Christie is a four-year-old girl from Haiti, who lives with her parents and two older siblings in a neighborhood of Port-au-Prince. She is in preschool, and is learning to read. She loves dressing up and playing with her friends. Christie has a cardiac condition called patent ductus arteriosus. A hole exists between two major blood vessels next to her heart; blood leaks through this hole, leaving her weak and short of breath. Christie will fly to the Dominican Republic to receive treatment. On May 13th, she will undergo cardiac surgery, during which doctors will use a device on the end of a catheter to plug the hole so that blood can no longer leak through it. Another organization, International Cardiac Alliance, is contributing $4,000 to pay for surgery. Christie's family also needs help to fund the costs of surgery prep. Our medical partner, International Cardiac Alliance, is requesting $1,500 to cover labs, medicines, and check-up and follow-up appointments. It also supports securing travel documents for the family and travel costs for the social workers from our medical partner, who will accompany Christie's family overseas. Christie's mother says: "Our family is so thankful that our daughter has this chance to travel and to get her heart healed!"

Sovannarith is a 32-year-old security guard from Cambodia. He lives in the suburbs of Phnom Penh with his father, who also works as a security guard. His mother passed away a few years ago. Sovannarith is the second of four siblings, and all of his siblings are married. In his spare time, he enjoys being with his family and listening to music. Sovannarith was recently involved in a serious traffic accident that caused a distal femur fracture in his left leg. Since the injury, he has experienced severe pain and has been unable to walk independently. He also has stiffness in his leg, which becomes worse in cold weather, making daily activities and doing his work extremely difficult. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, can help. On January 21st, Sovannarith will undergo a fracture repair procedure, and CSC is requesting $600 to cover the cost of this treatment. This surgery will stabilize the fracture, reduce pain, and restore Sovannarith's ability to walk, allowing him to return to work and support his family. He said, “After the surgery, I hope that I will be able to walk again and be free from pain, so I can return to my job and earn money to support my loving family.”

Darian is a five-year-old student who lives in Columbia with his family. He is an intelligent, charismatic, and very friendly boy. His joy and curiosity shine through every day at preschool, where he interacts with his classmates with enthusiasm and warmth. Two years ago, Darian developed an umbilical hernia, a condition in which a small portion of abdominal tissue protrudes through the navel. He has been experiencing discomfort especially when doing everyday activities like playing, jumping, and enjoying his childhood. Darian was assessed by our medical partner, Clínica Noel, and has been scheduled to undergo surgery on May 19th. Now, his family needs help to fund this $1,005 procedure. Darian looks forward to feeling better so he can practice on being a soccer player! His mother says, "As a mother, I would like to express my deepest gratitude for the opportunity given to my son. The support we have received throughout this process will be essential to his well-being and development, and it represents an invaluable source of hope for our future as a family."