Rabecca is 26 years old and a mother of one from Malawi. Her husband is a cook, while she runs a small business. A year ago, Rabecca began to experience troubling symptoms, including a hoarse voice, frequent coughs, and painful swallowing. Her symptoms have gotten worse, affecting her ability to do daily tasks. She went to a hospital and was diagnosed with a goiter, the 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 Rabecca receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on August 19th 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. Rabecca shared, "I wish I could get better to enable me to continue doing my business in good health and concentrating on family support rather than spending on hospital visits."

Ximena is a 10-year-old student from Colombia. She is a loving, caring, cheerful, and respectful girl who is dedicated to her studies and loves spending time with family and friends. When she grows up, she wants to be a teacher because she likes helping others succeed in their studies. Ximena has had an epigastric hernia, or a protrusion of tissue in her upper abdominal area, for many years. This condition causes pain or discomfort in the upper abdomen, especially during physical exertion, which limits daily activities and has affected her quality of life. Fortunately, our medical partner Clinica Noel can help. On July 28th, Ximena will undergo hernia repair surgery, and she and her family are asking for help to raise $1,005 to fund Ximena's surgery. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully allow her to live more comfortably. Ximena's parents shared, "Thank you so very much for your generous help and for donating these funds for my daughter’s surgery. Your support means so much to us and gives us hope at this very important time. We will always be deeply grateful for your solidarity."

Yemariam is a social and active 3-year-old from Ethiopia who loves playing with her friends and toys. Her mother works as a secretary at a government institution, and her father works as a driver for a private company. Since birth, Yemariam has had an umbilical hernia, a condition in which tissue pushes through a weakened area around the belly button. Her mother first noticed the swelling shortly after Yemariam was born. The doctors examined her condition and advised the family that she might need surgery in the future if the condition did not resolve on its own. As Yemariam grew older and started attending school, her parents became increasingly concerned about her condition and its impact on her physical and emotional well-being. Her parents searched for a way to get her the surgery she needed. They first took Yemariam to a private hospital. The cost of the procedure was too high, so they visited a nearby health center, where Yemariam was referred to a higher-level government hospital and was placed on a surgery waitlist for the next month. During this time, the hospital referred Yemariam to our medical partner's care center. When Yemariam and her mother arrived, her mother was concerned that her condition was too complicated and she would not be able to receive the treatment she needed. After an assessment, the medical team explained Yemariam's condition and informed her mother that she could undergo surgery. Fortunately, on September 30th, Yemariam will undergo hernia repair surgery. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $512 to fund Yemariam's procedure. Once completed, this surgery will allow her to live more comfortably and confidently. Yemariam's mother said, "Thank you so much to everyone who helped my daughter. I still can't believe it. I thank God for blessing you all. We had been waiting for four to five months, and now my daughter can receive the care she needed. Thank you so much to everyone and to all the Bethany Kids staff for your support and kindness."