Luz is a sweet baby from Bolivia, where she lives with her parents and two older brothers in a small mountain village. Her parents work as farmers to support their family. Luz, in addition to being diagnosed with Down Syndrome, was born with a ventricular septal defect, a heart condition where a hole exists between the two lower chambers of her heart. As a result, blood leaks through the hole without passing through her lungs to obtain oxygen, leaving her weak and short of breath. Fortunately, our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance who is expanding their work in Bolivia, is helping Luz receive treatment. On January 19th, Luz will undergo surgery where doctors will sew a patch over the hole, allowing for blood to flow completely through her heart and reach her lungs, obtaining oxygen and, ultimately, allowing her to grow as a healthy baby girl. Luz's family needs help raising $1,500 to fund her procedure and care. From Luz's mother: "Our family is all praying that after the surgery our daughter will be stronger and healthier."

Ronald is a hard working student. He comes from a family of five, and both his parents are small-scale farmers. They currently live in a rental house with two rooms, and Ronald is the oldest of three children, all of whom are in school. Due to financial constraints, his parents have been unable to seek medical treatment for their son until now. The family is appealing for financial support to help cover the cost of their son's surgery and improve his overall well-being. Since April last year, Ronald has had a hydrocele, which is a swelling in a sensitive area. The swelling causes discomfort and disfigurement. The pain makes it difficult for him to walk to school, and once in school, he is unable to play with other children or concentrate in class. If left untreated, he could develop an infected hydrocele, which could lead to future risks. Fortunately, on April 12th, he will undergo hydrocele repair surgery at our medical partner's care center. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $146 to fund Ronald's surgery. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully allow him to live more comfortably and confidently. Ronald's father says, “I will be grateful when my son is treated with your support as he will be able to continue with school.”

Seang Y is a 37-year-old mother from Cambodia. She hails from Kandal province and loves gardening and cooking. Her husband works in construction and she is a full-time mom to two young children. For the last three years, Seang Y has been experiencing a sore throat and difficulty swallowing. Constantly feeling unwell makes it difficult to care for her children and she is not able to eat properly due to the pain and inflammation. Seang Y was recently diagnosed with enlarged tonsils and adenoids, which, if left untreated, will cause her symptoms to persist and possibly intensify over time. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $265 to fund a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy for Seang Y, which is scheduled to take place on February 22nd. Surgeons will remove her tonsils and adenoids, hopefully relieving Seang Y of her symptoms and helping her live much more comfortably. She hopes after surgery she will feel normal again and have more energy for her kids.