Lucia is a baby from southern Bolivia. Her mother stays home with her, and her father is a delivery driver. Lucia was born with a heart condition called coarctation of the aorta. A major blood vessel leading to the heart is too small, which leaves Lucia weak and unable to properly grow. Additionally, she has turner syndrome. Lucia needs surgery to open the aorta to its full size. This will allow blood to flow more easily so she can grow up healthy. Lucia's mother states: "Our family is so happy to know that our daughter can finally have this surgery; we have been hoping for this opportunity since she was born."

Gebra is a 10-year-old boy from Tanzania and the youngest in his family of three children. His parents are farmers. They depend on their yield for the family's sustenance and sell water at a retail store for additional income. While this supplementary income helps with some expenses, they still face challenges in affording a balanced diet and, occasionally, face challenges in providing school supplies. Gebra developed a mass on the right side of his chest when he was just one month old. Although his parents sought medical attention for him when he was a baby, the doctors advised them to wait until he was older for surgery. When Gebra turned seven, they took him to the hospital for treatment, but unfortunately, that facility was not equipped for surgeries, and due to financial constraints, Gebra's family had to wait for three years. They then sought treatment at another hospital, where one of our partner doctors referred them to our medical partner's care center, Kafika House, for assistance with the surgery cost. The mass on Gebra's chest has continued to grow, limiting his range of motion in his right shoulder. Gebra will undergo surgery to remove the mass on February 6th. Now, Gebra's family needs help to raise $724 to fund this procedure. Gebra's mother said: "I hope my son gets the treatment that will help with the mass on his chest because, as he grows, it makes him feel uncomfortable being around people."

51-year-old Jennifer is from Cavite, Philippines, where she lives with her husband, Arnulfo. Together, they have three children. Arnulfo worked as an aircon technician, until he suffered a stroke in 2021. He has only recently been able to go back to work. Jennifer and Arnulfo had been relying on financial assistance from one of their children, until Arnulfo returned to his job. Jennifer was diagnosed with breast cancer last year. Without treatment, the cancer may spread to other organs. Jennifer has been advised that a mastectomy - surgery which will remove breast tissue - is the best way to treat her condition, and to prevent the cancer from spreading. Fortunately, our medical partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines (WSFP), is helping Jennifer receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a mastectomy on January 13th, at Our Lady of Peace Hospital. While a portion of the cost of her treatment is being covered by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, WSFP is looking to you to help raise $1,058 to fund the remaining cost. After treatment, Jennifer will hopefully return to a cancer-free life. "This free surgery, which is made possible by your kind hearts, is a great help for me and my family. We are very grateful to all of you because we really have nothing to rely on for these types of expenses," said Jennifer.