Michelsa is a young student from Haiti. She is in the first grade and likes art and music. Michelsa lives with her mother, grandmother, and two siblings in a city on the west coast of Haiti. Her mother sews school uniforms for a living. Michelsa has a cardiac condition called pulmonary stenosis. One of the four valves in Michelsa's heart is too narrow, making it difficult for blood to flow through it and leading to heart failure. Michelsa will fly to the Dominican Republic to receive treatment. On May 11th, she will undergo cardiac surgery, during which doctors will use a balloon on the end of a catheter to stretch the valve open to a more normal size. Another organization, International Cardiac Alliance, is contributing $4,000 to pay for surgery. Michelsa's family also needs help to fund the costs of surgery prep. Our medical partner, International Cardiac Alliance, is requesting $1,500 to cover labs, medicines, and check-up and follow-up appointments. It also supports securing travel documents for the family and travel costs for the social workers from our medical partner, who will accompany Michelsa's family overseas. Michelsa's mother shares, "Our family is very hopeful that after this surgery, we can let my daughter run and play without worrying about her health."

Ester is a 13-year-old student from Burma. She lives with her parents, her younger brother, and two younger sisters in a village in Karen State, Burma. Ester and her three younger siblings go to school while their parents are small-scale farmers. They also raise chickens and pigs, and they forage for vegetables in the forest for their own consumption. They also have a small garden where they grow betel nut trees, and they sell some of the betel nuts to earn a small income. Sometimes, Ester’s father also finds work as an agricultural day laborer. In her free time, Ester loves to help her mother with household chores and also play with her friends at school. She wants to become a teacher when she grows up. Ester was born with an atrial septal defect (ASD), a condition in which a hole exists between the two upper chambers of the heart. Sometimes ASDs may close on their own during development, but sometimes this condition requires surgery to repair the hole and prevent long-term damage to the heart and lungs. Ester is scheduled to undergo heart surgery on July 7th to correct her condition and improve her quality of life. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to help cover the cost of Ester's procedure and care. Ester's mother shared, "I would like to thank BCMF and your donors for your kindness and willingness to support my daughter. Without you, my daughter would not receive treatment as the cost is too high for us, and we cannot borrow such a large amount of money from our neighbours. On behalf of our family and our daughter, thank you to your donors and everyone willing to help my daughter.”

Kun is a 62-year-old rice farmer from Cambodia. He is married and lives with his wife, who is also a rice farmer. They have five children, all of whom are married and live in nearby villages. Their children visit often and provide support. In his free time, he enjoys listening to monks chanting and praying. Kun suffered a fracture dislocation of his right hip on May 5th, 2026, after falling off a motorcycle while going downhill. The injury has caused severe pain that worsens with movement. He is unable to walk and is currently confined to a wheelchair, making it difficult for him to care for himself and carry out daily activities. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, can help. On May 11th, Kun will undergo a fracture repair procedure, which will help restore proper alignment of his hip, relieve pain, and improve his mobility. This treatment will allow him to walk again, regain independence, and return to spending time with his family and daily life activities. He can contribute $100, but needs help raising $500 for his procedure and care. Kun said, “After the surgery, I hope that I will regain my strength and mobility so I can care for myself and spend time with my family again.”