Meet Grace! She is a 46-year-old rice and maize farmer who lives in Malawi. Grace is a widow with five children. Two of her children are married, while the youngest is still in school. The other two children left school due to a lack of the necessary fees, and are now fishermen. For five months now, Grace has been experiencing abdominal pains, backache, and an abnormal vaginal discharge. She first went for her cervical screening, which indicated the presence of suspicious lesions. Grace was referred for additional testing and evaluation, and a biopsy confirmed the presence of potentially cancerous lesions. Grace will need to undergo a total abdominal hysterectomy, as a result of her diagnosis. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,363 to fund Grace's surgery. On September 28th, doctors will perform the hysterectomy, which should allow Grace to resume her life, free of pain. Grace said: ”I am grateful for the opportunity to have good health. I am looking forward to your support, and to regaining my health again, which will enable me to concentrate on my farm work, and to continue supporting my children.”

Rosemary is a mother of five children. She lives with her husband, their two youngest children, and 6 grandchildren. Rosemary enjoys chatting with her grandchildren and eating nsima, a porridge made from maize flour and served with local chicken and vegetables. Five years ago, Rosemary started experiencing swelling near her abdomen After visits to different hospitals and clinics, she was diagnosed with an umbilical hernia and was recommended to have surgery. Her symptoms worsened as she delayed treatment and was diagnosed with a hiatal hernia, a condition that occurs when part of the stomach protrudes up into the chest through the diaphragm because of the weakening of surrounding tissues. Rosemary could no longer walk long distances and was experiencing frequent vomiting, loss of appetite, weight loss, heartburn, discomfort, and pain in her chest and abdomen. Rosemary can hardly do anything at home due to worsening pains during activities that add more pressure to the painful area. Rosemary was later taken to Partners in Hope Medical Center and doctors explained the need for a surgical intervention called Laparoscopic Nissen Fundoplication, a surgery that treats Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GORD). In GORD, acid from the stomach leaks up into the esophagus (gullet) due to the weakness of the lower esophageal sphincter which leads to failure to close properly. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), can help. On May 7th, Rosemary will undergo surgery that will help relieve her of her symptoms and improve her quality of life. AMH is requesting $1,244 to fund this procedure. Rosemary said, “I can now smile again and look forward to a successful surgery, for me to be well again.”

Bertha is a 45-year-old woman from Malawi. She runs a small restaurant in the village, while her husband is a motorcycle taxi driver. Their only daughter moved to South Africa to work. Bertha likes resting after doing house chores and enjoys eating nsima, a traditional Malawian porridge, served with chicken. For two years, Bertha has been experiencing abdominal pains associated with dizziness. In January 2024, her symptoms got worse and she experienced heart palpitations with some bleeding making her unable to continue running her business. A week ago, she visited our medical partner's care center, Partners in Hope Medical Center, and was examined by a gynecologist. She has been diagnosed with uterine fibroids, which are non-cancerous tumors in the uterus. She needs to undergo a hysterectomy, a procedure in which surgeons will remove her uterus. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,363 to fund Bertha's surgery. On August 20th, she will undergo gynecological surgery at Partners in Hope Medical Center. Once recovered, Bertha will be able to resume her daily activities free of pain. Bertha said, “I am looking forward to that surgery day for me to regain my peace of mind and resume my business after surgery. I am tired of being supported by my young brother when I can support myself.”