Sha is a 56-year-old man from Burma. He lives with his wife, two daughters, and two sons in a refugee camp in Mae Hong Son Province, Thailand. Sha and one of his sons are day laborers in a village near the camp. His wife and one of his daughters are homemakers, while his other daughter is a teacher in the camp. His other son is still a student in the camp. The family has a vegetable garden around their home, and they raise chickens and pigs to sell and for their own consumption. Their combined monthly income of 5,000 THB is often not enough to cover their daily needs. They currently have a loan of 3,000 THB, money borrowed due to Sha's illness. A few days ago, Sha began to experience troubling symptoms, including severe abdominal pain with the pain radiating to his back and a fever. He has been diagnosed with appendicitis, and now needs surgery to prevent his condition from worsening. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is helping Sha receive treatment. He is scheduled to undergo an appendectomy, a surgery to remove the appendix when it becomes infected, on May 14th at Mae Sariang Hospital. This procedure will cost $1500, and Sha and his family need your support. Sha says, “I never experienced pain like this before. When the pain is very severe, I can’t breathe easily. I would like for this pain to stop.”

Eunice is a 46-year-old woman from Uganda. She is one of 14 children and was raised by parents who worked as farmers. Eunice is married with one child, her husband works as a teacher at a private school while she works as a cleaner at a health center. She also enjoys making baskets and knitting tablecloths, which provide an outlet for her creativity and resourcefulness. Four years ago, Eunice began experiencing abnormal uterine bleeding. Initially, she experienced irregular, prolonged, and heavy menstrual bleeding. However, her symptoms worsened considerably over the past three months, and she is now experiencing severe abdominal pain, headaches, and dizziness, which are significantly affecting her physical well-being and ability to participate in daily activities and work. Eunice was referred to our medical partner's care center, Rushoroza Hospital. Upon medical examination, Eunice was diagnosed with uterine fibroids and persistent abnormal uterine bleeding. She needs to undergo a hysterectomy, a procedure in which surgeons will remove her uterus. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $319 to fund Eunice's surgery. On November 2nd, she will undergo gynecological surgery, and once recovered, Eunice hopes to resume her daily activities with greater comfort and an improved quality of life. Eunice says, “Despite the pain and challenges I am going through, I remain hopeful that with support and proper treatment, I will regain my health, continue caring for my child, and return to my daily responsibilities. I kindly appeal for assistance to help me access the surgery I urgently need and have a chance to live a healthier and more fulfilling life.”

Yohane is a 36-year-old father of two from Malawi. He does casual work in town, while his wife takes care of their home and family. About 11 years ago, Yohane began experiencing on-and-off swelling in his inguinal region. At first, he ignored it, thinking it was nothing serious, but it did not go away. Yohane sought medical attention from a hospital, where he was diagnosed with an inguinal hernia, a condition that occurs when abdominal tissue protrudes through a weak spot in the lower abdominal muscles, causing a bulge in the groin area. If left untreated, inguinal hernias can lead to complications, such as strangulation, which cuts off the blood flow to the intestine, and can be life-threatening. He was scheduled for surgery at the public hospital, but the surgery date kept being postponed. Recently, the pain got much more intense, accompanied by much discomfort. Yohane learnt about our medical partner's care facility, Partners in Hope Medical Center, and went there to seek treatment. He has been scheduled for surgery on July 1st, and is seeking to raise $575 for the procedure. Yohana hopes to resume work after recovery, so he can continue supporting his family, including his parents back in the village. He says: "I have been hearing about the surgical support program at PiH, but I didn't believe it. Today, I am grateful about this program that has saved Malawians like me. Kindly help me to regain my health, and to continue supporting my family after recovery."