Esther is a 61-year-old widow from Malawi. She has three children. Esther runs a small business selling popcorn. Esther Likes praying and enjoys eating rice served with local chicken. In 2019, Esther began to experience troubling symptoms, including a neck swelling that was hard to the touch. She went to a nearby hospital where she was diagnosed with a goiter, an enlargement 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. As time passed, the goiter became bigger, causing breathlessness, frequent choking, especially at night when sleeping, neck pains and heaviness, and the inability to walk long distances and carry items on her head. Esther's symptoms have impacted her daily activities and she no longer has the energy to do her business. She needs surgery to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Esther receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on June 4th, where surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. This procedure will cost $1,015 and she and her family need help raising money. Esther said, “I want to be healthy and I hope I will get better. I am patiently waiting for the day I receive surgery.”

Elisha is the younger child in a family of two children in Tanzania. He is a playful and friendly boy. Elisha has not started going to school yet, but parents plan to enroll him in school once he turns five years old. Elisha's father is a hard-working man who earns a living selling thrift clothes and his mother is employed as a cook at a small food vendor. When Elisha was one year old, his legs started bowing outward. At first, it was a slight bow, but it worsened quickly. The bowing made it hard for him to walk and play. Elisha's parents tried seeking treatment for him, but the medication they were prescribed did not help much, and surgical options were financially out of reach. Elisha's family was later referred to our medical partner's care center by one of their community partners. Elisha’s mother had to ask for leave from work and travel for two days to seek treatment for her son. Elisha was diagnosed with Fluorosis and Bilateral Severe Genu Varus. He needs corrective surgery to help straighten his legs. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, has scheduled his treatment for August 6th and they are requesting $810 to fund this procedure. Elisha’s mother says: “On our way here we were praying that Elisha gets the treatment required for his leg to be normal because we see this condition will be a problem as he grows older."

Ven is a 16-year-old student from Cambodia. He lives with his parents, younger sister, and 89-year-old grandmother. His parents are rubber tappers, who collect latex from rubber trees. Ven, the oldest child, is in grade 10, while his 12-year-old sister is in grade 5. Ven enjoys studying English and aspires to become a kindergarten teacher when he grows up. His favorite meal is Num Kom, a traditional Cambodian rice cake. In his free time, Ven helps look after the house and his grandmother. At an earlier age, Ven developed a cyst on his left forearm. Over time it has increased in size, causing pain especially when he lifts heavy objects. He sought cyst removal surgery at a clinic in his home province, but the doctors referred him to Children's Surgical Centre. Ven traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On June 12th, surgeons at Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), will remove the mass. Ven's family was able to contribute $75 towards his medical care, but need help raising $198 more to fund the procedure. Ven says: "After surgery, I hope that I can return to school, and be able to lift my arm easily, without any pain and discomfort."