Sarah is a 5-year-old girl from Haiti. She is typically a healthy and active girl and is very loved by her family. Sarah 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, Sarah has been experiencing severe headaches. Sarah had a shunt placed when she was an infant for treatment and it allowed her to develop normally. The recent headaches alerted the doctors that the shunt stopped working and needed to be replaced. Without treatment, Sarah will experience severe physical and developmental delays. Our medical partner, Project Medishare, is requesting $957 to cover the cost of surgery for Sarah at Hospital Bernard Mevs. This is the only site in the country where this care is currently available and the procedure is scheduled to take place on December 7th. This critical treatment will replace the shunt and drain the excess fluid from Sarah's brain to reduce intracranial pressure and greatly improve her quality of life. With proper treatment, Sarah will hopefully continue to develop into a strong, healthy young girl. Their family is grateful that Sarah will be able to continue to have a happy life after the shunt is replaced.

Ro is a 69-year-old widow with five children. She has one son, four daughters, and many grandchildren. She lives with her youngest daughter who is a farmer. Her husband passed away 15 years ago, and it has been difficult for her to manage the family farm. When not caring for her family, she likes to go to the pagoda and join in ceremonies with the monks. Five years ago, Ro developed a cataract in her right eye, causing her tearing, blurry vision, and difficulty walking or eating. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, recognizing faces, and going anywhere outside. When Ro learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for two and a half hours seeking treatment. On January 6th, doctors will perform a small incision cataract surgery, and an intraocular lens implant in her right eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Now, she needs help to fund this $229 procedure. "I hope after surgery I will be able to see again. It is hard to care for myself and I want to go outside, see family, and go places by myself."

Sean is in 6th grade and lives with his parents and his older brother. His parents are rainy day rice farmers and have several cows for milk. Sean likes to read and watch TV and loves it when his mom makes curry soup for dinner. He would like to be a policeman when he is older. Sean has a rare genetic disease called Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, which mostly affects boys. He suffers from chronic pain and progressive muscle weakness in both his legs. He has an uneasy gait and difficulty climbing stairs. His neighbors told his parents about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, and urged them to visit for diagnosis and treatment. While there is no cure for his genetic disease, surgeons plan to release and lengthen his Achilles tendons on both legs, which will allow him to walk more easily. Sean needs help with the $541 cost of the procedure, subsequent leg casts, and physical therapy. His mother said: "It is hard to see our son in pain when he tries to walk; we are grateful the doctors will be able to help him walk again."