Ruth is 36 years old and a single mother of three from Malawi. She also has one grandchild from her firstborn. Ruth has experienced multiple family losses. Both of her parents and her two siblings are deceased. The only surviving relative is her uncle, who is physically disabled and fully dependent on her for care and support. She earns a living by selling tomatoes. In 2003, Ruth began to experience troubling symptoms, including a small swelling on the right side of her neck. Over time, the swelling grew bigger and began to affect her health. She developed symptoms including loss of voice, neck pain, headaches, and frequent coughing. After 15 years, she finally sought medical attention and was diagnosed with a goiter, an abnormal enlargement of the thyroid gland. The thyroid is the gland located in front of your neck and produces thyroid hormones. These hormones are responsible for functions such as metabolism, growth, and other bodily functions. She needs surgery to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Ruth receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on May 2nd at our medical partner's care center, Partners in Hope Medical Center. Surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. This procedure will cost $1,015, and she and her family need help raising money. Ruth shared, "My only hope is you; I tried all that I could, but failed. I am looking forward to your support."

Akshay is 18 years old and lives in Palamu, Jharkhand, India. He lives with his parents and elder sister. His father is a farmer. He studied until the 8th grade. When Akshay was six months old, he fell into a traditional cooking stove and burned his right hand. The burn caused a contracture, where the skin healed tightly, and over time, his hand became restricted in movement. He has lived with this since he was a baby. The contracture on his right hand makes daily tasks difficult. At 18, with a father who farms and a family that depends on physical work, this has been a real limitation in his day-to-day life. When Akshay learned about our medical partner, G.S. Memorial Plastic Surgery Hospital and Trauma Center, he and his mother traveled 6.5 hours to receive treatment to release the post-burn contracture of his right hand. On July 1st, specialty surgeons will perform a burn contracture release surgery so he can regain function and mobility in his hand. Now, he needs help to fund this $1,442 procedure. Akshay shared, "I want my hand to work properly so that I can help my family."

Leiris is a friendly and intelligent seven-year-old girl from Colombia. She loves to play sports and dreams of being a flight attendant. Three years ago, Leiris developed an umbilical hernia, a condition in which a small portion of abdominal tissue protrudes through the navel. The condition has been causing her pain and discomfort, which prevents her from playing sports and participating in other school recreational activities. Following her diagnosis, surgery was recommended to correct it and prevent future complications. Unfortunately, her family is unable to raise the funding required for treatment. Fortunately, our medical partner, Clinica Noel, is helping Leiris receive treatment. On March 20th, she will undergo hernia repair surgery, which once completed, will hopefully alleviate her symptoms. Now, Leiris's family needs help to fund this $786 procedure. Her family says, "We would like to express our deepest gratitude to the people supporting her surgical procedure. Thank you for giving her the opportunity to achieve a better quality of life. Following the treatment, we sincerely hope for a speedy and satisfactory recovery, so that Leiris can resume her daily activities without discomfort and continue to brighten the lives of those around her with her joy."