Zerubabel is a 17-month-old, energetic baby boy from Ethiopia. He is the only child of his mother. He already loves to run and play football with other children. Bread is his favorite food. Both of his parents currently have no income. His father used to work at Mekele University at the student's café, but lost touch with their family after the war broke out. Zerubabel's mother has no income and has moved to Addis Ababa where she stays with relatives. Zerubabel was born with hypospadias, a congenital abnormality that causes urinary dysfunction. Without treatment, he will continue to experience uncomfortable symptoms and will be at risk of cancer and infertility. A year ago, Zerubabel's mother noticed his condition but was unable to take him to the hospital sooner. The neighbor of her relatives told her about our medical parter at BKMCM and she came to the hospital with hope. The doctors have recommended surgery to treat Zerubabel, his mother is appealing for financial assistance. Fortunately, Zerubabel is scheduled to undergo corrective surgery on April 4th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,293 to cover the total cost of his procedure and care. Zerubabel's mother said, “I look forward to seeing him completely healthy. I want to see him grow up. I hope he will be a professional football player. ”

Mai Yas is fruit seller from Kampot province. She is a 60-year-old widow and has one son, three daughters, and five grandchildren. She lives with her youngest son who sells fruit at the local market. When she is not taking care of her grandchildren, she likes to go to the mosque. Three years ago, Mai Yas developed a cataract in her left eye, causing her itchiness, tearing, and blurry vision. She is often lonely when she is the only person in the house and misses her independence. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, including colors and faces, and is worried about falling when walking, so is not able to go places on her own. Upon discovering our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, Mai Yas embarked on a three-hour journey to seek treatment. On June 6th, a team of doctors will conduct a small incision cataract surgery and implant an intraocular lens in her left eye. Upon recuperation, her vision will be significantly improved. However, she currently requires financial support to cover the cost of this $253 procedure. She said: "I hope after surgery I can see better, go out by myself, and do housework well."

Natasha is a jovial six-year-old only child living in Kenya. She is a grade 2 student and has several hobbies, including singing, praying, and cooking. Natasha was a healthy child at birth. However, when she turned three, her grandmother noticed that she had an unusual gait when she walked. She hoped that the condition would simply correct itself. Unfortunately, Natasha's situation has deteriorated, greatly affecting her mobility. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is seeking $1,224 to fund open reduction femur shortening osteotomy surgery, which is scheduled for April 18th, at AIC Cure International Hospital. This treatment will greatly improve Natasha's mobility and allow her to play with other children and continue with her education. “I will be grateful to see my grandchild walking normally like other children with your support,” Natasha’s grandmother told us.

Edisimary is a 49-year-old farmer. She has six children: three sons and three daughters. Her eldest son is a welder, and her two younger sons are training to be mechanics. All three of her daughters are currently students. Edisimary shared that she completed the seventh grade but was unable to continue her education due to a lack of funding. Now, Edisimary and her husband work as farmers on a small piece of land where they eat what they grow and sell any surplus to generate income. During her free time, Edisimary enjoys listening to the radio. For the past three years, Edisimary has experienced painful swelling in her neck, shortness of breath, and difficulty swallowing which has impacted her voice. She has difficulty working, as her symptoms also cause her to tire quickly. Due to financial challenges, Edisimary has been unable to seek medical attention. A friend informed Edisimary of a surgical support program at our medical partner's care center and she decided to go hoping for support. There she was diagnosed with a bilateral goiter which requires surgery to prevent her symptoms from worsening. Thankfully, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, can help Edisimary. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on June 6th at our medical partner's care center. Surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland to help relieve her symptoms. This procedure will cost $252 and Edisimary and her family need help raising money for her treatment. Edisimary says, “I hope to get well and expect a complete recovery once I am given your kind support for surgery.”

Claudy is an 11 month old child from Haiti. He is the youngest child in his family. He lives with his mother, father, brother and sister and is very playful. Claudy has been diagnosed with hydrocephalus, a condition in which excess cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the brain and increases intracranial pressure. As a result of his condition, Claudy has been experiencing Increasing head circumference. Without treatment, Claudy will experience severe physical and developmental delays. Our medical partner, Project Medishare, is requesting $897 to cover the cost of surgery for Claudy at Hospital Bernard Mevs that will treat his hydrocephalus. This is the only site in the country where this care is currently available and the procedure is scheduled to take place on July 4th. This critical treatment will drain the excess fluid from Claudy's brain to reduce intracranial pressure and greatly improve his quality of life. With proper treatment, Claudy will hopefully develop into a strong, healthy young boy. The family is hoping that the surgery will allow him to grow and enjoy a healthy life without further challenges.

72-year-old Meas is a retired rice farmer, living with his wife in Kampong Cham province in Cambodia. Together, they have two sons, five daughters, and fifteen grandchildren. His wife collects lotus seeds to sell at the market, and their children also help to support the family through farming and factory work. About two years ago, Meas developed a cataract in his right eye, causing him blurry vision and itchiness. He has difficulty seeing things clearly, and as a result of his impaired vision, he is reluctant to go out on his own. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is seeking $253 to fund Meas' treatment. On April 20th, doctors at Kien Khleang National Rehabilitation Centre will perform Intra-capsular cataract extraction (ICCE), and implant an intraocular lens in his right eye. After recovery, Meas will once again be able to see clearly. Meas shared: "After surgery, I hope I can easily go out, recognize things well, and can take care of myself well."

Muk is a 46-year-old woman from Cambodia. She is married and has four sons and seven grandchildren. She lives in the capital city of Phnom Penh with her husband and youngest son, who is a high school student. Muk sells pork for a living and, in her free time, likes to watch the news and check her social media. About two years ago, Muk developed a pterygium in her right eye, causing her itchiness, tearing, and blurry vision. Pterygiums are non-cancerous growths of the conjunctiva, a mucous layer that lubricates the eye. The growths occur when the conjunctiva is exposed to excessive sun damage, and the cells grow abnormally over the pupil. As a result, she has difficulty seeing things clearly, recognizing faces, working, and going outside. When Muk learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), she traveled for an hour seeking treatment. Muk needs to undergo a surgical procedure to remove the abnormal conjunctiva from the cornea surface and replace it with a conjunctival graft to prevent recurrence. This surgery costs $225, which covers all medications, supplies, and inpatient care for two days. Muk will undergo surgery on August 7th. She contributed $50 to her care. Muk shared, "I hope I can have surgery and go back to my life without worrying and be able to do my job better."

Beatrice is a 59-year-old small-scale farmer from Uganda. She works alongside her husband, but reports they are experiencing reduced productivity due to old age. They own a three-room mud house for shelter. Beatrice has twelve children but unfortunately lost her first four children. Her eldest child is now 38 years old, and her youngest is 22 years old. Farming is the only source of their family’s income. Three years ago, Beatrice developed a small painless swelling on her neck. Over time, the swelling has progressively increased in size. About a year ago, Beatrice began to experience headaches, airway obstructions, and painful swallowing. She has completely stopped farming due to her condition. After seeking help, Beatrice was diagnosed with nodulated Goiter and requires surgery to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is helping Beatrice receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on August 2nd at our AMH's care center. Surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. This procedure will cost $333, and she and her family need help raising money. Beatrice says, “I pray that I may get well through surgery. I will continue with farming after complete recovery.”

Lolutori is a 7-year-old boy from Tanzania. He and his two siblings live with their parents, who are nomads. For the past two years, the family has been going through a difficult time due to a severe drought, which has made water and food scarce. The family has had to move frequently in search of better pastures for their animals. Lolutori has been diagnosed with genu valgus, or bow legs. This condition is typically caused by an excessive accumulation of fluoride in the bones, due to the consumption of contaminated drinking water. Because of this condition, Lolutori experiences difficulty walking. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $880 to fund corrective surgery for Lolutori. The procedure is scheduled to take place on April 17th at Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre. Treatment should restore Lolutori's mobility, allow him to participate in a variety of activities, and greatly decrease his risk of future complications. Lolutori’s father says: “With our living condition, him not being able to walk properly makes it hard for the family. We hope he will be able to walk properly like his siblings.”

Hen is a 46-year-old construction worker from Cambodia. She lives in Kampot province with her husband and her three children. Both Hen and her husband recently got jobs in construction, after many years as rice farmers. In her free time, Hen likes spending time with her family and growing vegetables around her house. In 2020, Hen was in a motorbike accident and fractured her left knee. She was taken to a nearby clinic and treated for the fracture with internal hardware. The fracture has healed, but she developed chronic pain and muscle stiffness in her left leg. She is unable to fully straighten her knee, which makes everyday activities extremely difficult or impossible. When Hen learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), she traveled for three hours seeking treatment. On July 11th, surgeons at CSC will perform a quadricepsplasty procedure on her left leg. This procedure will help her improve her leg function and mobility. Now, Hen needs help to fund this $482 procedure. She shared, "I hope I can go home and be able to walk and not be in pain."

Naw is a 47-year-old mother from Burma. Her whole family is now unemployed as they moved from Burma due to conflict near their village. She enjoys gardening and growing flowers in her free time. Naw was diagnosed with a heart condition that involves a malformation of her mitral valve, the valve between the left atrium and left ventricle. This valve controls the flow of blood, but certain conditions may cause blood to flow backward or the valve to narrow. Currently, Naw has difficulty breathing, tiredness, and trouble sleeping at night. She often has headaches and feels dizzy. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund a mitral valve replacement for Naw. The treatment is scheduled to take place on June 16th and, once completed, will hopefully allow her to live more comfortably. Naw said, “I felt very happy when I heard about you. I almost cried from happiness. I hope that I can recover completely. After I am treated, I want to get a suitable job that is comfortable enough for me because I do not want to feel tired like this again.”

Leng is a 45-year-old rice farmer from Kompong Cham province. He is married with one daughter and one grandchild. Both his wife and daughter also work in the rice fields. When free from work, he likes spending time with his family and watching the news. About six months ago, Leng developed a cataract in his right eye, causing him photophobia, tearing, and blurry vision. He has difficulty seeing things clearly, including colors and faces, and is worried about falling when walking, thus is unable to travel on his own. When Leng learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, he traveled for three hours seeking treatment. On March 27th, doctors will perform a small incision cataract surgery and implant an intraocular lens in his right eye. After recovery, he will be able to see clearly. Now, he needs help to fund this $253 procedure. He said, "I hope after surgery I can do my work more easily and recognize people."