Rehma is a 5-year-old student in the first grade. She is the only child in the family. Both her parents are doing business selling second-hand clothes and running a barber shop respectively. Rhema likes smiling and eating but since her problem started, her family said she has not been the same and no longer shares her smile or eats enough. Rhema was well until 2020 when she started becoming weak and lethargic and her behavior changed. Her parents took her to the hospital where tests noted nothing wrong. They later took her to different hospitals seeking help but to no avail. Last year in December, Rhema was sick and could not eat anything, so she lost weight. Upon taking her to a private hospital, a diagnosis of a hernia was made after she pointed out the source of her pain. Her mother Pauline was notified about the need for surgery. Fortunately, she was then tipped by well-wishers to seek medical support from Partners in Hope Medical Center (PIH). Hernia is the condition in which soft tissue bulges through a weak point in the abdominal muscle. If the hernia is left untreated, the size of the protruding intestine might get bigger and become strangulated leading to the reduction of blood flow to surrounding tissues which may be life-threatening. On January 26th, Rhema and her mother visited PIH for further assessments despite their financial challenges. Rhema was seen by the surgeon who confirmed the diagnosis of a hernia, and she was then recommended for surgery. She was recommended to our program for financial support and their family is also contributing what they can to her treatment. Rhema's family needs help raising $575 in funds for her surgery, scheduled for January 30th. Rhema’s mother looks forward to a successful surgery that would enable Rhema to concentrate on her school as she continues concentrating on her business. She said, “I just want my only daughter to be well to continue sharing her smiles and concentrate at school.”

Theare is a 15-year-old student from Cambodia. He has two older brothers and they live with their grandmother and cousins in Battambang province. His parents are divorced and his mother works in a clothing factory in another province to support her children. In school, he is in grade five and enjoys classes about Khmer history. He would like to be a teacher when he is older. At home, he enjoys soccer, but cannot play due to his condition. Two years ago, he was riding with his brother on a motorbike and fell, suffering a severe injury to his left tibia or shin. His leg became red, swollen, and painful. His grandmother took him to a local hospital, where he had several different surgeries. Unfortunately, none of the surgeries repaired his leg and has since been diagnosed with a delayed union fracture or a fracture that will not heal without intervention. The local surgeons told his grandmother they could not do any more surgery to fix his leg as Theare needed a more complicated procedure that would entail internal fixation and bone grafting. His current condition hinders his mobility, forcing him to rely on crutches and endure constant pain, impeding his ability to keep up with school and indulge in his love for soccer. When Theare learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, he traveled for six hours seeking treatment. On March 12th, surgeons at CSC will perform a joint arthrodesis procedure to fuse his left tibia and to correct the non-union. This will help him walk unaided and help relieve the pain. Now, Theare needs help to fund this $600 procedure. Theare said, "I hope to walk with no pain and continue my schooling."

Jayden is a 15-month-old baby - full of smiles and jovial. However, it's difficult for him to pass urine, which was diagnosed at birth. He is the only son and his mother is a single parent who is still in school pursuing a hairdressing course. They both live at his grandmother’s home in Western Kenya. Jayden's grandmother works as a laborer getting work when she can. Jayden was born with hypospadias, a birth condition that causes urinary dysfunction. Without treatment, he will continue to experience uncomfortable symptoms and will be at risk of cancer and infertility. Fortunately, Jayden is scheduled to undergo corrective surgery on January 12th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $847 to cover the total cost of his procedure and care. Jayden's mother says, “My child deserves to grow as a normal kid. The good thing is that this condition can be rectified and he can heal.”