Jimmy is a five-year-old boy from Kenya. He is the youngest in a family of five. Jimmy lives with his grandmother because his mother passed away 4 years ago after a long illness. His grandmother is a farmer, and although she works hard on the farm, they sometimes rely on the kindness of well-wishers for food. Jimmy was born with a clubfoot on his left foot, where his foot is twisted out of shape. This causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Unfortunately, he has never been taken to the hospital for treatment. He walks with discomfort and often feels pain. He cannot play football well, which he loves, and walking long distances is difficult. Through friends, Jimmy and his grandmother heard about our medical partner's care center, Cure Hospital, where children with clubfoot can get help. Jimmy has been undergoing serial casting to prepare him for clubfoot surgery. On September 24th, Jimmy will undergo clubfoot repair surgery, and our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,286 to fund this procedure. After he recovers from this treatment, he will be able to walk, run, and enjoy his childhood like other children. Jimmy's grandmother, Francisca, shared, “My prayer is for him to receive the required treatment and be able to walk to school like other children."

Mouykeang is a four-year-old child from Kandal province in Cambodia, near the border with Vietnam. She is an only child and lives with her parents and grandparents. Mouykeang's father works as a truck driver, while her mother is a homemaker. Her grandparents stay at home as well, raising frogs in a pond behind the house. Mouykeang is currently in kindergarten and enjoys English class. She enjoys watching cartoons and loves eating rice with a fried egg on top. Mouykeang and her father came to Children's Surgical Centre to seek treatment for a bone condition affecting her left leg. She had received surgery at another hospital in December 2023 to treat an infection, and a second surgery in February this year when the infection recurred. Because her condition has been difficult to manage, Mouykeang was sent to our medical partner's care centre, Children’s Surgical Centre, for further care. There, she was found to have a leg bone that didn't heal properly after a fracture, along with an infection in that area. On August 14th, Mouykeang will undergo surgery on her left shinbone, and surgeons will also affix an external frame to help support her recovery. Mouykeang and her family are able to contribute $100 towards the cost of her treatment and need help raising $369 more to fund the procedure. Mouykeang's father says, "I hope she will be able to walk comfortably and grow up happy and free of pain."

Kanika is a thirteen-year-old girl from Cambodia. She lives with her mother and younger brother in Pursat Province, near the border with Thailand. Kanika's mother sells groceries at home, and her father works at a factory in Korea to support the family. Kanika is currently in seventh grade and enjoys her geography class. She has shared that she wants to work in Korea like her father when she is older. At home, Kanika's favorite meal is fried fish with rice, and she likes doing her homework and helping take care of her younger brother. Kanika has been diagnosed with both Marfan syndrome and scoliosis, which are complex conditions leading to pronounced spinal deformities. These conditions affect her physical appearance, making her fingers and toes long and slender and causing a sunken chest. Marfan syndrome also impacts her heart function. Her scoliosis results in severe double curves in the thoracic and lumbar regions. These conditions make her feel uncomfortable at school, and in social situations, impacting her daily life. Kanika and her mother were referred by a public hospital in Phnom Penh to our medical center, Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC), for spine treatment. On September 4th, specialized spinal surgeons will perform a fusion surgery to stabilize and correct Kanika’s severe spinal curvature. The surgeons will use implants and bone grafts to join the vertebrae together. Kanika’s mother can only afford $100 toward her daughter’s care and needs your help to raise the remaining $1,400 for the surgery, hospitalization, implants, post-operative medication, and physiotherapy. This procedure will help relieve Kanika’s discomfort, improve posture, and prevent future complications. Kanika's mother shared, "I hope that my daughter will be able to live comfortably and continue her schooling."