58-year-old Natchokani is a widow from a village in Dedza District in Malawi. With seven children, six of whom have passed away, she now lives with her youngest child, who is 7 years old and attending primary school. Natchokani never had the opportunity to attend school, making it challenging for her to find employment. Consequently, she relies on farming to sustain herself and her son, growing maize, beans, and groundnuts for both sustenance and income. Twenty years ago, Natchokani noticed an itch and an uncomfortable feeling in her throat whenever she was eating. Shortly after, people in her vicinity informed her of a swelling on her neck, which she eventually noticed herself. The swelling has been increasing in size over the years but she never went to seek medical help in health centers as she did not have finances to pay for treatment. Instead, she tried traditional medicine to no avail. Natchokani has continued to experience severe headaches and pain in her upper back. She struggles to swallow and sometimes has shortness of breath when she is lying down. She is unable to carry a heavy load on her head, therefore making it difficult for her to carry out household chores such as fetching water, and firewood and going to the maize mill. One day while she was visiting a patient at our medical partner's care center Nkhoma Hospital, she was seen by a surgeon who later diagnosed her with a multinodular mass, and thyroidectomy was recommended. Our medical partner African Mission Healthcare is requesting $491 to fund Natchokani's thyroid surgery scheduled for March 7th. Following the surgery, her symptoms will be alleviated, allowing her to breathe more easily and engage in her daily tasks without discomfort. Natchokani says, “I hope to receive treatment and resume life without this condition so that I can take care of my only son.”

Phy is an 83-year-old retired soldier from Siem Reap province in Cambodia. He has one daughter, two sons, and five grandchildren. Phy helps care for his wife, who has been experiencing multiple health problems for the last several years. They moved in with their oldest daughter and their son-in-law, who works as a motorbike taxi driver to help support the family. In his free time, Phy likes going to the pagoda and visiting his grandchildren. Around two months ago, Phy had cataract surgery at a provincial hospital and experienced post-operative complications. The retina of Phy's left eye detached, causing him partial blindness and watery eyes. He has difficulty seeing things clearly, recognizing faces, and going anywhere outside. When Phy learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, he traveled for six hours seeking treatment. On April 3rd, eye surgeons will perform a retinal detachment repair procedure in his left eye. After recovery, he will be able to see clearly. Phy and his family are able to contribute $300 but need help to raise an additional $649 to fund the procedure. Phy shared, "I hope I can see clearly so I can feel better going places on my own and I would like to be able to watch the news."

Justine is an engaging and friendly woman from Uganda. She and her husband have five children and farm for a living. Due to limited land, they grow enough food to feed their family and sell the surplus to generate an income. During her free time, Justine enjoys caring for her family and home through cooking and cleaning. For two years, Justine has been experiencing lower abdominal pain, discomfort, severe backaches, and other worrisome symptoms. Due to limited finances, she has not sought medical attention before, but when her symptoms became unbearable and she could no longer work, Justine came to our medical partner's hospital. The doctor diagnosed her with uterine myomas and recommended she undergo a hysterectomy, a procedure in which surgeons will remove her uterus. On February 28th, she will undergo gynecological surgery that will allow her to resume her daily activities free of pain once she recovers. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is requesting $219 to fund Justine's surgery. Justine said, "My faith is strong that, when given a chance of your support, I will be operated on and get better. I hope to regain my strength to resume farming in good health."