Gloria is a mother of a two-year-old child from Malawi. Gloria works hard as a small businesswoman to provide for her little one, selling farm produce such as tomatoes, beans, and onions.
Three years ago, Gloria began to experience troubling symptoms, including a swelling on her neck. She sought treatment at the time, but was only given painkillers that did little to help. By July 2025, Gloria’s symptoms had worsened, including neck pain, heaviness, difficulty breathing, inability to carry heavy items, and struggling to climb steps. She rushed to the hospital, where she stayed for seven days. Unfortunately, the staff informed her that the hospital was fully booked until December and advised her to return next year. Heartbroken, Gloria went back to her village. When her pain became unbearable, she visited a referral hospital, and from there, was referred again to Partners in Hope (PIH), our medical partner’s hospital, for urgent treatment. At PIH, after undergoing examination and scans, the surgeon confirmed she urgently needed surgery.
Gloria has been diagnosed with a goiter, which is an abnormal swelling of the thyroid gland. The thyroid is the gland located in front of your neck and produces thyroid hormones. These hormones are responsible for essential functions such as metabolism, growth, and other bodily functions.
Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Gloria receive treatment. On September 3rd, she will undergo a thyroidectomy, during which surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. Gloria has contributed a co-pay toward her care and needs assistance raising $1,015 to fund the cost of her treatment.
Gloria said, “Kindly save me from these pains. I came a long way to seek support to get better.”