Joselito, a 59-year-old father from the Philippines, works as a taxi driver and earns minimum wage. His income is insufficient to provide for his family of five, prompting him to take on extra jobs to make ends meet. Twenty years ago, Joselito began to experience troubling symptoms, including severe pain on the left side of his stomach, which radiated to his back. Initially, he tried drinking a lot of water to ease the pain, and it subsided. When he consulted with a doctor he was asked to take an ultrasound, but could not due to financial constraints. At the onset of an extremely painful episode, Joselito was rushed to a nearby hospital and was diagnosed with gallstones. He was advised to undergo a cholecystectomy, the surgical removal of the gallbladder. He was informed that if left untreated, his symptoms would continue to worsen and put him at risk of further health complications in the future. Unable to cover the cost of the necessary surgery, he was prescribed pain medication instead. Fortunately, Joselito then sought treatment through our medical partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines (WSFP). He is scheduled to undergo a cholecystectomy on March 27th. A portion of the cost of the procedure is being supported by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and Jose is seeking support for the remaining $1,128. Joselito says, "Since I started to feel the symptoms attack more often, I had to reduce my work hours and this took a toll on the family's income and expenses. While my family worries about my health, I am worried that I will not be able to give them what they need because of my condition, so I deeply appreciate the assistance I am receiving for my medical care."

Mike is a 29-year-old farmer from Malawi. He has one child, who is currently in nursery school. Mike sustained a lower leg fracture. He was rushed to Nkhoma Hospital, where after an assessment, he was scheduled for open reduction surgery. However, Mike cannot afford the cost of the surgery, which is the only remedy for repairing the fracture and alleviating Mike of the pain that prevents him from working and taking care of his family. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is seeking $636 to fund his surgery, which is scheduled for February 27th, at Nkhoma Hospital. Mike said: “I hope to get treatment so that I can go back home to my family free of this condition.”

Priscah is a social butterfly from Kenya who loves playing with toys and teddy bears. She is three years old and the youngest in her family, with three older siblings. She was brought to the hospital by her mother. Priscah's mother separated from her husband after Priscah was born. She works multiple jobs to provide for her children. Despite the challenges of being the sole provider, Priscah's mother is strong and determined, pouring all her love into her children. Priscah has clubfoot of both feet. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape, which causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Priscah has undergone serial casting and a previous surgery, but they were unsuccessful. She needs to undergo clubfoot repair surgery. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is helping Priscah receive this treatment on February 6th. After surgery, Priscah will be able to walk and play easily with her friends at school. AMH is requesting $1,286 to fund Priscah's treatment. Priscah's mother said, "I am looking forward to seeing my daughter walking well and joining school with other children, and any support to ensure that this dream is achieved will be greatly appreciated."