Larah is a toddler from Haiti. She lives with her parents and older sister in a small village in the mountains of central Haiti. She likes dressing up and going to church. Larah has two cardiac conditions called ventricular septal defect and patent ductus arteriosus. A hole exists between the two lower chambers of her heart, and a second hole exists between two major blood vessels near her heart. Blood leaks through these holes, leaving her weak and short of breath. Larah will fly to the United States to receive treatment. On February 29th, she will undergo cardiac surgery, during which surgeons will sew a patch over the larger hole, and tie shut the smaller hole, so that blood can no longer leak through them. Another organization, HeartGift Foundation, is contributing $15,000 to pay for surgery, but Larah's family also needs help to fund the costs of surgery preparation. The $1,500 bill covers labs, medicines, and preop and postop appointments. It also supports passport obtainment and the help of social workers from our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, who will accompany Larah's family overseas. Larah's mother said: "Our family thinks it is a miracle that our daughter has this chance to travel for her surgery!"

Juoneck is an 11-year old girl from Tanzania. She lives with her father - a construction layman - and her mother - a self employed roadside grocery seller - and a younger sibling. Juoneck is passionate about pursuing her education, as she hopes to become a doctor. Juoneck lives with clubfoot, a congenital condition that limits her mobility, and impedes her participation in playing, sports, and long-distance walks. Despite these challenges, she remains determined in her pursuit of education and her dreams. Her parents recently met a good Samaritan, who was astonished to discover that Juoneck has been living with a treatable disability. The Samaritan directed them to our partner's center for treatment. Juoneck's family traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, Kafika House. There, on December 22nd, the team will begin clubfoot treatment on Juoneck. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $935 to fund Juoneck's clubfoot repair. After treatment, she will be able to walk easily and to participate in sports. Juoneck’s mother says: “I hope my daughter’s spirit won’t be limited by the condition she was born with. I hope this treatment will help correct her leg.”

Tor lives in Prey Veng province with his wife, one of his daughters and her family, and four grandchildren. They all work in the nearby rice fields. Tor enjoys watching Cambodian boxing and spending time with his family. Tor's right leg was injured by a bomb during the time of the Khmer Rouge and the injury did not heal properly. Tor has since been diagnosed with Majorlin Ulcer, a type of cancer that can grow from burns, poorly healing wounds, or scars. It grows slowly, but over time it can spread to other parts of the body. As a result of the pain and discomfort, Tor is unable to go up and down stairs and needs assistance for everyday activities. Tor was accompanied by his relatives to travel four hours to reach Children's Surgical Centre. On February 21st, Tor will have an above-the-knee amputation at this facility. The amputation will eliminate pain and help prevent the cancer from spreading. The family needs help to fund this procedure and our medical partner is requesting $479 to cover medications, surgical materials, and four nights of hospital stay. His grandson said, "I hope my grandfather can have surgery so he is no longer in pain and can enjoy time with his family."