Catherine is a 62-year-old farmer from Malawi, and a mother of two. She lives alone in a village in rural Lilongwe, with her two children having grown up and now living independently. Life has not been easy this year. With little money to buy fertilizer, her harvest was poor. The crops she managed to grow are only enough to feed her, with nothing left to sell for income. Still, she continued working because she has no one else to depend on for her daily needs. Since January this year, Catherine has been experiencing severe abdominal pain which has made it difficult for her to work, rest, or move comfortably. At first, she thought he condition was gastritis. Even when she sought medical help, she was only given paracetamol to ease the pain, but the relief never lasted. Eventually, she was diagnosed with an epigastric hernia, which is a bulge that occurs in the upper abdomen, caused by tissue pushing through weak abdominal muscle. Presently, the pain has slowed her down, taking away the strength she needs to take care of herself. Full of hope, she went to our medical partner's care center, Nkhoma Hospital, where surgery has been recommended to treat her condition. While hearing this gave her hope, the cost of the procedure was far beyond what she could afford. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Catherine receive treatment. On May 13th, she will undergo hernia repair surgery at Nkhoma Hospital. For Catherine, this surgery means more than relief from pain. It means being able to continue caring for herself, tending to her land, and living with independence. Catherine is able to contribute towards the cost of her treatment, but needs help raising $421 to fund the procedure. Catherine says, “If I become too sick to work, there is no one else to help with my daily activities. I have to remain strong so I can continue living and taking care of myself. I am hoping for help because this surgery will give me a chance to live without this pain.”

Charity is a 60-year-old woman from Uganda. She grew up in a family of eight children, she is the fifth-born, with four brothers and three sisters. Her siblings all have families of their own and are farmers. After losing their father at a young age, their mother, who was also a farmer, could not afford school fees for all of them but managed to support Charity until she completed seventh grade. Charity and her husband are blessed with five sons. One works as a butcher, one works as a day labor on other people's farms, and the remaining three children are still in school. To make ends meet, Charity grows food crops for home consumption and sells the surplus to generate income for her family. Her husband works as a builder. About a year ago, Charity began to experience troubling symptoms, including a swelling on the front of her neck. Initially, it was painless, but she later began experiencing shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, frequent headaches, and painful swallowing. At first, she relied on painkillers, but they provided no relief. One day, while with a friend who noticed a significant increase in the size of her neck, she was advised that it could be a goiter. She then visited a hospital, but she was unable to raise the money needed for the procedure and returned home. For the past few months, she has been using traditional remedies, but none have provided any relief. While listening to a radio talk show, she learned about a surgical support program at Nyakibale Hospital that assists patients with conditions like hers. She decided to seek care there. She was diagnosed with a goiter. 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. She needs surgery to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Charity receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on July 7th at Karoli Lwanga Hospital. Surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. This procedure will cost $252, and she and her family need help raising money. Charity says, “I don’t see any where to get the money needed for my surgery, but I have hopes that with your support, my surgery will be successful and I will get better.”

Jailosi is a husband and father of five children from Malawi. For most of his life, 61-year-old Jailosi relied on farming to support his family. His routine, however, came to an abrupt halt when he suddenly began experiencing urinary problems that quickly became severe. The most troubling was urinary retention, leaving him unable to pass urine normally. To relieve the immediate problem, he was catheterised, a measure that has helped manage his symptoms, but has also brought discomfort and disrupted his daily life. Presently, farming work that once sustained his family has been put on hold as he focuses on seeking treatment and managing his health. This has affected his income and also weighed heavily on him emotionally. Hoping for a lasting solution, Jailosi went to our medical partner's care center, Nkhoma Hospital, where he was assessed and diagnosed with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Doctors advised that surgery is needed to correct the problem. While the news brought hope, it also brought concern. Unable to work for months, Jailosi does not have the financial means to pay for the surgery. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $530 to fund the procedure for Jailosi. The treatment is scheduled to take place at Nkhoma Hospital on June 3rd and, once completed, it will hopefully improve Jailosi's quality of life and allow him to get back to work. Jailosi said, “This illness has taken away my ability to work and live normally. I believe that if I receive this surgery, I will finally have peace of mind again. My greatest wish is to recover, return to my farm, and continue caring for my family.”