Exildah is a 3-year-old girl from Zambia who was born with a condition that makes her legs grow sharply inward. Commonly referred to as “knock knees,” Exildah’s situation is so extreme that it can only be treated with surgery. Without treatment, Exildah will never be able to walk normally. Exildah’s grandmother is her biggest advocate. She has taken her granddaughter from doctor to doctor to try and find someone who could help, but was repeatedly told that there was nothing that could be done. She refused to give up as she continued to watch Exildah struggle to remain balanced when standing, let alone when walking, and she pushed forward with seeking treatment. Fortunately, Exildah’s grandmother was finally referred to CURE’s facility in Zambia, where surgeons are confident they can treat Exildah’s case. It will cost $1000 to perform the surgery she needs, as well as provide her with the appropriate follow up work. Exildah’s family wants her to get treatment and live a normal life, but they live in one of the poorest regions of the entire world. Paying for her care out-of-pocket is absolutely impossible. We need to cover the cost of her surgery and give her a chance at a happy and healthy life.

Erick is a charismatic little boy from a loving family. He was born with clubfoot, a common condition in which the foot is turned inwards, making walking or doing any physical activity difficult. Erick’s grandmother was worried about him right away. She took him to a local clinic in her village, where they applied the “ponseti method” (a non-invasive clubfoot treatment) improperly, which did little to fix Erick’s problem. Now, several years later, Erick is being seen at CURE’s hospital in Lusaka, Zambia’s capital. The surgery Erick needs to treat his condition costs $1,000. His family cannot afford that kind of expense, so we need to help CURE cover the cost of his procedure. This will be an incredibly impactful treatment, enabling Erick to use his legs like a normal little boy and go onto live a healthy, active life.

Srey Lis is a genuinely sweet girl who loves helping her mother cook. She likes trying new foods, but she says her favorite thing to eat is eggs. Srey Lis has two younger sisters, and is scheduled to start school next year. School will be difficult for Srey Lis, however, because of a medical mistake years ago. When Srey Lis was two, she had a bad fever. Her family took her to the village doctor, who administered injections in her thighs to make her well again. Unfortunately, the injections were poorly administered. Ever since then, Srey Lis has suffered from stiffness in her legs due to scar tissue buildup in her muscles. She has trouble bending her legs and experiences extreme pain when walking or running. Srey Lis needs tendon release surgery and extensive physiotherapy to heal her legs. The surgery she needs costs $550, but she comes from a family of rice farmers and lives in a part of Cambodia where the average person makes less than $2 a day. We want to cover the cost of Srey Lis’ care and help her live a normal, healthy life.

Tyamika is a 14-year-old girl with “knock knees,” a common condition in which the legs are turned inwards. Because of her condition, it’s difficult for Tyamika to walk, let alone run, without intense pain. CURE’s hospital in Malawi can perform an operation on Tyamika that they believe will help her walk. They are confident that with treatment, Tyamika will be relieved of her pain and be able to live a normal life. Tyamika comes from a small farming community in rural Malawi. She remains positive despite her condition, and hopes to become a teacher one day. Tyamika loves school, and looks forward to getting the treatment she needs to do her best in her classes and achieve her dreams.