Monica is a first grader at Mapema primary school in Kenya. She is the oldest in a family of 2 children. Her family hails from Kimahuri village in Nyeri County. Her mother is a single parent and she washes clothes and does garden work for the neighbors to support her family. Monica has clubfoot of her left foot. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. This causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Fortunately, Monica traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, AIC Cure International Hospital. There, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on March 16th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,224 to fund Monica's clubfoot repair. After treatment, she will be able to walk easily. “My joy would be to see Monica undergoing for surgery. The little I get is not enough even to cater for my bills at home. I would kindly request for support,” Monica’s mother told us.

Zeth is 3 year old boy who likes playing games like kick the can with his friends. Wednesday, the 22nd of Jan, in the evening Zeth was playing with his friends when he was knocked down by one of his friends injuring his hand. Zeth was brought to our hospital crying and on his arrival, he was injected pain meds before he was sent for an x-ray which confirmed that Zeth had fractured his left elbow. Zeth was unable to lift or fold his left hand, all he could do is cry for help. He was then admitted for surgery to fix his fractured elbow. Zeth is the firstborn child in a family of two and he has just joined kindergarten. His father is a student in a teachers’ college and his mother is a housewife. They are a young family raised from a humble background. Currently, Zeth's mother has a nursing child so she can’t work. On the other hand, his father is in school continuing with his studies with the hope of improving his employment prospects. The young family mostly depends on Zeth's grandparents for basic and other family needs. They also still stay with them because they can’t afford to buy a land or build a home of their own. The family has nothing to pay for his surgery. They are requesting anyone to support them so that Zeth can receive treatment. Sharon, Zeth’s aunt says, “He has so much pain, I hope he gets treated and feels relieved.”

Lowasa is a three-year-old boy from Tanzania and the firstborn child in his family. At two years of age, his knees started curving inwardly forming knocked knees. His parents thought it was a normal ricket condition that would end with time. With time, the swell kept worsening and made walking painful and difficult for Lowasa. He would sit most part of the days while his friends played. Lowasa was referred to our facility by a friend. He was diagnosed with knocked knees and surgery recommended. Upon successful surgery, he will be able to walk with ease and less pain. His parents are livestock keepers who rely on selling them to make ends meet. The only money they had was exhausted in a different facility to relieve Lowasa the swelling on his legs. They are not able to afford the planned surgery and are requesting help. Fortunately, Lowasa traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre. There, surgeons will perform surgery on December 10th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $890 to fund Lowasa's treatment. After treatment, he will be able to walk easily and with less pain. Lowasa's parents say, “His legs keep worsening as days go by and we are unable to afford the cost. Please help our son if it’s possible.”

Maria is a beautiful four month old baby from Tanzania who came to our hospital when she just five days old. She is the last born child in a family of five children. Maria was born at home through the help of midwives. This was because the nearest clinic was a long distance from home and Maria’s father was not at home. Soon the midwives informed Maria’s mother that their daughter had a problem with her back and head. This brought panic to her mother and without money, they had to wait for her husband to return. When Maria’s father arrived and saw her condition he had some money with him from selling two of their goats. They depend solely on livestock keeping and small scale farming for their living.  The family took her to our ALMC hospital where she was diagnosed with Spina Bifida, hydrocephalus and encephalocele. She has received surgery for Spinal Bifida to save her from getting an infection on the spine that could lead her not to be able to walk or lead to death. She now needs another surgery to help correct the hydrocephalus condition. Her parents are asking for help. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,238 to cover the cost of surgery for Maria that will treat her hydrocephalus. The procedure is scheduled to take place on December 10th and will drain the excess fluid from Maria's brain. This will reduce intracranial pressure and greatly improve her quality of life. With proper treatment, Maria will hopefully develop into a strong, healthy young girl.

Ben is a toddler from Haiti. He lives with his mother and father in the mountains south of Port-au-Prince; his parents are both farmers. Ben has a cardiac condition called ventricular septal defect. A hole exists between the two lower chambers of his heart; blood leaks through this hole without passing through his lungs to obtain oxygen, leaving him weak and short of breath. Ben will fly to Cayman Islands to receive treatment. On September 24th, he will undergo cardiac surgery, during which surgeons will perform open-heart surgery to close the hole with a patch.. Another organization, Have a Heart Cayman, is contributing $17,000 to pay for surgery. Ben's family also needs help to fund the costs of surgery prep. The $1,500 bill covers labs, medicines, and checkup and followup appointments. It also supports passport obtainment and the social workers from our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, who will accompany Ben's family overseas. His mother said, "We are excited for this surgery so our son can gain weight and have energy."

Su is a 45-year-old woman from Thailand. She lives in Mae Pa, Tak Province, Thailand with her husband and their twelve-year-old son. In her free time, Su enjoys growing vegetables in her garden and getting together with her friends. Su first noticed symptoms related to her health condition three years ago when she experienced severe abdominal pain. Su underwent an ultrasound and was told that she had a stone in her liver. In January 2019, Su’s severe abdominal pain returned. In May 2019, Su underwent a CT scan at Mae Sot Hospital and the doctor confirmed that Su has a bile duct stone. Su has been advised to undergo a cholecystectomy, the surgical removal of the gallbladder. If left untreated, Su's symptoms will continue to worsen and put her at risk for further health complications in the future. After seeking treatment through our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF), Su is scheduled to undergo her cholecystectomy on June 10. BCMF is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of Su's procedure and care. Su says, "I have recently begun to experience pain in my right leg that makes it uncomfortable for me to walk."

Serey is an engineering student from Cambodia. He has three other siblings, and likes to do research and play sports in his free time. When he was nine years old, Serey had an ear infection. This infection caused a cholesteatoma, or an abnormal skin growth, to develop in the middle ear behind the ear drum. For this reason, Serey experiences ear discharge, hearing loss, headaches, and pain. It is difficult for him to hear others and often finds it a challenge to understand and communicate. Serey traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On May 9, he will undergo a mastoidectomy procedure in his right ear. During this procedure, ENT surgeons will remove the cholesteatoma. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $842 to fund this procedure. This covers medications, supplies, and inpatient care. He says, "I hope surgery will allow me to hear again and for the infection to go away."

Roodolph is a toddler from Haiti. He lives with his parents in a small city in northwestern Haiti. He is their first child. He likes playing with cars and going to church. Roodolph has a cardiac condition called Tetralogy of Fallot. This condition involves several related defects including a hole between two chambers of the heart and a muscular blockage of one of the valves. Roodolph will fly to the United States to receive treatment. On April 17, he will undergo cardiac surgery, during which surgeons will use a patch to close the hole in his heart, and remove the muscular blockage. Another organization, HeartGift Foundation, is contributing $18,000 to pay for surgery. Roodolph's family also needs help to fund the costs of surgery prep. The $1,500 bill covers labs, medicines, and checkup and followup appointments. It also supports passport obtainment and the social workers from our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, who will accompany Roodolph's family overseas. His mother says, "We are very excited for Roodolph to have this surgery so that he can be healthy and active!"

Zaw is a 15-year-old boy who lives with his mother and his 11-year-old brother in Burma. Both Zaw and his brother are students, but Zaw stopped attending when his health deteriorated. Zaw has been diagnosed with atrial septal defect, which means there is a hole in his heart. He needs to undergo heart surgery to treat his condition. Fortunately, surgery is scheduled for March 12. Now, his family needs help raising $1,500 to fund this procedure.