Charity is a 60-year-old woman from Uganda. She grew up in a family of eight children, she is the fifth-born, with four brothers and three sisters. Her siblings all have families of their own and are farmers. After losing their father at a young age, their mother, who was also a farmer, could not afford school fees for all of them but managed to support Charity until she completed seventh grade. Charity and her husband are blessed with five sons. One works as a butcher, one works as a day labor on other people's farms, and the remaining three children are still in school. To make ends meet, Charity grows food crops for home consumption and sells the surplus to generate income for her family. Her husband works as a builder. About a year ago, Charity began to experience troubling symptoms, including a swelling on the front of her neck. Initially, it was painless, but she later began experiencing shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, frequent headaches, and painful swallowing. At first, she relied on painkillers, but they provided no relief. One day, while with a friend who noticed a significant increase in the size of her neck, she was advised that it could be a goiter. She then visited a hospital, but she was unable to raise the money needed for the procedure and returned home. For the past few months, she has been using traditional remedies, but none have provided any relief. While listening to a radio talk show, she learned about a surgical support program at Nyakibale Hospital that assists patients with conditions like hers. She decided to seek care there. She was diagnosed with a goiter. The thyroid is the gland located in front of your neck and produces thyroid hormones. These hormones are responsible for functions such as metabolism, growth and other bodily functions. She needs surgery to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Charity receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on July 7th at Karoli Lwanga Hospital. Surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. This procedure will cost $252, and she and her family need help raising money. Charity says, “I don’t see any where to get the money needed for my surgery, but I have hopes that with your support, my surgery will be successful and I will get better.”

Sisay is a healthcare worker from Ethiopia. At just 26 years old, this young man is a vital heartbeat for the healthcare center where he works. As a key member of the staff, he serves as the bridge between the clinic and the community. At home, he is the pillar for his two siblings, balancing the roles of breadwinner and protector. However, a grueling battle with chronic tonsillitis is slowly silencing the very voice he needs to build his career, and has made it challenging to do his work. Sisay shares how heartbreaking it is when the illness breaks his focus, keeping him from the job he loves. About one and a half years ago, Sisay began experiencing a difficulty in breathing, fever, pain, and exhaustion. Every day is a grueling battle against a searing sore throat, transforming his essential duties, from warmly greeting patients to managing a relentless stream of phone calls, into a profound and painful struggle. Sisay was recently diagnosed with enlarged tonsils, which, if not treated, will cause his symptoms to persist and possibly intensify over time. Despite the constant pain, he continued to serve at his local health station. He knew a tonsillectomy was necessary, but a lack of specialized doctors and medical equipment in his area kept that relief out of reach. The moment he heard about a new opportunity for care at our medical partner's care center, he was filled with hope. He arrived at Saglan Waje General Hospital, clutching his referral papers, ready for a second chance. Our medical partner, Saglan Wajee General Hospital, is requesting $700 to fund a tonsillectomy for Sisay, which is scheduled to take place on March 7th. During the procedure, surgeons will remove his tonsils, hopefully relieving Sisay of his symptoms, and allowing him to go back to work with ease. Sisay says: "I am so excited for the opportunity to interact freely with my siblings again, instead of just collapsing into bed exhausted every night. I feel ready to truly show up for my patients as well as my siblings, and build the stable, happy future we all deserve together."

Menghab is a 24-year-old farmer from Cambodia. He lives in Kandal Province with his parents. He is the middle child of three siblings; his brother works in a factory, and his sister is in Grade 12. Before his injury, he worked as a rice farmer and enjoyed playing football with friends in his village. Menghab sustained a traumatic brain injury after being struck by a car while standing on the roadside. Following prolonged immobility during recovery, he developed severe pressure sores in different parts of his body. The condition has caused large, painful wounds that make it difficult for him to move, sit comfortably, and participate in daily activities. His recovery has been slow and complicated by repeated hospital admissions and ongoing weakness. Menghab learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), and sought treatment. On June 3rd, surgeons at CSC will perform a skin graft procedure to help close the chronic wounds, promote healing, reduce pain, and prevent further infection, supporting his recovery and rehabilitation toward greater independence. Now, Menghab needs help to fund this $583 procedure. Menghab's father said, “My greatest hope is that my son will continue to recover, regain his strength, and become more independent through treatment and rehabilitation.”