Keisha is a 5-month-old baby girl from Haiti. She is the first child of her parents. Keisha has been diagnosed with hydrocephalus, a condition in which excess cerebrospinal fluid - the fluid which surrounds the brain - accumulates in the brain and increases intracranial pressure. The accumulation of fluid has caused Keisha’s head to expand beyond a normal range. Without treatment, Keisha will experience severe physical and developmental delays. Keisha is scheduled for surgery to put a flexible plastic tube called a shunt in her brain to redirect the cerebrospinal fluid into another part of her body. Draining the excess fluid from Keisha’s brain will reduce the pressure and greatly improve the quality of her life. With proper treatment, Keisha will hopefully develop into a strong, healthy young girl. Keisha is scheduled for surgery on December 8th at Hospital Bernard Mevs, the only site in the country where this care is currently available. Our medical partner, Project Medishare, is requesting $957 to cover the cost of surgery. Her family is grateful Keisha is able to have surgery to prevent long-term damage to her brain.

Wellen is a small-scale farmer from Uganda. She is a mother of nine children: five boys and four girls. She is married and is the second born in a family of 12 children, but two of her siblings have passed on. Wellen studied up to elementary school, but she was unable to complete her schooling due to finances. She does small-scale farming together with her husband to care for their family. She carried nine previous healthy pregnancies up to term. The last two deliveries were done by C-section due to difficulties with labor. All her children are doing well, and some are in school. She is carrying her tenth pregnancy and attending antenatal care at our facility. She appeals for support as she does not have the finances to pay for the C-section. During her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Wellen undergo a C-Section on March 5th. This procedure will cost $241, and Wellen needs your support. Wellen says, "After the delivery, I hope to return to farming and with the capital from my yields, I'll be able to start a retail shop in the future."

Phai is a 60-year-old rice farmer who lives in Kampong Cham with his wife. Their five children and grandchildren live nearby and visit often. In his free time, Phai likes spending time with his grandchildren, studying Buddhism, and watching the local news. Around three months ago, Phai developed a cataract in his right eye, which caused him discomfort, blurred vision, and watery eyes. He has been unable to work for long periods due to vision loss. A cataract clouded the eye's lens, like looking through a frosty or fogged-up window. He has difficulty seeing things, including colors and faces, and is worried about falling when walking, so he cannot go places alone. When Phai learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, he traveled for two hours seeking treatment. On March 6th, doctors will perform cataract surgery and implant an intraocular lens in his right eye. After recovery, he will be able to see clearly. Now, he needs help to fund this $253 procedure. He said, "I want to go places alone and not feel afraid. When my vision improves, I can work more and help care for my family."