Kesnel is a 14-year-old student from Haiti. He is the youngest in a family of six; his father works in construction, and his mother is a vendor. Before his health issues, Kesnel enjoyed playing soccer with friends and studying at school. Kesnel has been diagnosed with a cardiac condition called rheumatic mitral regurgitation. One of the valves in his heart does not open and close properly due to an infection he suffered earlier in childhood, and as a result, his heart cannot adequately circulate blood through his body. Kesnel needs to travel to the Dominican Republic for treatment. On March 23rd, Kesnel will undergo surgery, during which surgeons will first attempt to repair the valve so that it functions more normally; if they are unable to do so, they will instead remove it and implant an artificial replacement. While another organization, Mitral Foundation, is funding Kesnel's surgical procedure, his family will also need help to fund his pre-operative costs. Our medical partner, International Cardiac Alliance, is requesting $1,500 to cover labs, medicines, and check-up and follow-up appointments. It will also support securing travel documents for the family and paying travel costs for the social workers who will accompany Kesnel's family overseas. Looking to the future, Kesnel says: "I am excited to have a healthy heart so I can go back to school and play soccer with my friends!"

Dalin is a 12-year-old student from Cambodia who lives in a rural area with her mother and younger sister. Her parents divorced ten years ago, and her mother now works at a food court in a garment factory to support the family. Dalin enjoys studying English and hopes to become a teacher when she grows up. In her free time, she likes listening to English music and doing her homework. Five weeks ago, Dalin slipped and fell in the bathroom, injuring her left elbow. She sustained a fracture and has since been experiencing pain and difficulty lifting her left arm. This has made everyday activities such as dressing, studying, and helping at home challenging. After the accident, her mother sought treatment through traditional medicine, but Dalin’s condition did not improve. Dalin was later evaluated by surgeons at our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre, who determined that she requires fracture repair surgery. Without treatment, her injury may continue to limit her movement and cause ongoing pain. Dalin is scheduled to undergo fracture repair surgery on February 2nd. She needs help to raise $600 to fund her procedure. With treatment, Dalin hopes to regain full use of her arm and return to school activities comfortably. “After the surgery, I hope my daughter will no longer have pain and will be able to use her hand properly, so she can focus more on her studies,” said Dalin’s mother.

Ly Hor is a four-year-old kindergarten student from Cambodia. He lives in a rural area of Kampong Cham Province with his parents and two siblings. His father is a rice farmer, and his mother sells vegetables. Ly Hor is the middle child, with an older brother in grade six and a younger sister who is two years old. He enjoys writing and reading Khmer and dreams of becoming a doctor when he grows up. In his free time, he likes playing with toy cars with his sister. Ly Hor's favorite meal is fish sour soup. For the past two years, Ly Hor has been experiencing a sore throat three to four times per month, fever, snoring at night, and difficulty swallowing. The frequent illness is uncomfortable, affects his eating, sleeping, and daily activities, and occasionally prevents him from going to school. Ly Hor was recently diagnosed with enlarged tonsils and adenoids, which, if not treated, will cause his symptoms to persist and possibly intensify over time. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $345 to fund a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy for Ly Hor. On April 3rd, surgeons will remove his tonsils and adenoids, hopefully relieving Ly Hor of his symptoms and helping him live much more comfortably. Ly Hor's father said, “My son has been sick again and again for the past year, and it has been very difficult for him to eat, sleep, and live normally. The doctor has recommended surgery, and although I feel worried, I believe this is the best way to help him recover and have a healthier life. I truly hope this treatment will free him from his pain and allow him to grow strong like other children.”