Ernesto is a widower and father of three from the Philippines. Ernesto enjoys watching TV and using his mobile phone during his free time. He is currently unemployed due to his condition and physical limitations as a senior citizen. He helps his children by taking care of his grandchildren and accompanying them to school every day. He lives with his second child and is dependent on his income as a driver. Six months ago, Ernesto began experiencing numbness in his foot and upper body. He was diagnosed with inguinal bilateral hernia and was advised to undergo surgery. On March 9th, Ernesto will have hernia repair surgery at our medical partner's care center, Our Lady of Peace Hospital. A portion of the cost of Ernesto's treatment is being supported by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation. Our medical partner is raising the remaining $1,103 to cover the cost of his surgery and care. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully allow him to live more comfortably and confidently. Ernesto shared, "I hope you can continue to help more people like us. I am very grateful and I will carry your kindness in me until my dying breath. Thank you very much."

Myint is a 27-year-old woman from Karen State, Burma. She moved to Thailand to be with her sister. Myint's sister works in sales and her brother-in-law works in construction. In her free time, Myint likes to listen to Burmese songs and studies Thai language online to learn to speak and read. Myint 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 as the person grows, but sometimes this condition requires surgery to repair the hole and prevent long-term damage to the heart and lungs. Because of this condition, Myint has difficulty breathing and tires easily. She feels pain in her chest and other parts of her body and has difficulty sleeping. Myint is scheduled to undergo heart surgery on April 12th at Kasemrad Prachachuen Hospital to correct her atrial septal defect. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to cover the cost of Myint's procedure and care. Myint said, “I am so happy and thankful for all the donors and BCMF for helping with my heart surgery because I would not be able to afford it. I hope I will recover soon and when I am better, I want to work and save some money to go back to stay with my father.”

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.”