Gyan is a 14 year-old student joining high school this year from Kenya. He says that he is anxious but looking forward to upgrading to secondary school. He is the firstborn in a family of three children. His siblings are 5 and 12 years old. His father is the sole breadwinner who does hawking for a living. Income from this venture is inconsistent and therefore negligible to pay for the proposed surgery that Gyan needs. Gyan was diagnosed with cryptorchidism, a condition in which one or both of the testicles remains undescended. If left untreated, Gyan has an increased risk of developing hernias, testicular cancer, and fertility problems in the future. Gyan will be receiving assistance from our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH). Fortunately, he is scheduled to undergo corrective surgery on January 5th. AMH is requesting $646 to cover the total cost of his procedure and care. Gyan's father says: “The boy is all grown now. I hope the condition is treated to avoid complications in the future.”

Srey Touch is a 44-year-old rice farmer from Cambodia. She has two daughters, three sons, and an infant grandchild. She enjoys spending time with her family at home and cooking for everyone. In her free time, Srey Touch reads the news on Facebook and watches Cambodian dramas on TV. About ten years ago, Srey Touch developed a pterygium in her right eye, causing her to experience itchiness, tearing, and blurry vision. Pterygiums are non-cancerous growths of the conjunctiva, a mucous layer that lubricates the eye. The growths occur when the conjunctiva is exposed to excessive sun damage, wind, or dust, leading the cells to grow abnormally over the pupil. As a result of this condition, Srey Touch has difficulty seeing things clearly, recognizing faces, working, and going outside. When Srey Touch learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), she traveled for an hour seeking treatment. On February 8th, Srey Touch will undergo a surgical procedure to remove the abnormal conjunctiva from the cornea surface and replace it with a conjunctival graft to prevent recurrence. CSC is requesting $225 to fund this procedure, which covers medications, supplies, and inpatient care for two days. Srey Touch said: "I hope, after surgery, my eye will stop feeling irritated and I can go back to my job and my family without being uncomfortable."

Allen is a 25-year-old mother from Uganda. Allen enjoys cooking, cleaning, and taking care of her family. She farms for a living but due to limited land, most of her crop is used to feed the family. If there is a surplus, she can sell them to generate income for the family. Allen came to our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), complaining of a swelling on her left thigh. For two years, Allen has found it uncomfortable to walk and the swollen area is painful upon touch. She experiences paralysis whenever she sits or stands for long. At AMH, Allen was examined and diagnosed with a neurofibroma, a type of peripheral nerve tumor. It was recommended that the neurofibroma be excised. On March 12th, surgeons will remove the mass and Allen needs help to raise $137 to fund this procedure. Allen says, “I’ve been in pain for the past two years but am hopeful that with your support, I will be operated on and will get better.”