Hav is a 77-year-old man from Cambodia. He lives with his wife, who stays at home and helps care for their grandchildren. They have two sons, both of whom work as concrete mixer truck drivers. In his free time, he enjoys visiting the pagoda and playing with his grandchildren. About two months ago, Hav was cut by a piece of zinc while working at home. His wife cleaned the wound, but he did not seek further medical treatment. The area has since developed into an ulcerated tumor with an irregular border. The tumor causes pain and discomfort. It sometimes bleeds, making the affected area difficult to ignore during his daily activities. When Hav learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, he traveled for four hours seeking treatment. On October 19th, surgeons at CSC will perform excision of the left shoulder tumor, followed by histology examination of the removed tissue to determine its nature and address the affected area. A local flap will then be used to close the wound and support healing, to ease his discomfort and help him return to his usual activities. His family can contribute $100, but needs help raising $616 more to fund his procedure and care. Hav's wife said, “It is difficult to see my husband dealing with this painful tumor on his shoulder. I hope the doctors can remove it safely and find out what caused it. I want him to recover well, feel less pain, and be able to live more comfortably again.”

Rosalinda is a 14-year-old student from Haiti. She lives with her parents and three siblings in a suburb of Port-au-Prince; she is in the eighth grade and likes her math and science classes. Rosalinda has a cardiac condition called severe mitral insufficiency. One of the four valves of her heart was severely damaged by a fever she suffered earlier in childhood, and as a result, it cannot pump blood properly through her body. This leads to heart failure and leaves her weak and short of breath. Rosalinda needs to fly to the Dominican Republic to receive treatment. On October 19th, she will undergo heart surgery, during which surgeons will repair the damaged valve so that it opens and closes more normally. Another organization, Haitian Hearts Foundation, is contributing $10,000 to pay for surgery. Rosalinda's family also needs help to fund the costs of surgery prep. Our medical partner, International Cardiac Alliance, is requesting $1,500 to cover labs, medicines, and check-up and follow-up appointments. It also supports securing travel documents for the family and travel costs for the social workers from our medical partner, who will accompany Rosalinda's family overseas. Rosalinda says, "I am excited to have this surgery so I can feel better and have more energy."

Sahili is a nine-month-old baby boy from Tanzania. He is the youngest of four children and lives with both parents, who are farmers cultivating maize to provide food for their family. Sahili is an active and friendly baby whose bright, cheerful smile brings joy to those around him. Sahili has clubfoot on both feet, a condition in which both feet turn inward and downward. Without appropriate treatment, this condition can affect his ability to stand and walk comfortably as he grows. It may also make wearing ordinary shoes difficult. Sahili's family traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, Kafika House. Sahili has been scheduled to begin treatment with gentle manipulation and serial casting to gradually improve the alignment of his feet. Surgeons will begin clubfoot treatment on October 26th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $341 to fund Sahili's clubfoot repair. After treatment, Sahili has the opportunity to develop properly aligned feet, wear ordinary shoes, and learn to walk comfortably as he grows. Sahili's mother shared, "We are thankful that we have learned our son's condition can be treated. We hope he will grow up with straight feet, walk, and enjoy playing with his siblings."