Anthony is an 18-month-old toddler who lives with his parents and an older sibling in Uganda. Anthony's parents are small-scale farmers, primarily growing food crops for sustenance. Since he was born, Anthony has had inguinal hernia, a condition in which soft tissue bulges through a weak point in the abdominal muscles. According to his mother, the swelling had worsened in pain in the last six months, causing Anthony to experience more discomfort when he cried, which was also very worrisome for her. She had previously not sought treatment due to lack of funds. However, as the condition worsened, she decided to take him to hospital where upon review, surgery was recommended. If left untreated, the condition may lead to strangulation, cutting off blood flow to the tissue that is trapped, which could be life threatening. Despite their farming efforts, Anthony's family is unable to afford the medical bills required for their son's surgery. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Anthony receive treatment. On April 9th, surgeons at Karoli Lwanga Hospital in Nyakibale will perform a hernia repair surgery to relieve his symptoms and allow him to live more comfortably and confidently. Now, Anthony's family needs help to fund this $230 procedure. Anthony’s mother says, “I will be grateful when my son gets this surgery done and feels comfortable, so that I can resume farming work and support our livelihood.”

Dorothy is a 68-year-old woman from a village in the Lilongwe District of Malawi with three married children. She depends on small-scale farming as she grows maize and groundnuts for consumption and commercial purposes to support herself. Dorothy started experiencing itching followed by a lump in her left breast which kept growing in size and became painful. She visited different health centers where she was unable to receive a diagnosis or treatment until she was seen by a surgeon from Nkhoma Hospital who conducted a free clinic at her nearby health center. Dorothy was diagnosed with breast cancer and she needs to undergo mastectomy surgery. She is willing to undergo the procedure but is unable to afford the surgery. This condition has had a negative impact on Dorothy’s life as she feels pain in her breast and is worried that the cancer could spread. Treatment will relieve Dorothy of the pain and she will no longer be stressed. Dorothy is requesting $567 to fund treatment from our partner, African Mission Healthcare. Dorothy says, “I am looking forward to treatment and full recovery.”

John is an 11-year-old quiet boy from Meru County in Kenya. John's story is a journey of compassion and the unwavering support of a dedicated well-wisher. His origin is drawn back to Tanzania, where he was disowned by his birth parents due to a congenital disorder on his feet. His present guardian adopted him, offering not just a home but a sense of belonging. John has clubfoot, a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. Both his feet are affected. The condition causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. John was diagnosed during a mobile clinic held by our medical partner's care center AIC Cure International Hospital. He underwent a successful surgery on his left foot, which is now healed. He is currently in the hospital to undergo reconstruction of his right foot. He has in the meantime been undergoing serial casting to adjust the position of his foot to achieve the desired correction. Fortunately, our medical partner African Mission Healthcare, is helping John receive treatment. On March 21st, surgeons at AIC Cure International Hospital will perform clubfoot repair surgery to improve his mobility. John aspires to go back to school and study hard so that he can be a doctor someday. Now, John's family needs help to fund this $1,286 procedure. John shared, “I am looking forward to seeing my foot corrected, to walking properly, playing football with my friends, continue with my studies like other children and achieving my dream of becoming a doctor in future so that I can impact the lives of children born with clubfoot and other physical conditions."