Kennedy is a 55-year-old married man who has three daughters, all of whom are still in school. Kennedy - who is a primary school teacher - lives with his family in Malawi. He is the sole breadwinner for his family. Kennedy started having pain in his neck in 2016. Because the pain kept recurring, Kennedy went to Kamuzu Central Hospital, where some tests were performed, after which Kennedy was sent home with pain medicine. This past year, the pain in Kennedy's neck increased, and began to affect his shoulders. In addition, a swelling in his neck developed. Kennedy returned to the hospital, and after additional testing was done, he was diagnosed with a goiter. Kennedy met a friend who helped to connect him with our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare to help him get treatment. Kennedy's diagnosis was confirmed, and he is now scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on December 21st, at Partners in Hope Medical Center. Now he needs your help to raise the $1,015 to fund his surgery. Kennedy believes that the surgery will help him get back to his normal life, enabling him to be more effective and efficient in delivering his duties as a teacher.

Kyaw is a three-year-old boy from Burma. He lives with his mother, grandmother, and uncle in a village in Karen State, Burma. Kyaw’s mother looks after him and his grandmother while his uncle is a cow farmer. The family also raises chickens and pigs and sells them when they need money. In September 2023, Kyaw accidentally fell on a tree stump while he was playing with his friends. Kyaw was in pain and was brought to a nearby hospital where they found that he sustained an injury to his right kidney. However, due to insufficient equipment at the hospital, Kyaw could not be treated there. Kyaw is not comfortable sitting, so mostly he lies down. He has difficulty passing urine, his stomach is painful, and he cries a lot. Doctors want Kyaw to undergo a CT scan, a procedure in which x-ray images taken from several angles are combined to produce cross-sectional images of the body. This scan will hopefully help doctors diagnose his condition and formulate an appropriate treatment plan. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $693 to cover the cost of Kyaw's CT scan and care, scheduled for April 4th. Kyaw’s mother said, “I felt hopeless when I learned that Kyaw needed further treatment in Chiang Mai because I have no money to afford his treatment. However, when I heard that there are donors and an organisation who will support my son’s treatment, I was very happy. Thank you so much for your support even though you have never seen us.”

Originally from Burma, Cherry is a 34-year-old woman who lives with her father's cousin and her two cousins in Tak Province, Thailand. Her two cousins are students, while Cherry is a homemaker. Her father's cousin runs her own small business, selling everything from makeup to food online or through her friends. They work hard to support their family. In the beginning of 2023, Cherry began to experience troubling symptoms, including swollen neck and discomfort when swallowing food. She was diagnosed with thyroid 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, Burma Children Medical Fund, is helping Cherry receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on January 24th at Mae Sot General Hospital. Surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. She and her family need help raising $1,500 for her treatment. Cherry said, "I feel stressed about my condition. Since I heard that my family who lives in Burma have now become displaced, I have felt more stressed and I am worried about them. I want to get treatment and recover soon so that I can look for a job and support my family back home. Thank you to all the donors and the organisation Burma Children Medical Fund for being willing to help me by paying for my treatment cost."