Michelle is a mother of two from the Philippines. She is a stay-at-home mother and spends most of her time doing household chores. Michelle has been diagnosed with breast cancer and without treatment, the cancer may spread to other organs. A mastectomy, a surgery to remove breast tissue, has been suggested to rid her body of breast cancer and to prevent the cancer from metastasizing. Fortunately, our medical partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines (WSFP), is helping Michelle receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a mastectomy on September 10th. Part of her medical costs are supported by government health insurance but Michelle needs $1,058 to cover the remaining cost of her procedure. After treatment, Michelle will hopefully return to a cancer-free life. Michelle says "Thank you very much for this wonderful opportunity to live normally and live without fear. With improved health, I hope to be able to care for my family. I am hopeful that this surgery will positively change our lives and allow us to face the future with greater confidence and stability."

Wal is a 23-month-old boy who lives in Ethiopia with his siblings and parents. Wal's family is from South Sudan and living in the Jewi refugee camp in Gambela, Ethiopia. Both parents do not work and maintain their lives through donations from the UNHCR. They have planted some vegetables in their backyard for their consumption and own five chickens. Wal was born with a congenital anomaly called bladder exstrophy, where the bladder is abnormally open from the front. The bladder is exposed to air and urine leaks onto his abdomen. As a result, he suffers from pain due to irritation of the bladder, infections, and discomfort from the leak. Wal requires a Mainz Pouch procedure, which involves diverting his urination to the anal opening and creating a pouch bladder from the bowel. Wal's mother knew about his condition at birth but he was too young for surgery at that time. Later, they were told they needed to go to the capital city, Addis Ababa for the surgery, but they couldn't afford the transportation cost. Because of the conflict in the region, there are no buses in the area. Planes are available but the cost to fly is prohibitive. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, can help. Through their care center, BethanyKids Myungsung Christian Medical Centre, they were able to support their flights and find a place where the family can stay. Wal is scheduled for this bladder surgery on June 25th. Our medical partner African Mission Healthcare is requesting $1,500 to fund his medical care. His family needs your help. Wal's mother said, “I hope that he will get the surgery and heal. I want to see him go to school.”

Dennis, a 17-year-old student from Kiambu County in Kenya, faced unimaginable tragedy at a tender age. In 2011, his mother fell gravely ill. One night, a candle left burning in their home went out of control, setting the house ablaze. With his mother too sick to save him, Dennis was trapped in the fire. Tragically, his mother lost her life, leaving Dennis an orphan. Though he was rescued, Dennis suffered severe burns on his head, face, hands, and body. With no one left to care for him, he ended up on the streets, which hindered the healing of his wounds. In 2012, hope arrived when a children's home took Dennis in, providing him with food, clothing, shelter, and education. However, the scars from his injuries made him a target for teasing by his classmates, which deeply affected his self-esteem. In 2016, Dennis’s journey to recovery began at our medical partner's care center, AIC Kijabe Hospital. He underwent a series of surgeries to treat his forehead, cheeks, face, and nose. By 2018, a surgery successfully opened one of his blocked nostrils, greatly improving his ability to breathe. For a while, Dennis enjoyed a sense of normalcy and the joy of playing with other children. However, after six years of relying on a single nostril to breathe, it became increasingly ineffective. Dennis now struggles with breathing and requires constant monitoring at night to prevent suffocation. During a visit to the hospital this year, doctors recommended surgery to create a new nostril and enhance his breathing. Unfortunately, the children's home cannot afford the cost of this essential surgery. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Dennis receive treatment. On August 12th, surgeons will perform a debridement and skin graft procedure to help him breathe properly and alleviate the fears he experiences due to his condition. Now, Dennis needs help to fund this $1,185 procedure. Dennis says, “I want to be an engineer in the future and build beautiful houses.”