Kerson is a preschooler from Haiti. He lives with his father, who is a construction worker, and his mother, who is a waitress. He enjoys making art with crayons and singing. Kerson has a cardiac condition called a ventricular septal defect. A hole exists between the two lower chambers of his heart; blood leaks through this hole without passing through his lungs to obtain oxygen, leaving him weak and short of breath. Kerson needs to fly to the Dominican Republic to receive treatment. On July 2nd, he will undergo heart surgery, during which surgeons will sew a patch over the hole in his heart so blood can no longer leak through it. Another organization is funding his surgery; however, Kerson'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 Kerson's family overseas. Kerson's mother shared, "Our family will be so happy and relieved once we know our son is safe!"

Hayu is an energetic, curious, and playful young boy from Ethiopia. He enjoys exploring his surroundings and playing with anything he can find. He shares a particularly close and affectionate bond with his father. Hayu lives with his parents, two sisters, and older brother in a loving family environment. Hayu was born with hypospadias, a condition that causes urinary dysfunction. Without treatment, he will continue to experience uncomfortable symptoms and will be at risk of future complications. Fortunately, Hayu is scheduled to undergo corrective surgery on October 21st. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,293 to cover the cost of his procedure and care. Hayu’s father, saying: “My greatest wish is for my child to regain his health and undergo a successful surgery. I am deeply grateful for the support and services provided by this organization. Without this assistance, my child might still be waiting for the treatment he needs. May God bless this organization and everyone involved in helping children like my son receive the care they deserve.”

Nan Maw is a 24-year-old woman from Burma. She lives with her friends in Bangkok in an apartment rented by their employer. She works as a waitress, while her brother and mother still live in their village in Karen State, Burma. When Nan Maw was healthy and working full-time, she would send half of her salary home to support her mother. She dreams of building a concrete house back home for her family. Nan Maw was born with an atrial septal defect (ASD), a condition in which a hole exists between the two upper chambers of the heart. Sometimes ASDs may close on their own during development, but sometimes this condition requires surgery to repair the hole and prevent long-term damage to the heart and lungs. Due to her condition, she can only engage in part-time work as she gets tired too easily. Nan Maw is scheduled to undergo heart surgery on August 31st at our medical partner's care center, Kasemrad Prachachuen Hospital, to correct her atrial septal defect and improve her quality of life. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to help cover the cost of Nan Maw's procedure and care. Nan Maw said, “I would like to thank your organization, BCMF, and your donors for your help. If you do not help me, I would have had to give up on my treatment because I know that I could not afford it by myself. I am very happy and thankful to all the donors. You have helped me feel that I can dream again. Before I developed these symptoms, I dreamed of working hard, saving money, building a house back home, and opening my own restaurant. Since I first noticed my symptoms, it felt like my dreams were lost. But now, I can dream again.”