Thi Ha is a three-year-old boy from Burma. He lives with his mother and an older sister in a village in Karen State, Burma. His mother is a stay-at-home parent, and his sister goes to school. His father works in Bangkok, Thailand, as a cleaner in a market to support his family. When Thi Ha was born, his mother noticed a mass at the bottom of Thi Ha’s spine. As he grew older, the mass grew larger and started causing him pain, even if something soft touched it. Thi Ha and his mother visited our medical partner’s care center, Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital, where the doctors wanted Thi Ha to undergo an MRI to diagnose his condition and prepare an appropriate treatment plan for Thi Ha. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $968 to cover the cost of Thi Ha’s MRI and care, scheduled for February 13. His mother said, “Sometimes his friends do not care and ignore him because of his disease. Then Thi Ha feels embarrassed and upset with his friends.”

Priscah is a social butterfly from Kenya who loves playing with toys and teddy bears. She is three years old and the youngest in her family, with three older siblings. She was brought to the hospital by her mother. Priscah's mother separated from her husband after Priscah was born. She works multiple jobs to provide for her children. Despite the challenges of being the sole provider, Priscah's mother is strong and determined, pouring all her love into her children. Priscah has clubfoot of both feet. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape, which causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Priscah has undergone serial casting and a previous surgery, but they were unsuccessful. She needs to undergo clubfoot repair surgery. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is helping Priscah receive this treatment on February 6th. After surgery, Priscah will be able to walk and play easily with her friends at school. AMH is requesting $1,286 to fund Priscah's treatment. Priscah's mother said, "I am looking forward to seeing my daughter walking well and joining school with other children, and any support to ensure that this dream is achieved will be greatly appreciated."

Luz is a three-year-old girl from a mining town in central Bolivia. Her mother is a farmer and her father sadly passed away from a heart attack soon after she was born. Luz has a cardiac condition called ventricular septal defect, in which a hole exists between the two lower chambers of her heart. Blood leaks through this hole without passing through her lungs to obtain oxygen, leaving her weak and dependent on an external oxygen tank. Fortunately, our medical partner, The International Cardiac Alliance can help. Luz is scheduled to undergo heart surgery on March 21st. Our medical partners are requesting $1,500 to fund her procedure. Luz's mother says, "I am looking forward to my daughter being able to play normally and start preschool after her surgery!"