The birth of twins Jane and her sister brought joy to their parents. She is the 4th born in a family of five. She is a bright grade 1 student who likes reading, drawing and colouring. Her family hails from a small village, and both her parents are farmers. Soon after birth, her parents discovered the challenge of Jane being born with multiple birth conditions: Bilateral clubfeet, hydrocephalus, and spina bifida. They shared that they were quite shocked as they had not heard or experienced any of them before. Treatment for hydrocephalus and spina bifida required a collaborative effort between orthopaedic specialists and neurosurgeons. At ten days, she underwent a spina bifida surgery at a local hospital to address the neural tube defect affecting her spine and then hydrocephalus. Jane is a resilient girl and has overcome so much, carrying a big smile on her face. She now needs treatment for her clubfoot condition as her feet are bent inward, hindering her mobility. She is scheduled to undergo surgery, which will be impactful to her because she will be able to walk confidently like other children and continue with her education. “My desire is to see my daughter walking well and any kind of help is greatly appreciated,” Jane’s mother told us.

Priscillah is a happy 5-year-old from Kenya. She has a lively spirit and loves to play with her friends while at home and in school. Priscillah is the second born in a family of four kids. She came to the hospital with her father, who works in construction, and her mother is a homemaker. Four years ago, Priscillah was playing with her friends when she accidentally fell into a fire. She developed burn contracture on her left hand and fingers, which makes her unable to flex her fingers. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is helping Priscillah receive treatment. On February 6th, surgeons at AMH's care center will perform a burn contracture release surgery. This surgery will allow Priscillah to be able to use her hands freely and will also boost her self-esteem as she plays with her friends and continues her education. AMH is requesting $840 to fund this procedure. Priscillah’s father shared: "I am looking forward to seeing my daughter fully recovered and using her hand like other children and continuing with her education fully. I will be very happy."

Angela is a 62-year-old woman with two grown sons. During her childhood, her dream was to be a teacher however she has to stop school at Primary 6 due to financial constraints. She is married and she and her husband farm for a living. They live in a traditional mud house in southwestern Uganda. Two years ago, Angela began experiencing lower abdominal pain and backache. Due to limited finances, Angela had never seen a doctor but when symptoms became severe, she decided to seek medical help and was diagnosed with premalignant cervical lesion. She needs to undergo a total abdominal hysterectomy, a procedure in which surgeons will remove her uterus. On February 22nd, she will undergo gynecological surgery at Karoli Lwanga Hospital. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $219 to fund this procedure. Once she has recovered, Angela will be able to resume her daily activities free of pain. She says, “I hope for a complete recovery and I have faith that I will get better.”