Say Poe is a 6-year-old daughter of three from Burma. She lives with her family in a village in Karen State, Burma where her grandparents and stepfather are farmers while her mother runs a small shop and the rest of the family sells rice when able. Say Poe goes to school and likes to play with her doll in her free time. Currently, Say Poe’s vision out of her right eye is blurred and she has facial palsy on her left side. Her right ear also sometimes bleeds. Her condition does not cause her great pain, but it affects her vision and makes it difficult for her to see. Doctors recommend Say Poe undergo a CT scan, a procedure in which x-ray images taken from several angles are combined to produce cross-sectional images of the body. This scan will hopefully help doctors diagnose her condition and formulate an appropriate treatment plan. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $414 to cover the cost of Say Poe's CT scan and care, scheduled for March 9th. Say Poe's mother said, “I am so nervous and worry something will happen to my daughter severely. I hope she will be able to get proper treatment and has no complications [head injury post trauma]. I am worried and feel stress about her. I will try everything to help her get treatment. I want her grow up and live like other healthy children. I want her to become an educated person and helpful for the community."

Douby is a 17 year old student, living with his Godmother and her family in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Douby enjoys going to school, and aspires to attain a PhD in agronomy, and to become a professor. As a result of rheumatic fever that he suffered as a child, Douby has a cardiac condition called rheumatic mitral and tricuspid regurgitation. Two of his four heart valves were severely damaged by the rheumatic fever, and his heart cannot adequately pump blood through his body, leaving him sick and short of breath. The care Douby needs is not available in Haiti so he urgently will fly to the United States to receive treatment on February 28th at Baylor Scott & White Heart Hospital. He will undergo emergency cardiac surgery, during which surgeons will attempt to repair both damaged valves; if the valves cannot be repaired, they will be removed, and artificial valves will be implanted in their place. While another organization, Baylor Scott and White Heart Hospital, is contributing $20,000.00 to help pay for Douby's surgery, our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, is seeking $1,500 to cover the costs for the surgery prep and transport support, including lab tests; medicines, and follow up appointments. The money will alsosupport the passport and travel expenses for the social workers that will accompany Douby and his family to the U.S. Douby was able to share: "I am looking forward to being stronger and healthier once my heart can be repaired!"

Gilian is a 32-year-old businesswoman from Uganda. She is married with two children and is currently expecting her third. Gilian completed high school and was passionate about becoming a lawyer, but her academic journey was cut short following her father's death. She operates a small retail business, while her husband operates a bodaboda (motorcycle) business. Due to limited capital, Gilian shared that her business has suffered losses; thus, she is unable to raise the funds needed for her surgery. During her free time, she enjoys spending time with her children. Gilian is currently expecting her third child. Her doctors recommended that she deliver via a Cesarean section to ensure the safety of both mother and child. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is helping Gilian undergo a C-Section on February 7th. AMH is requesting $252 to fund this procedure. Gilian said: “I hope to have a successful delivery once given your support because the only worry I had was how I would be able to pay for my delivery."

Lu is a 63-year-old man who lives with his wife and niece in a refugee camp in Thailand. He is unemployed, while his wife is a homemaker, and his niece is a student. Lu enjoys going to the forest to fish in the steams and to forage for vegetables. He shared he also likes to read the Bible and to sing hymns. Lu developed cataracts in both of his eyes. As a result, his vision is blurry and impaired, which makes it difficult for Lu to lead an independent life. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund lens replacement surgery for Lu. On January 19th, doctors at Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital will perform a lens replacement procedure, during which they will remove Lu's natural lenses, and replace them with intraocular lens implants. After recovery, Lu will be able to see clearly again and get back to his day-to-day life. Now, he needs your help to fund this $1,500 procedure. Lu said: “I feel so annoyed and uncomfortable when I try to look around me, so I will often just close my eyes,” he said. “I want to receive surgery so that my vision can be restored.”

Ka is a 77-year-old retired rice farmer from Kandal province. He lives with his wife who is also retired from their rice farm. They have no children. He and his wife are supported with food from relatives and neighbors. At home, he loves listening to the monks pray on the radio and joining ceremonies at the pagoda. Two years ago, Ka developed a cataract in his right eye, causing him blurry vision and photophobia. He is no longer able to visit the local pagoda by himself, and he shared that he feels ashamed he cannot go out alone. When Ka learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, he traveled for two and half hours seeking treatment. On January 3rd, doctors will perform a small incision cataract surgery and place an intraocular lens implant in his right eye. After recovery, he will be able to see clearly. Now, he needs help to fund this $253 procedure. Ka said: "I hope my vision improves and I can get around easily by myself. I want to be able to help care for my wife and walk to the pagoda by myself."

Soktha is a 32-year-old man from Cambodia. He is married with two children. His son is seven years old and in first grade, while his daughter is one year old and stays home with his wife. Soktha sells bread at the local market. At home in his free time, he likes to play football, read books, and play with his children. For the past three years, Soktha has been experiencing pain and swelling in his left jaw. He visited a local hospital and underwent biopsies, which showed that he has a tumor and chronic inflammation in the tissue around his jaw. As a result of this condition, Soktha experiences pain, cannot open his mouth, and has difficulty eating and drinking. When Soktha learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), he traveled for three hours seeking treatment. On December 5th, doctors will perform a mandibulectomy and fibula free-flap reconstruction. After recovery, Soktha hopes to be pain-free and able to open his mouth again. CSC is requesting $991 to fund this procedure, which covers the cost of surgery, hospitalization, and medications. Soktha's family was able to gather $100 to contribute to his care. Soktha said: "I hope I can eat and drink again and get comfortable, so I can feel good again to support my family."

Sokvisal is a 23-year-old man, living in Cambodia. He has three younger siblings - a brother, and two sisters - all of whom are in school. His father is a rainy day rice and vegetable farmer, while his mother is a teacher at a high school. Sokvisal enjoys reading and listening to music. Sokvisal was a student when in June 2019, he was involved in a motorcycle collision. He fractured several of the bones in his right arm, as well as his tibia. Sokvisal's family took him to Vietnam for treatment, where he underwent surgery to repair the fractures. In Cambodia, doctors attempted to treat his brachial plexus injury, but they were unsuccessful, leaving Sokvisal without the ability to move his right arm. He can't complete school or go to work, which has left him feeling very depressed. Sokvisal sought help from our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre. Now he is scheduled to undergo surgery on November 3rd, at Kien Khleang National Rehabilitation Centre. Doctors hope they will be able to improve his overall finger and upper limb function. Sokvisal needs your help to raise the $600 to fund this life changing procedure. Sokvisal said: "After surgery, I hope I can use my right arm to be more independent."

Yang is a loving grandmother to five grandchildren. She is 72 years old, and lives in Cambodia with her daughter, the youngest of her three children. While the family farms rice, Yang looks after her grandchildren, and helps around her daughter's house. Two years ago Yang developed a cataract in her left eye, which causes her blurry vision, light sensitivity and tearing. Because of the cataract, Yang can no longer walk her grandchildren to school, or help her daughter take care of their home. Additionally, she no longer has the confidence to go out on her own. Yang traveled for three and a half hours to find care with our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre. As a result, she is scheduled to have surgery to remove the cataract, and to have an intraocular lens implanted in her eye, on October 5th, at Kien Khleang National Rehabilitation Centre. Yang is looking to you to help cover the $253 needed for her procedure. Yang said: "I hope after surgery I can see clearly. I would like to recognize my family’s faces and get around by myself without help."

Gareth, who is four years old, lives with his parents and three siblings in central Bolivia. His parents are shopkeepers and have so much love for their family. Gareth was born with ventricular septal defect, a heart condition that creates a hole between the two lower chambers of the heart. Blood, which should circulate through his lungs to obtain oxygen, simply leaks out through the hole, leaving Gareth weak and short of breath. In addition to his heart condition, Gareth was born with Down syndrome. Doctors at our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, are scheduled to operate on Gareth on January 19th, at Hospital del Niño Dr. Ovidio Aliaga Uria. During the procedure, surgeons will sew a patch over the hole in Gareth's heart, so that his blood will flow normally. Gareth's family needs your help to fund the $1,500 to cover the costs of his care. Gareth's mother said: "Our family is very grateful to everyone who is making it possible for Gareth to have this surgery."

Wensly is a sweet two-year-old toddler from Haiti who loves to draw and to play with his toy trucks. He lives with his parents and older sister in a neighborhood of Port-au-Prince, Haiti's capital city. Wensly was born with a ventricular septal defect, a cardiac condition in which a hole exists between the two lower chambers of the heart. Blood leaks through this hole without first passing through the lungs to obtain oxygen, leaving him weak and short of breath. Fortunately, Wensly is scheduled to fly to the Cayman Islands where he will undergo cardiac surgery at Health City Cayman Islands on September 19th. During this procedure, surgeons will sew a patch over the hole in his heart to prevent blood from flowing through it. A portion of the cost of Wensly's treatment is being supported by Have a Heart Cayman. Our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance (HCA), is raising the remaining $1,500 to cover the costs of his surgery prep, which includes all labs, medication, check-up and follow-up appointments, and the passports needed for HCA’s social workers to accompany Wensly and his family overseas. Wensly's mother shares, "Our family has been hoping for this surgery since our son was a baby, and we are so thankful it is almost here!"

Chris is an adorable 19-month-old baby from Tanzania. He is the youngest of two children in his family. Chris’s parents are both small-scale farmers of corn, beans, potatoes, and other vegetables, which they use to feed their family. However, they also sell whatever they do not eat in order to earn some income. When Chris was born, his mother immediately noticed that his right foot was twisted out of shape. This is because he has clubfoot of his right foot, which caused this to occur and makes it difficult to walk and wear shoes. When his mother took him to receive a vaccination, she was referred to another hospital for treatment, but she shared that he could not undergo it due to financial constraints. She then sought the help of a local traditional doctor, who tried to heal his condition through massages and herbal medications, but they saw no effective change. Fortunately, Chris's family traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre. There, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on July 15th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $935 to fund Chris's clubfoot repair. After treatment, he will be able to walk easily. Chris's mother shares, “We couldn’t find the money to take him to the hospital, and that’s why he is still this way. We have no other means.”

Seang Horn is a 68-year-old retired rice farmer. She has one son, one daughter, and six grandchildren. Seang Horn lives with her eldest daughter, who is also a farmer. In her free time, Seang Horn likes to listen to the monks pray on the radio. Four years ago, Seang Horn developed a cataract in her right eye, causing her blurry vision, photophobia, and tearing. As a result, she has difficulty seeing things clearly, including colors and faces, and is worried about falling when walking, so she cannot go places on her own. When Seang Horn learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), she traveled for four and a half hours seeking treatment. On June 7th, doctors will perform cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in her right eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. CSC is requesting $253 to fund this procedure. Seang Horn shared, "After surgery, I hope I can see well enough to go to the field on my own and help my husband."