Apofia is a 63-year-old farmer from Uganda. She has six children - three sons and three daughters. She and her husband have a small banana and coffee farm. The couple lives together and enjoys a peaceful and harmonious life, supporting each other in their daily activities. About a year ago, Apofia began to experience troubling symptoms, including a swelling at the front of her neck. The condition has progressively worsened and causes persistent headaches and difficulty sleeping due to episodes of shortness of breath. Apofia was diagnosed with a right thyroid goiter, which is an abnormal enlargement of the thyroid gland. The thyroid is the gland located in front of your neck and produces thyroid hormones. These hormones are responsible for functions such as metabolism, growth, and other bodily functions. She needs surgery to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Apofia receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on November 2nd at our medical partner's care center, Karoli Lwanga Hospital. Surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. This procedure will cost $252, and she and her family need help raising money. Apofia says, “There are nights I go without sleeping at all because of the discomfort it brings me. I need surgery for a complete recovery; however, with my income, I can’t raise the money needed and kindly appeal for your support.”

Mohamed is a five-year-old boy from Mali. He lives with his parents and two older siblings. Mohamed's problems started when he began to experience swelling and discomfort in the roof of his mouth. Over time, the swelling worsened, prompting his family to visit our medical partner's care center, Hôpital du Mali. Doctors discovered a mass on the roof of Mohamed's mouth, which was investigated and found to be a nasopalatine duct cyst. These cysts are non-cancerous, but carry several risks if not removed. If the cyst is allowed to continue to grow, it could displace Mohamed's teeth and put pressure on his nasal passage, causing difficulty eating and breathing normally. Nasopalatine duct cysts can also become infected, causing further pain. Fortunately, Mohamed is scheduled to undergo cyst removal surgery on September 8th. Our medical partner, Muso, is requesting $1,120 to cover the total cost of Mohamed's procedure and care. Mohamed's parents shared, "Once the cyst is removed, we hope that Mohamed will be able to resume his daily activities free of the uncomfortable symptoms. We hope the swelling will be gone."

Much is required of Sittie's mother, who works, raises her children, and carefully tries to manage her daughter's complicated health condition. Born with Hirschsprung's Disease, Sittie's condition prevents normal muscle contractions in the large intestine, causing her to experience complete or partial intestinal blockages. Uncomfortable and difficult to manage, the condition also carries the risk of life-threatening Hirschsprung-Associated Enterocolitis (HAEC), malnutrition, and other complications. The condition is especially dangerous, given the family's lack of reliable income and accessible healthcare. But with the help of our medical partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines (WSFP), Sittie is scheduled to undergo surgery on October 22nd at Our Lady of Peace Hospital. Government insurance will cover a portion of the treatment cost, and WSFP is requesting an additional $1,123 to help fund Sittie's care and recovery. After treatment, Sittie will no longer experience the challenges of Hirschsprung's Disease, allowing her and her family to spend more time together and less time managing a chronic health condition. You can help with 100% of your contribution going to Sittie's treatment. Choose a donation amount, or fully fund her treatment.