Wine is a two-year-old boy living with his family in Burma. Wine was born with hydrocephalus and nasal encephalocele. Nasal encephalocele is a rare birth defect that occurs when the skull does not close completely during fetal development. However, his treatment was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As he grew, the lump on the bridge of his nose and his head both increased in size. Wine also experiences occasional seizures, watery eyes, and cannot fully open his eyes due to the lump on his nose. Doctors want Wine to undergo a CT scan, a procedure in which X-ray images taken from several angles are combined to produce cross-sectional images of the body. This scan should help doctors in fully diagnosing Wine's condition and enable them to formulate an appropriate treatment plan. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $414 to cover the cost of Wine's CT scan, which is scheduled to take place on April 26th at Mae Sot General Hospital. Wine's mother said: "I want my kid to get treated and become healthy. I used to cry a lot whenever I see my baby crying but now I feel relieved. Thank you [BCMF] for helping us."

Queen is a sweet 11-month-old from Tanzania. She is the youngest child in her family of eight children. Queen is very curious and charming; when she was at our medical partner’s care center, she could not stop playing with the other children. Her family is from a remote part of Western Tanzania, and her parents farm maize and beans. Queen’s mother shared that the recent weather changes made it hard for them to cultivate maize, and they are now dependent on their cultivation of beans. The low harvest also means there are not enough surplus crops to sell and earn money to support the family’s basic needs. Queen has clubfoot of both feet. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape, which causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Queen’s family was able to travel to our medical partner’s care center for assistance. On February 7th, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery that will allow Queen to walk easily and wear shoes as she grows up. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is requesting $935 to fund this procedure. Queen’s mother says: “I am worried that my daughter will be so limited when she grows up. I hope she gets the treatment for her condition.”

Winjoy is a happy three year old girl, who lives with her grandmother. Because Winjoy's mother is a student, Winjoy's grandmother supports the family by selling vegetables that she grows. Winjoy arrived at the hospital with her left arm swollen around her elbow. Doctors determined that she had sustained a fracture, and a splint was applied to immobilize the joint. Winjoy's grandmother was advised that Winjoy needed to be admitted to the hospital for further evaluation and surgery, but her grandmother explained that she didn't have the necessary money for Winjoy's hospitalization. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, has stepped in to enable Winjoy to access the care that she needs. On January 23rd, Winjoy will undergo surgery at AIC Kapsowar Hospital, to repair her fractured arm. Now Winjoy and her grandmother are appealing to you to help raise the $679 needed for the surgery, which will ensure that Winjoy's fracture heals properly. Winjoys’ grandmother says: “This issue is very complex to me. I am the only provider to my children and grandchildren, and it has been so hard to even pay their school fees. I have been struggling for real and when I see my granddaughter's condition, my heart is broken more. I am not able to offer anything at the moment. Kindly help me so that she can grow normally.”