Gilbert is 65 years old and a retired secondary school teacher from Malawi. He is married and a father of five children. His wife is a farmer. Six years ago, Gilbert began to experience troubling symptoms, including a small swelling on his neck. He visited the hospital, where he was diagnosed with recurrent follicular neoplasia of the thyroid. His medical history shows that he previously had a goiter in 1978, which was surgically removed, and he remained well afterwards. In 2023, Gilbert's condition worsened. After several tests, he was then started on chemotherapy for follicular thyroid disease and completed six cycles. He was referred to our medical partner's care center, Partners in Hope Medical Center, for surgery and specialized care. He was diagnosed with a goiter, which is an abnormal swelling of the thyroid gland. The thyroid is the gland located in front of your neck and produces thyroid hormones. These hormones are responsible for functions such as metabolism, growth, and other bodily functions. He needs surgery to prevent his symptoms from getting worse. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Gilbert receive treatment. He is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on February 7th. Surgeons will remove all or part of his thyroid gland. This procedure will cost $1,015, and he and his family need help raising money. Gilbert shared, "My condition has brought in more pain to my retirement life, ending up draining all my resources on hospital support; kindly help me to get better and get away with the stigma around me, said Gilbert during assessment."

Alemayew is a teenage boy from Ethiopia. This 14-year-old student is one of nine children growing up in a large, hardworking family. He lives with his father, who works as a farmer, his mother, who is a staff member at a flower factory, and his seven brothers and one sister. One year ago, Alemayew started to experience leg purulent discharge and pain. Following his review at our medical partner's care center, Saglan Wajee General Hospital, doctors have recommended that Alemayew undergo a sequestrectomy, a surgical procedure involving the removal of fragments of infected, dead bone or tissue. If not treated, it can lead to recurrent infections that may result in life-threatening complications. Fortunately, on July 1st, he will undergo repair surgery. He needs help raising $900 to fund his procedure and care. Once completed, this procedure will alleviate his symptoms and prevent serious long-term complications. Alemayew's parents shared, "We are forced to watch our son in pain as we do not have the money for the surgery. We have no choice but to ask for help."

Twaibu is a 23-year-old man from Malawi. He works in a factory where he earns approximately USD 66.25 per month, which he uses for his basic upkeep, and to support his parents. In 2019, Twaibu was diagnosed with an inguinal hernia, a condition that occurs when abdominal tissue protrudes through a weak spot in the lower abdominal muscles, causing a bulge in the groin area. He had first noticed intermittent swelling seven years prior, but because the symptoms were on and off, he did not seek medical attention. Over time, Twaibu has tried to manage the condition using painkillers, until in December last year when his condition deteriorated significantly. He was rushed to hospital where the protruding tissue was manually pushed back in it's position, and Twaibu was advised that he would need to undergo surgery. Twaibu was referred to our medical partner's care center, Partners in Hope Medical Center (PIH), and was scheduled for surgery on May 6th. He is hopeful that surgical intervention will restore his health, enable him to resume his work, and allow him to continue supporting his parents at home. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Twaibu receive treatment. Twaibu is able to contribute towards the cost of his treatment, but needs help raising $575 to fund the surgery. He says: "Kindly help me get better. I have been experiencing terrible symptoms; the frequent swelling episodes have brought so much discomfort in my life."