state is not good; I am unable to afford the surgery cost.”

25-year-old Kristine has a happy and outgoing personality. She lives in the Philippines with her mother, and she is loved by her family and fellow church members. She also loves to sing and dance with the other children in their church and community. If the church has an activity, she eagerly offers herself to help with any chores in the activity area. Kristine was born with congenital clubfoot, a condition that impacts her gait. Our medical partner, International Care Ministries (ICM), explains: "Kristine has difficulty in walking because of her left foot deformity. She also has seizure disorder but it is currently managed with medication. Her mother said that she was frequently teased by her classmates when she was still in elementary school because of the way she walked. Since then, she has not joined school; and everyday, she wishes that she could go back even in her age." Treatment for Kristine will cost $1,211, and consists of a surgery to correct her deformity give her a balanced gait, as well as boost her self esteem. It will also fulfill her wishes to go back to school if time and situation permits. Kristine's family was unable to have Kristine undergo surgery earlier because of lack of finances. At their pre-operative interview with ICM, Kristine's mother shared: "I really hope that my child can get treatment. We want to see her well and live normally, but we could not make it happen. She even stopped schooling to avoid bullies because we don't want to see her have emotional pains. We are praying that there could be someone that could help her."

Euridah (pictured above with her favorite toy) is a little girl with club foot so severe it can only be treated through surgery. Doctors have tried to use the “Ponseti method” – a technique that attempts to correct the deformity without invasive surgery – without success. Euridah’s legs are turned inward so sharply that, without treatment, she’ll never walk normally. Euridah’s mother is optimistic about her daughter’s future. Like every mother, she wants her daughter to do well in school, find a meaningful job one day, and have a family. Unfortunately, in Zambia, the majority of the population lives on less than $2 a day. It’s all too common that a congenital, treatable condition like Euridah’s would completely derail her life. We can prevent that from happening. By raising the $1000 needed to cover the cost of Euridah’s surgery at CURE, we can make sure she gets the medical care she needs to have an equal chance at a happy, normal life.