Dagem is a curious two-year-old boy from Ethiopia who loves to explore. He enjoys playing football and riding bicycles. He lives with his mother, who works as a daily laborer, selling vegetables and washing clothes for neighbors to support him. His brother lives with their grandparents. Dagem's mother first learned of his condition when Dagem was just four days old. He was born with hypospadias, a condition affecting the urinary tract that causes discomfort and dysfunction. Without treatment, he will continue to experience uncomfortable symptoms and risk further complications as he grows. Fortunately, on April 23rd, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, will assist Dagem in undergoing corrective surgery. This procedure will cost $1,293, and Dagem needs your support to fund the surgery. Dagem’s mom said, “I’m so happy, and thank you so much for the support. I pray that my child will be healthy like other children.”

Both is a 23-month-old boy from Cambodia. He lives in Phnom Penh with his parents and is their only child. His father is an electrician and his mother works as a chef in a restaurant. He enjoys playing with toy cars and balls, and likes eating soup and mangoes. Both was born with polydactyly of both hands. This means that he has an extra thumb on both hands (bilateral thumb polydactyly). The condition affects his ability to grasp and hold objects properly. His parents are concerned that it may also affect his hand function and self-confidence as he grows older. Fortunately, on May 19th, surgeons will perform a polydactyly repair procedure to remove the extra digit. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $379 to fund this procedure. After surgery, the extra thumbs will be removed, improving hand function and allowing more normal grasping, development, and daily hand activities. His father said, “I hope my son can use his hands normally and grow up with confidence, without feeling shy about his appearance.”

Thiago is a three-year-old boy from Bolivia. He lives with his parents, who both work in agriculture, and his two older siblings. Thiago's story of being diagnosed with a heart problem is unique. He accompanied his parents in a protest march against a law that threatened their community, walking for 28 days from the Bolivian Amazon to the city of La Paz. When they finally arrived, the high altitude of the city affected Thiago's breathing, causing the family to seek medical care. Doctors then discovered that Thiago has Tetralogy of Fallot, a heart condition involving a hole between two lower chambers of the heart, as well as a blockage that affects how blood flows out of the heart. As a result, Thiago does not get enough oxygen, leaving him weak and short of breath. On May 26th, he will undergo cardiac surgery at our medical partner's care center, Hospital del Niño Dr. Ovidio Aliaga Uría. During surgery, doctors will close the hole in his heart and remove the blockage so that blood can flow normally. Thiago's family needs help to fund the costs of cardiac care and surgery. Our medical partner, International Cardiac Alliance, requests $1,500 to cover the cost of cardiac exams and diagnostics, surgical costs, follow-up care, and medications. Thiago's father shares, "We are so happy that our son's surgery has been scheduled for this week, and we hope for the best."