Meet Nancy, a four-month-old girl from Tanzania! Nancy has a congenital deformity on her left foot, also known as a clubfoot. “If not treated, the condition will affect Nancy’s gait and she will likely develop osteoarthritis of the small bones at an early age,” reports our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). Nancy is the first-born child to her parents and she likes to play with her toys. “Nancy also has congenital deformities of both hands and her right foot. She was born without all ten fingers and without toes on her right foot. Her mother is a medical attendant at a dispensary in their village and her father is a secondary school teacher. Their income is not enough to cover their house rent, daily expenses, and also pay the cost of treatment which Nancy needs,” continues AMHF. “Maybe there isn’t much that can be done for Nancy’s hands, but at least the position of her left foot can be corrected to allow her to walk properly when she grows up and that is all I wish for,” says Nancy’s mother. For $1160, we can correct Nancy’s gait and prevent onset osteoarthritis. AMHF concludes, “Nancy will not have to use the lateral aspect of her left foot when she starts to walk and the correction will reduce the risk of developing early osteoarthritis.”

Rangi is a 9-year-old girl from Nepal with rheumatic heart disease. She suffers from shortness of breath and heart palpitations, especially when walking or doing any other kind of activity. She needs surgery to correct her condition and enable her to live a normal, healthy life. Rangi lives with her parents, two brothers, and two sisters. She is very bright and was admitted into a good school just a few months ago, but had to stop attending because of her poor health. Her family farms for a living, but they do not make nearly enough money to pay for the medical care Rangi needs. Rangi loves to play with her friends when she is feeling well enough and can’t wait to get treatment so she can go back to living a normal life. Let’s make it happen for her!

Madeline is a 6-year-old indigenous girl from Guatemala who has never seen a doctor in her life. Her parents brought her to Wuqu’ Kawoq because she had difficulty breathing. After providing an ultrasound, the doctors in Guatemala diagnosed Madeline with congenital heart disease. She has a large hole in the membrane of her heart (known as an atrial septal defect) which will require open heart surgery to correct. Fortunately, the doctors believe that surgery should “completely correct her symptoms and allow her to lead a normal life.” Madeline said she can't wait to go home, see her friends, and return to school. Let’s get this young girl the medical care she deserves, and make her first trip to see the doctor a successful one!

Estevan is a 4-month-old baby boy with a cleft lip and palate. He will need surgery to repair these defects, but first Estevan needs nutritional rehabilitation because he is so malnourished from not being able to breastfeed (an incredibly sad, but common problem that infants with a cleft lip and palate face). Estevan’s mother is very attentive, but is scared that she won’t be able to provide her baby with the care he needs to thrive. She has limited financial resources, and cannot afford the expensive nutritional supplements, let alone surgery, Estevan needs. Let’s raise the $400 Estevan needs to get well soon!