Brian is a teenager from Kenya. He is the third born in a family of seven children. He stopped going to school last year in March after he fell ill and currently stays at home mostly in pain. His mother is a subsistence farmer and his father works on construction sites to provide for the family. The family does not have a medical insurance coverage and cannot raise the required amount of money to pay for Brian's treatment. Brian has a painful swelling in a sensitive area which impacts his movement and his ability to engage in any physical activities. He has been to different hospitals without any improvement. Earlier this year, Brian was brought to BethanyKids Kijabe Hospital where he underwent tests and has been scheduled for an urgent surgery. Brian was diagnosed with cryptorchidism, a condition in which one or both of the testicles remains undescended. If left untreated, Brian has an increased risk of developing hernias, testicular cancer, and future fertility problems. Brian will be receiving assistance from our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH) and is scheduled to undergo corrective surgery on February 22nd. AMH is requesting $646 to cover the total cost of his procedure and care. Brian says, “I want the pain to go away so that I can go back to school.”

Sokkry is a 22-year-old rice farmer who lives with his mother and younger sister. Sadly, his father passed away a few years ago. Since then, he and his mother support the family by working in the nearby rice fields. In his free time, he likes to play soccer with his friends in the village. Two years ago, Sokkry fell off a wall while he was training for the army and fractured his right femur. He was immediately transferred to a nearby military hospital where doctors used nails and screws to align the bone and heal the fracture. Now that the fracture is healed, the hardware is causing problems. It is difficult for him to walk, and he is in pain. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, can help. On February 21st, Sokkry will undergo a hardware removal procedure, which will cost $304. This procedure will help him walk easily again and stop the risk of infection. After surgery, he hopes he is no longer in pain and will be able to walk normally and play soccer again.

Touch devotes his life to Buddhism in Svay Rieng province and resides in a tranquil pagoda. Despite being a monk for several years, he has had to make frequent trips to Thailand to support his mother, who has been widowed since he was seven. With two older brothers married, Touch dedicates his days to religious studies, chanting, and maintaining the serenity of his pagoda. For the past decade, Touch has suffered from persistent nasal congestion and recurrent infections. Despite relying on medications from the local pharmacy and undergoing nasal surgery some years ago, his condition remains unimproved. This health challenge impedes his ability to live his day-to-day life, leaving him embarrassed when he cannot attend to the local community seeking solace at the temple. Fortunately, our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, can help. Ear, Nose, and Throat doctors have detected several polyps in his nose that are the cause of his illness and determined that he needs a bilateral polypectomy - a minimally invasive surgery for severe sinus conditions. Touch needs assistance with the $388 surgery cost, which includes endoscopic surgery, hospitalization, and medication. Touch said: "I hope I will get better from this illness and stop getting nose infections. I want to breathe through my nose, have my sense of smell, and be healthy again."