Jonah is 52 years old and a farmer from Uganda. She and her husband engage in small-scale farming to support their five children. Her husband supplements their income through brickmaking. About one year ago, Jonah began to experience troubling symptoms, including a swelling on the front of her neck. Over time, she began experiencing shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, pain when swallowing, and a persistent, irritating cough-like sensation. Her condition gradually worsened, reaching a point where she could no longer lie down comfortably to rest. Jonah was diagnosed with a goitre, 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 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 Jonah receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on November 2nd. Surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. This procedure will cost $252, and she and her family need help raising money. Jonah says, “I was excited to know of your support, and I believe that with it, I will be operated on and will surely get better.”

Rayan is a two-week-old baby boy from Tanzania. He is the only child in his family. His parents are farmers who cultivate maize to support their family. Rayan was born with clubfoot on his right foot. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. The tissues connecting the muscles to the bones are shorter than usual. This will affect his strength and mobility as he grows older. Rayan underwent casting to correct the position of his foot; however, when the cast was removed, a wound was discovered, and treatment was stopped. Fortunately, Rayan's mother was referred to our medical partner's care center, Kafika House, for specialized care. Rayan has been scheduled to begin gentle manipulation and casting to gradually improve his foot alignment. His treatment will begin on October 15th, and our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $341 to fund Rayan's clubfoot repair. After treatment, his foot will be better aligned, and he will be able to crawl, walk, and play more comfortably as he grows. Rayan's mother shared, "After our first attempt at treatment, I was worried about my son's future. I am grateful that we have found another opportunity."

Punleu is a 17-year-old Grade 11 student from Cambodia. He lives in Kampot Province with his parents and younger brother, who is in Grade 8. His father works as a construction contractor, and his mother stays at home to manage household duties and take care of their orange farm. Punleu enjoys studying Khmer literature. In his free time, he likes listening to music and playing volleyball with his friends in the village. He hopes to become an agricultural specialist in the future. In December 2024, Punleu was in in a motor vehicle accident that caused a fracture in his right lower leg. He was treated at a provincial hospital where he underwent ORIF surgery with plate and screw fixation of the leg. Since the surgery, he has been experiencing pain when walking long distances and stiffness in his right leg during cold weather, which affects his daily activities and mobility. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, can help. On May 18th, Punleu will undergo a hardware removal procedure to reduce pain and stiffness and improve his walking ability and overall comfort. Punleu's family is contributing to his surgery, but they need to raise an additional $303 for the procedure. Punleu says, “After the surgery, I hope I will be able to walk better without pain, regain my strength and confidence, and return to my normal daily life, studies, and activities without any limitation.”