Varn is a 60-year-old retired rice farmer and loving grandmother. She and her husband- who is also a retired rice farmer- have one son, three daughters, and five grandchildren. Five years ago, Varn developed a pterygium in her right eye. As a result, she experiences itchiness, tearing, and blurry vision. Pterygiums are non-cancerous growths of the conjunctiva, a mucous layer that lubricates the eye. These growths occur when the conjunctiva is damaged because of excessive sun exposure, making the cells grow abnormally over the pupil. As a result, Varn's vision is impaired, negatively impacting her independence. Varn needs a surgical procedure to remove the abnormal conjunctiva from the cornea surface, and to replace it with a conjunctival graft to prevent a recurrence. With the help of our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, this procedure is now scheduled for April 24th at Kien Khleang National Rehabilitation Centre. The total cost of Varn's treatment- including medications, supplies, and two days of inpatient care- is $225, and Varn needs your help to fund this procedure. Varn said: "I hope the irritation will stop and I can take care of myself and my grandchildren well."

Teresiah is a 56-year-old woman from Kenya. She is the sixth of ten children and has one 20-year-old child of her own. She works as a domestic house helper in neighbors' houses. A couple of months ago, Teresiah began to experience symptoms such as swelling on the right side of her neck, feeling hot, headaches, rapid heartbeat, and difficulty swallowing. She was diagnosed with an enlarged right thyroid gland and needs surgery to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. Our medical partner African Mission Healthcare (AMH) is helping Teresiah receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on March 27th where surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. She and her family need help raising $625 to fund the surgery. Teresa shared, “I am requesting help so that I can be treated and be able to take care of myself and my child and not depend on my relatives.”

Junior is a happy and playful five-year-old boy who lives with his grandmother in Dodoma, Tanzania. Junior's mother, who is a single parent, works as a housemaid in Arusha- 450 miles from Dodoma- and sends her earnings to her mother, who cares for Junior. Junior was diagnosed with bilateral genu valgus, a condition where his legs bow inward. This condition is typically caused by an excessive accumulation of fluoride in the bones, which is often a byproduct of consuming contaminated drinking water. As a result, Junior has difficulty walking. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $880 to fund corrective surgery for Junior. The procedure is scheduled to take place on April 17th at Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre. Treatment should restore Junior's mobility, allowing him to participate in a variety of activities, and greatly decrease his risk of future complications. Junior’s mother says: “I am constantly worried about his future because his legs keep getting worse over time. I hope he will get better with this treatment.”