Jasmin is an 11 year-old girl from Bolivia who needs heart surgery. Jasmin lives with her father, a police officer, and her mother, a nurse. She has one older brother and one younger sister in La Paz. Jasmin likes to paint, draw in coloring books, and help her family with errands. Jasmin was born with Down syndrome, and also a cardiac condition called patent ductus arteriosus, in which a hole exists between two major blood vessels near the heart. Blood leaks through this hole, leaving Jasmin weak and short of breath. Our medical partner International Cardiac Alliance is requesting $1,500 to fund surgery to repair Jasmin's heart. During surgery, doctors will sew the hole closed so that blood can no longer pass through it. Once her heart is repaired, Jasmin will be able to breathe easier and have more energy and ability to make the most of everyday. Jasmin's mother shares: "we're so happy that the time has finally arrived for her surgery, our family has been waiting a long time for this moment."

The birth of twins Jane and her sister brought joy to their parents. She is the 4th born in a family of five. She is a bright grade 1 student who likes reading, drawing and colouring. Her family hails from a small village, and both her parents are farmers. Soon after birth, her parents discovered the challenge of Jane being born with multiple birth conditions: Bilateral clubfeet, hydrocephalus, and spina bifida. They shared that they were quite shocked as they had not heard or experienced any of them before. Treatment for hydrocephalus and spina bifida required a collaborative effort between orthopaedic specialists and neurosurgeons. At ten days, she underwent a spina bifida surgery at a local hospital to address the neural tube defect affecting her spine and then hydrocephalus. Jane is a resilient girl and has overcome so much, carrying a big smile on her face. She now needs treatment for her clubfoot condition as her feet are bent inward, hindering her mobility. She is scheduled to undergo surgery, which will be impactful to her because she will be able to walk confidently like other children and continue with her education. “My desire is to see my daughter walking well and any kind of help is greatly appreciated,” Jane’s mother told us.

Jannifer is the second-born child in a family of two. She lost both her parents in a road traffic accident when she was four years old. She was the only survivor of the accident. After her parent's burial, she stayed with her grandmother in the village until she started having abdominal pains and was taken in by her aunt for proper care and support. The aunt is a single mother of 4 children aged 20 (twins),16 and 6. Beatrice, the aunt, separated from her husband, who does not render support so she works as a driver and uses her income to support the children. They live in a two-bedroom rented house with water and electricity. For four years, Jannifer has had abdominal pains originating from the umbilical region. This has affected her studies as she keeps missing school attendance. Jannifer has now been diagnosed with a hernia, and fortunately, she is eligible for surgery which can cure her condition. Her aunt looks forward to a successful surgery that would enable Jannifer to concentrate on her school. She said she could not wait to see Jennifer continue to excel in life as a loving and beautiful girl. Jannifer said, “I don’t like the pain because it hurts,” and Beatrice, her aunt said, "Kindly help my daughter because I want her to live happily.”