Meet Soinize, a 50-year-old woman from Haiti who has a type of cancer in her eye known as squamous cell carcinoma. Because of this she has clouded retinas, partial loss of vision, and severe irritation. Soinize is in so much pain that she is often unable to sleep at night. Soinize's husband passed away, so she cares for her four children and pays for their schooling by herself. She washes clothes for her neighbors and sells goods on the street to earn some money, but it’s not enough to support her family and pay for her own medical treatment. To get the appropriate treatment for her cancer, Soinize will need to spend six weeks at a hospital in the Dominican Republic. She needs surgical intervention, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. With $1500 we can help support Soinize on her long journey to health.

A few months ago, Ralph's mom started noticing that his head was swelling. She took him to the hospital, and after doctors performed a CT scan, they learned that Ralph has excess fluid in his brain, a condition called hydrocephalus. The excess fluid in Ralph's brain places extra pressure on his nerves and blood vessels. As a result, he is at increased risk of a stroke or vision loss. Because his head is heavy, it is difficult for Ralph to sit up. Ralph also has frequent seizures and flu-like symptoms because of his condition. Ralph is his mom's first child. She sells goods from her home, and her husband takes care of Ralph full-time. They need help raising $1,260 so that Ralph can receive surgery to drain the excess fluid from his skull and reduce his risk of paralysis or nerve damage. Let's work together to help improve Ralph's health!

When Neema was just ten years old, she developed a swelling mass on her neck which continued to grow in size until she had to seek medical attention. Although doctors identified the mass as a benign tumor, she underwent surgery to remove the tumor because it was causing her pain and difficulty swallowing. Since then, Neema has had several small surgeries to slow the growth of the mass, but it has continued to grow in size. Neema still lives with her family and her health issues have put a great strain on their wellbeing. Her father earns money as a day laborer while her mother cares for Neema's siblings. Neema can no longer attend school, or speak and eat easily because of the painful tumor but she cannot afford any more treatments. For $1500, Neema will receive an operation to remove the entire tumor. This surgery will allow Neema to eat and speak without pain and finally return to school. She says that once she is better, she wants to become a teacher and give back to her family for supporting her so much.

Darrel is a shy 4-year-old boy from Kenya who lives with his mother and his aunt in one of the largest slums of Kenya, Korogocho. He has an undescended testicle, which could lead to a dangerous malignancy if left untreated. Darrel’s mother shoulders the responsibility of caring for both her young son and her aging parents. She works hard as a clothes washer, but because she grew up poor herself and lacked access to a good education, she has little hope for a better paying job. Despite her meager income, Darrel’s mother consciously saves for her son’s education because she says she wants his future to be “the exact opposite of hers.” Unfortunately, the $375 medical procedure Darrel needs is completely out of reach for his mother. She would need to take out a crippling loan or deplete his entire education savings to pay for it. Doctors at African Mission Healthcare Foundation tell us, “This operation is very much needed.” We hope to cover the cost of Darrel's care so he can get healthy and live a happy and successful life.

Sin is a hardworking man from a small village in Cambodia. His life revolves around his family, which includes his wife and three small children. He works in construction to support them, and plays volleyball with his kids in his free time. In November of last year, Sin got into a motorbike accident when he was on his way to work and broke his knee. Motorbikes are one of the most inexpensive and common forms of transportation in Cambodia, and unfortunately accidents are common. Because the majority of the rural population cannot afford emergency medical care, these accidents often result in life-altering disabilities. Sin couldn’t afford emergency medical care after the accident, so a traditional healer treated him in his village. Four months later, his knee remains fractured. He is unable to work or help his wife around the house. It will only cost $300 for Sin to have surgery at CSC, our Medical Partner in Cambodia. With treatment, his doctors expect he’ll be able to return to work. Let’s help Sin recover from his accident and get back to living his life!

Maria is an amazing 60-year-old indigenous woman from Guatemala. She has a large, loving family for whom she is the primary financial supporter. Maria recently came to the Wuqu’ Kawoq clinic to be seen for abdominal bleeding, but a routine examination and follow-up tests revealed that she has cervical cancer. Cervical cancer is one of the biggest killers of indigenous women in Guatemala. Women rarely have access to effective programs for early screening and treatment, so by the time they are diagnosed it is usually too late. Watsi’s partners at Wuqu' Kawoq emphasized how rare it was that they caught Maria’s cancer before it spread. They told us that with the right treatment, she has a very good chance of survival. After years of supporting her family, Maria is now unable to afford the medical care she needs. We need to raise $1235 to make sure she can cover the cost of intensive chemotherapy and radiation, labwork and imaging studies, and travel and lodging over the next few months. Let’s show Maria that she’s not in this alone!