Baby Nardos is a cheerful and playful 8-month-old boy from Ethiopia. He enjoys playing with toys and spending time with other children. He lives with his parents and two older sisters. His father works as a carpenter, while his mother is a homemaker who dedicates her time to caring for the family. Baby Nardos was born with a condition called Hirschprung's disease. This is where a portion of the intestine does not have proper nerve function leaving a child with difficulty with bowel function. Doctors explained that he would need surgery but advised the family to wait until he was older and had grown enough to undergo the procedure. When Nardos was five months old, he was referred to our medical partner's care center, BethanyKids at Myungsung Christian Medical Center (BKMCM), for specialized treatment. Although the family initially felt anxious and uncertain, they were relieved to learn that Nardos could receive the care he needed. Surgeons will remove the part of the intestine that is not working properly and reconnect the healthy intestine to restore proper bowel function. Baby Nardos is scheduled to undergo this surgery on October 25th with the help of our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare. The procedure and follow-up care will cost $1,500, and Baby Nardos needs your help. Baby Nardos’s father shares, “I am very happy that my son has this opportunity to receive the medical care he needs. Access to quality healthcare is very important, and I am grateful that my son has received this opportunity at BethanyKids. Thank you so much to BethanyKids and all the staff for welcoming us, supporting us, and giving our family hope. We sincerely appreciate the care and opportunity you have given our son. God bless you all.”

Sarom is a 52-year-old widow from Cambodia, who works as a rice and vegetable farm laborer in Kandal province. Her husband passed away six years ago, and she now lives alone. She has two sons and one daughter with no grandchildren; her oldest son works as a company laborer, while her other two children are still students. In her free time, she enjoys listening to monks chanting through her phone. Five years ago, Sarom developed a pterygium in her right eye, causing her 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 and the cells grow abnormally over the pupil. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, recognizing faces, working, and going anywhere outside. When Sarom learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for two hours seeking treatment. Sarom needs a surgical procedure to remove the abnormal conjunctiva from the cornea surface and replace it with a conjunctival graft to prevent recurrence. The total cost of her procedure is $298. This covers medications, supplies, and inpatient care for two days. The procedure is scheduled for August 4th. Sarom says: "After a successful surgery, I look forward to my vision greatly improving, so I can easily return to work and no longer worry about my eyes."

Rosalinda is a 14-year-old student from Haiti. She lives with her parents and three siblings in a suburb of Port-au-Prince; she is in the eighth grade and likes her math and science classes. Rosalinda has a cardiac condition called severe mitral insufficiency. One of the four valves of her heart was severely damaged by a fever she suffered earlier in childhood, and as a result, it cannot pump blood properly through her body. This leads to heart failure and leaves her weak and short of breath. Rosalinda needs to fly to the Dominican Republic to receive treatment. On October 19th, she will undergo heart surgery, during which surgeons will repair the damaged valve so that it opens and closes more normally. Another organization, Haitian Hearts Foundation, is contributing $10,000 to pay for surgery. Rosalinda'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 Rosalinda's family overseas. Rosalinda says, "I am excited to have this surgery so I can feel better and have more energy."