Margaret is a shopkeeper and a single mother of three. Her kids are all adults. She used to work at a small shop selling exam papers. However, she has not been able to go to work since December because of her pain. She is currently at home without a source of income and does not have medical coverage. She lives in a three-room house which her family shares with her elderly mother. Margaret has been diagnosed with breast cancer. Without treatment, the cancer may spread to other organs. A mastectomy, a surgery to remove breast tissue, has been suggested to rid her body of breast cancer and to prevent the cancer from metastasizing. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1110 to cover the cost of a mastectomy for Margaret. The procedure is scheduled to take place on January 23rd. After treatment, Margaret will hopefully return to a cancer-free life. Margaret says, “I am currently experiencing a lot of pain. This condition has caused me not to be able to work at all. I need this surgery to stop the disease from spreading.”

PengEang is an 11-year-old student in grade four from Cambodia. He and his family come from Mondulkiri province, approximately five and a half hours from the capital of Phnom Penh. PengEang has one sister and two brothers. His father is a pepper farmer and his mother stays home to care for the children. PengEang enjoys mathematics and playing badminton. PengEang would like to be a policeman when he grows up. About a year ago, PengEang fell hard on a tile floor while playing with his brothers and fractured his left elbow. He had surgery with implants to stabilize the bones to heal the fracture. The fracture has healed, but PengEang still feels chronic low-level pain in his elbow. The hardware is uncomfortable and it is difficult for him to extend and flex his elbow. He would like the hardware removed. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, can help. On April 2nd, PengEang will undergo a hardware removal procedure which will cost $304. The hardware removal will help him heal completely and complete the rehabilitation of his arm. PengEang's mother said, "We hope my son will no longer have pain, and he can be healthy after the metal is removed from his elbow."

Rebecca is a playful two-year-old girl from Haiti. She lives with her parents and four siblings. Rebecca has been diagnosed with hydrocephalus, a condition in which excess cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the brain and increases intracranial pressure. As a result of her condition, Rebecca has been experiencing Increasing head circumference. Without treatment, Rebecca will experience severe physical and developmental delays. Our medical partner, Project Medishare, is requesting $957 to cover the cost of surgery for Rebecca at Hospital Bernard Mevs that will treat her hydrocephalus. This is the only site in the country where this care is currently available and the procedure is scheduled to take place on February 29th. This critical treatment will place a shunt to drain the excess fluid from Rebecca's brain to reduce intracranial pressure and greatly improve her quality of life. With proper treatment, Rebecca should develop into a strong, healthy young girl. The family is looking forward to a successful surgery.