Ritchina is a 7-month-old baby girl from Haiti. She lives with both of her loving parents and her older brother. Ritchina has been diagnosed with hydrocephalus, a condition in which excess cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the brain and increases intracranial pressure. As a result of her condition, Ritchina has been experiencing increasing head circumference. Without treatment, Ritchina will experience severe physical and developmental delays. Our medical partner, Project Medishare, is requesting $897 to cover the cost of surgery for Ritchina at Hospital Bernard Mevs that will treat her hydrocephalus. This is the only site in the country where this care is currently available and the procedure is scheduled to take place on January 4th. This critical treatment will drain the excess fluid from Ritchina's brain to reduce intracranial pressure and greatly improve her quality of life. With proper treatment, Ritchina will hopefully develop into a strong, healthy young girl. Her parents are hopeful that surgery will allow their child to grow up healthy.

Dickson is a married man from a village in Lilongwe District. He has one child who is in primary school, and to support his family, he depends on a motorcycle transport business locally known as Kabaza. He also practices small-scale farming where he grows maize, tomatoes, and groundnuts for consumption and commercial purposes. Dickson was hit by a car while he was on his motorcycle, and he sustained a fracture to his left upper arm. He was rushed to our medical partner's Nkhoma Hospital the same night where he was diagnosed with distal radius fracture, and he was scheduled to undergo open reduction and internal fixation surgery. However, Dickson cannot afford to pay for the surgery although he is willing to pay the little that he can afford. This condition has had a negative impact on Dickson’s life as he feels pain from the fracture, and he is worried about his family’s well-being as he will not be able to work on his farm or his business due to the fracture. If the condition is left untreated, pain and swelling may continue to worsen over time and there might be a misalignment of the fractured bone. Our medical partner African Mission Healthcare is requesting $525 to fund his surgery. After treatment, Dickson will be relieved of his pain and able to work to support his family again. Dickson says, “I have no idea how I will take care of my family with no income from my business. I hope to get well soon.”

Residing in Kampong Thom province alongside her parents, two brothers, and two sisters, Sine's family earns their livelihood from the nearby rice paddies. Sine's favorite food is Khmer noodle soup, and she finds she loves Cambodian Studies. During her free time, she engages in reading and enjoys playing with her siblings. When she grows up, she wants to attend a prestigious university and ultimately pursue a career as a doctor. Sine was born with a hairy nevus - a type of birthmark characterized by a darkly pigmented, often raised patch of skin covered with hair. These birthmarks can vary significantly in size and appearance, ranging from small and barely noticeable to larger and more prominent. Hairy nevi are present at birth and are caused by an overgrowth of pigment cells in the skin. While most hairy nevi are harmless, larger ones may carry a slightly increased risk of developing into skin cancer, particularly melanoma. As Sine has gotten older, her insecurities around her birthmark have led to her missing a lot of school. In the pursuit of a solution, Sine and her mother traveled to Kien Khleang National Rehabilitation Centre, the care center of our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC) for treatment. The doctors at CSC devised a treatment plan for Sine. On November 15th, 2023, Sine is scheduled for a partial removal of the nevus, with a follow-up in six months for additional planning and removal. Skilled surgeons at CSC will conduct the initial operation, employing skin grafting from her scalp to excise part of the nevus. This intervention aims to restore Sine's confidence, enabling her to resume regular school attendance, and to minimize her future health risks. CSC is requesting $726 to help fund the cost of this transformative procedure for Sine. Her mother shared, "I hope she can feel better and will want to play with her friends."