Salome, who is 59 years old, is a mother of three adult children. She lives with one of her sons in the Dandora, an urban slum area in Nairobi, Kenya, where she sells vegetables from a small grocery store that she owns. Salome has some abnormal tissue growth in her cervix. As a result, she began noticing bloodstains in February 2023 and went to a local hospital for a checkup. She was referred to a national hospital where tests were done. The pathology results indicated full-thickness dysplasia with invasive foci. This means that she has abnormal cells in her cervix that will need to be removed. When she came to AIC Kijabe Hospital, it was determined that Salome should undergo a LEEP procedure, which will remove the abnormal tissue, allowing for a biopsy to be performed. If cancerous cells are found, further surgical treatment may be necessary. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $164 to fund the LEEP procedure, which is scheduled to take place on April 18th, at AIC Kijabe Hospital. This procedure will allow the physicians to decide the best course of treatment for Salome. Salome says, “I feel confused. This cancer scares me a lot. I think am even ready to have the womb removed as long as the cancer is contained.”

Meet 36-year-old Diana, a quiet, humble, and loving mother to two children, who lives with her family in Uganda. While Diana had once dreamed of becoming a teacher, with the death of her parents, there was no money for the necessary school fees. She became the provider for herself and her two younger brothers, starting up a small business selling vegetables, in order to earn a sufficient income for the three of them. Today, Diana and her husband work as small-scale farmers, growing food crops for home consumption, while selling any surplus they have to generate money for their family. For the past two years, Diana has experienced severe lower abdominal pain, accompanied by backaches and dizziness. Additionally, she has experienced bleeding. Surgery was recommended, but Diana couldn't afford to pay for the treatment that she needed. However, the pain she has been living with has increased, and at a recent visit to the doctor, a scan was done, which showed a right pelvic mass. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is seeking $242 to cover the costs of a curative laparotomy, which is scheduled to take place on February 2nd, at Karoli Lwanga Hospital, Nyakibale. Diana is hopeful that with your help, her unpleasant and debilitating symptoms will be gone. Diana says: “If given a chance to be supported, I hope I will go through the surgery and I expect to get well afterward.”

Chanthoeun is a 57-year-old rice farmer. She is a widow and lives in Kampong Cham province with her youngest daughter. She has a total of four daughters and nine precious grandchildren. She spends her days outside on the farm and caring for her grandchildren while her daughter sells soft drinks. She likes to watch Khmer dramas on TV in the evening. Twelve years ago, Chanthoeun developed a pterygium in her right eye, causing her Irritation and redness. Lately, it has been much worse and she has difficulty seeing. 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 and the cells grow abnormally over the pupil. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, recognizing faces, working, and going anywhere outside. When Chanthoeun learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for three and a half hours seeking treatment. Chanthoeun needs a surgical procedure to remove the abnormal conjunctiva from the cornea surface and replace it with a conjunctival graft to prevent a recurrence. The total cost of her procedure is $225. This covers medications, supplies, and inpatient care for two days. The procedure is scheduled for February 7th. Chanthoeun said, "I hope after surgery my eye irritation will go away, and no redness. I want to help my daughter to take care of my grandchildren, go outside to help with the rice, and do housework well"