Loyce is a 48-year-old wife and mother of four from Malawi. Two of her children are married with families of their own, while the other two assist with farming work at home. For many years, Loyce has contributed to her family's livelihood through her small charcoal-selling business, while her husband works as a builder. Together, they have worked tirelessly to provide for their family. For the last 18 months, Loyce has been living with uterine fibroids. Uterine fibroids are common, non-cancerous growths that develop within or on the wall of the uterus and can cause symptoms such as heavy bleeding, chronic pelvic pain, abdominal swelling, fatigue, and anemia. When symptoms become severe, surgical intervention is often necessary to relieve pain, prevent complications, and improve quality of life. Loyce's journey toward care began when she first sought medical attention at a nearby health facility, where the doctors suspected the presence of uterine fibroids and referred her to another hospital for further assessment and confirmation. Despite receiving medical care at the time, her symptoms continued to worsen. She experienced ongoing lower abdominal pain, backache, dizziness, weakness, and increasing discomfort that interfered with her daily activities and quality of life. At the initial referral hospital, the doctors scheduled her for surgery in October 2026. However, in June 2026, her condition took a serious turn when she developed worrisome bleeding and was rushed to the hospital for emergency treatment. After her condition stabilized, Loyce was discharged and advised to return immediately if her symptoms worsened. Unfortunately, her symptoms persisted, and in late July 2026, Loyce returned to the hospital. Due to the high volume of emergency cases requiring urgent attention, Loyce was referred to our medical partner's hospital, Partners in Hope (PIH) Hospital, for immediate surgical evaluation and management. At PIH, Loyce learned about the surgery program and, for the first time in many months, felt hopeful upon learning her surgery could be performed quickly without the prolonged delays she had previously experienced. Understanding the importance of her treatment and despite her financial hardships, Loyce voluntarily offered to contribute a co-pay of MWK 100,000 ($57.11 UDS) toward the cost of her care. On August 5th, Loyce will undergo a hysterectomy at PIH. Once recovered, Loyce will be able to resume her daily activities free of pain. PIH is requesting $1,363 to fund her surgery. For Loyce, this surgery represents more than medical treatment. It is an opportunity to regain her strength, restore her health, and return to the activities that support her family. She dreams of returning to her charcoal business, helping with household responsibilities, and living free from the pain and uncertainty that have overshadowed the past year and a half. Loyce shared, "I would rather lose my womb than suffer and die. Kindly help me to move on with my life while I serve my family in good health; I already have enough children and grandchildren, so I don't have to suffer for nothing."

Yaty is an 11-year-old student from Cambodia. She is the oldest of three children and lives with her parents and two younger siblings. Her father works as a carpenter, while her mother works in a garment factory. She enjoys mathematics at school and playing with her friends in the village. Her favorite foods are fried pork and chicken. For the past three months, Yaty has been experiencing a sore throat, fever, and pain when swallowing and eating. She also experiences difficulty breathing and snores at night. Her ongoing throat problems make eating and swallowing painful, while breathing difficulties and snoring disturb her sleep. These symptoms affect her comfort and may make it harder for her to concentrate at school and enjoy time with her friends. Yaty was recently diagnosed with enlarged tonsils and adenoids, which, if not treated, will cause her symptoms to persist and possibly intensify over time. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $345 to fund a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy for Yaty, which is scheduled to take place on October 20th. Surgeons will remove her tonsils and adenoids, hopefully relieving Yaty of her symptoms and helping her live much more comfortably. Yaty's mother said, “I hope the surgery helps my daughter swallow, breathe, and sleep better so she can feel healthy and enjoy her daily life.”

Zakiri is a bright eight-year-old boy from Malawi. The third-born in a family of four children, Zakiri is in Standard 2, and is eager to continue learning and spending time with his friends. His mother says he has always grown well, reaching his developmental milestones on time, and there was nothing unusual about his health until two years ago. For two years, Zakiri has had an inguinal hernia, a condition that occurs when abdominal tissue protrudes through a weak spot in the lower abdominal muscles, causing a bulge in the groin area. At first, Zakiri would complain of abdominal pain and headaches whenever the swelling appeared. Concerned, his mother took him to several clinics hoping to find a solution, but the problem persisted. As Zakiri prepared to start another school year, she became increasingly worried that the condition would interfere with his childhood and education. In August 2026, she took him to a local hospital, where a clinician advised that he be referred to Nkhoma Mission Hospital for further assessment and treatment. For Zakiri’s mother, making the journey to Nkhoma was not an easy decision. She and her four children live with her parents, her sister, her sister's child, and her brother’s child. Zakiri's father works in South Africa and only sends money occasionally, while his mother depends mainly on farming to support the family. Despite these challenges, she followed the clinician’s advice and brought Zakiri to Nkhoma Hospital, where his right inguinal hernia was confirmed, and surgery was recommended. However, the cost of treatment was more than she could afford. Zakiri’s mother is hopeful that the support will make it possible for her son to receive the treatment he needs. Fortunately, on September 16th, Zakiri will undergo hernia repair surgery at Nkhoma Hospital. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $421 to fund Zakiri's hernia repair surgery. The procedure is scheduled to take place on September 16th and, once completed, will hopefully allow him to live a healthier life. Zakiri's mother said, "I wish to see him healthy again, back in his classroom. I hope that once his hernia is repaired, no illness will stand in the way of Zakiri growing, learning and enjoying his childhood."