Thi Ha is a three-year-old boy from Burma. He lives with his mother and an older sister in a village in Karen State, Burma. His mother is a stay-at-home parent, and his sister goes to school. His father works in Bangkok, Thailand, as a cleaner in a market to support his family. When Thi Ha was born, his mother noticed a mass at the bottom of Thi Ha’s spine. As he grew older, the mass grew larger and started causing him pain, even if something soft touched it. Thi Ha and his mother visited our medical partner’s care center, Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital, where the doctors wanted Thi Ha to undergo an MRI to diagnose his condition and prepare an appropriate treatment plan for Thi Ha. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $968 to cover the cost of Thi Ha’s MRI and care, scheduled for February 13. His mother said, “Sometimes his friends do not care and ignore him because of his disease. Then Thi Ha feels embarrassed and upset with his friends.”

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.

Edina, a 41-year-old mother of seven, works as a vegetable seller, earning about $2.97 per day for her family's upkeep. She finds joy interacting with her customers and has a fondness for chicken and nsima, a Malawian staple porridge made from maize flour. Four years ago, Edina discovered a small, painless swelling on the right side of her neck. After seeking medical advice at a nearby hospital, she was diagnosed with goiter, an enlargement of the thyroid gland. She was instructed to wait for an opportunity for surgery, but her condition has worsened, causing breathlessness, neck pain, and difficulty lifting heavy objects. This has affected her work capacity and resulted in a decrease in income. Inspired by a fellow community member's journey to seek help, Edina visited our medical partner's care facility, Partners in Hope Medical Centre, where a surgeon reconfirmed the need for a thyroidectomy, the surgical removal of all or part of your thyroid gland. Faced with financial hardships, Edina is seeking support for her surgery treatment. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Edina receive treatment. On March 20th, surgeons at PIH will perform a thyroidectomy to relieve her symptoms and help her resume her vegetable business at full capacity. Now, Edina needs help to fund this $1,015 procedure. Edina says, “I feel so fortunate to get the opportunity for support. Thank you so much, I believe surgery will help me get back to normal life."