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."

Rathanak is a two-year-old toddler who lives in Cambodia with his parents and twin brother. His mother works long hours at a garment factory, and his father is a hairdresser who earns a small daily income. When his parents are at work, he and his twin are looked after by their grandmother. Rathanak enjoys eating fried egg and caramelized pork, and he loves playing with toys alongside his brother. Rathanak was born with polydactyly of his right hand, meaning that he has an extra thumb. This makes it difficult for him to grasp objects and interferes with his play. As he grows older, he has also started to feel shy and self-conscious because his hand looks different from those of other children. Fortunately, on February 25th, surgeons will perform a polydactyly repair procedure to remove the extra digit. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $379 to fund this procedure. After surgery, Rathanak is expected to have improved hand function and better coordination. The procedure will help him use his right hand more comfortably and confidently, allowing him to play, learn, and perform daily activities more easily. Rathanak's mother shares, “I hope that after the surgery my son can use his hand normally, and feel confident like other children. I don’t want him to feel shy or different anymore. I just want him to grow up happy and proud of himself.”

Martha is 46 years old and a mother of four from Ethiopia. Martha and her family are refugees who have been granted asylum by the Government of Kenya. Martha’s husband recounts how he narrowly escaped death and walked long distances to reach the border. Although he holds a master’s degree, securing formal employment has been extremely difficult. Currently, he earns a living through small-scale hawking within the neighborhood, while Martha works informally as a cook at a roadside kiosk. Six years ago, Martha began to experience troubling symptoms, including a small swelling on her neck that gradually continued to grow. Initially, it was painless, but over time she began experiencing headaches, eye pain, and sensations such as a rapid heartbeat. She sought medical care at a hospital, where tests were conducted, but she was informed that the results were inconclusive. She was diagnosed with multinodular goiter. She needs surgery to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Martha receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on February 24th. Surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. This procedure will cost $633, and she and her family need help raising money. “We are refugees with no family members who can support us. We are praying for help so that I can undergo surgery, return to my normal life, and continue supporting my family,” said Martha.