Luz is a three-year-old girl from a mining town in central Bolivia. Her mother is a farmer and her father sadly passed away from a heart attack soon after she was born. Luz has a cardiac condition called ventricular septal defect, in which a hole exists between the two lower chambers of her heart. Blood leaks through this hole without passing through her lungs to obtain oxygen, leaving her weak and dependent on an external oxygen tank. Fortunately, our medical partner, The International Cardiac Alliance can help. Luz is scheduled to undergo heart surgery on March 21st. Our medical partners are requesting $1,500 to fund her procedure. Luz's mother says, "I am looking forward to my daughter being able to play normally and start preschool after her surgery!"

Sot is a retired rice farmer from Kompong Thom province in Cambodia. She is 79 years old with four children and twenty grandchildren. She is widowed and never remarried following the death of her husband during the Khmer Rouge. She lives with one of her daughters, who works for a local construction company. Sot spends most of her time looking after the house and her grandchildren. In her free time, she likes to visit the village pagoda but has been scared to cross the road since her vision has deteriorated. About six months ago, Sot developed a cataract in her left eye, causing her photophobia, tearing, and blurry vision. She feels a loss of independence and experiences difficulty going up and down the stairs in her traditional raised home. A cataract is a clouding of the lens of the eye, so it is like looking through a frosty or fogged-up window. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, including colors and faces, and is worried about falling when walking, so is not able to go places on her own. When Sot learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for three hours seeking treatment. On April 18th, doctors will perform a small incision cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in her left eye. Sot is able to contribute $100 but needs help to raise $153 to fund this procedure. Sot shared, "I would like to be able to see clearly and do things on my own. I also want to look after my grandchildren."

Festus is a three-month-old infant from Kenya. His mother gave birth to him while she was still in high school, and she had to discontinue her studies to care for him. Festus and his mother were driven out of their home by his grandfather, and although a relative has provided them with shelter, they lack the financial means to support themselves or cover their medical expenses. Festus' mother got to know about our medical partner's care center, BethanyKids, through a mobile clinic in their locality, following which they were referred to the hospital for treatment. At BethanyKids, Festus was diagnosed with spina bifida, a congenital neural tube defect in which the spine does not properly close around the spinal cord. Without treatment, Festus is at risk of lower-limb paralysis, infection of the exposed nervous tissue, development of tethered cord syndrome, and possible developmental delays. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Festus receive treatment. On March 20th, surgeons at BethanyKids will perform a spina bifida closure surgery to alleviate the risks associated with the condition, allowing him to grow and develop along a healthy trajectory. Now, Festus' family needs help to fund this $1,151 procedure. Festus’ mother says “It is very painful seeing him with the swelling at the back. I wish to see him healed so he can grow up as other children.”