Dalis is a 12-year-old student from Cambodia. She is from a family of four in Banteay Meanchey province. Her mother works in a clothing factory and her father drives a tuk-tuk taxi. Her favorite subjects are Khmer and mathematics. When she grows up, she wants to be a teacher. She likes to eat fried rice, and during her free time, she enjoys bowling with her father. Four years ago, Dalis developed a painful ganglion cyst in her left foot. A ganglion cyst is a benign, jelly-like sac that forms beneath the skin on the top or bottom of the foot. The cyst causes her pain, and she cannot walk properly due to the pain. If it grows too large, it can limit her ability to walk to school or ride her bike. Dalis traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On April 4th, surgeons at Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), will remove the mass. Her family is able to contribute $100 but needs help to raise an additional $273 to fund the procedure. Dalis' mother shared, "We hope that our daughter will have no pain and can do daily activities after the surgery."

John is an 11-year-old quiet boy from Meru County in Kenya. John's story is a journey of compassion and the unwavering support of a dedicated well-wisher. His origin is drawn back to Tanzania, where he was disowned by his birth parents due to a congenital disorder on his feet. His present guardian adopted him, offering not just a home but a sense of belonging. John has clubfoot, a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. Both his feet are affected. The condition causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. John was diagnosed during a mobile clinic held by our medical partner's care center AIC Cure International Hospital. He underwent a successful surgery on his left foot, which is now healed. He is currently in the hospital to undergo reconstruction of his right foot. He has in the meantime been undergoing serial casting to adjust the position of his foot to achieve the desired correction. Fortunately, our medical partner African Mission Healthcare, is helping John receive treatment. On March 21st, surgeons at AIC Cure International Hospital will perform clubfoot repair surgery to improve his mobility. John aspires to go back to school and study hard so that he can be a doctor someday. Now, John's family needs help to fund this $1,286 procedure. John shared, “I am looking forward to seeing my foot corrected, to walking properly, playing football with my friends, continue with my studies like other children and achieving my dream of becoming a doctor in future so that I can impact the lives of children born with clubfoot and other physical conditions."

Oliver is a married mother of four children, all of whom are married with children except the last one who is still in school. She is a farmer together with her husband. Her second child, a daughter, has been there for her support throughout her illness. Oliver likes chatting with her daughter and enjoys eating nsima made from cassava maize flour served with fresh fish. Oliver was well until one year ago when she noted a small lump on her right breast that was not painful. She visited her nearest hospital where some pain medication was provided. She visited many other hospitals after noting that the growth was becoming bigger as time passed. At one of the hospitals, a diagnosis of suspected breast cancer was made before proceeding to Kamuzu Central Hospital for further assessments. At Kamuzu Central Hospital (KCH), different tests were done, and a diagnosis of invasive ductal carcinoma was made followed by four cycles of neoadjuvant therapy. Oliver was later scheduled for surgery on January 15th this year but unfortunately, she did not report back since she did not have the funds. On January 29th, Oliver went back to KCH where she was referred to our medical partner's care center Partners in Hope Medical Center (PIH) so that she can undergo surgery more urgently. Of late, Oliver has been experiencing needle pricking pains, and weakness affecting her farm work plus household chores as a mother. On January 30th, Oliver reported to PIH and met the surgeon who confirmed the need for a modified radical mastectomy. Modified radical mastectomy is the removal of the entire breast, including the nipple, areola, and skin plus most axillary lymph nodes. Oliver believes the surgical operation will help her get back home in a good condition and enable her to resume her farm work. Oliver said, “Kindly remove this breast for me to have my peace of mind after getting rid of these bad symptoms that I experience, I would rather be able to move on in my age.”