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."

Por is a 68-year-old grandmother from Cambodia. She is married and lives with her husband and her fourth child, who works in a factory. She has seven children, all of whom are married and live in nearby provinces. In her free time, she enjoys planting vegetables around her home. One year ago, Por had an ear infection. This infection caused the tympanic membrane, or the eardrum, in her left ear to perforate. For this reason, Por experiences pain, hearing loss, and ringing sounds (tinnitus) in both ears. Her hearing difficulties make communication with her family more challenging and can make it harder for her to fully participate in conversations and daily activities. The ongoing ear problems have also affected her comfort and quality of life. Por traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On September 2nd, she will undergo a myringoplasty procedure in her left ear. During this procedure, surgeons will close the perforation. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $363 to fund this procedure. This covers medications, supplies, and inpatient care. Por said, “I hope the surgery will help repair my left ear and control the infection so I can hear more clearly and communicate more easily with my family. I want to continue farming and doing my daily activities without being limited by my hearing problems.”

Obsa is 11 years old and a fifth-grader from Ethiopia. His father is a merchant, while his mother is a homemaker who looks after Obsa and his siblings. When he was just two years old, Obsa started to experience difficult breathing, snoring, sleep disturbance, and loss of appetite. Over the years, the symptoms have gotten worse, affecting his growth, development, and concentration in school. Obsa was diagnosed with enlarged tonsils, which, if not treated, will cause his symptoms to persist and possibly intensify over time. Our medical partner, Saglan Wajee General Hospital, is requesting $700 to fund a tonsillectomy for Obsa, which is scheduled to take place on October 3rd. Surgeons will remove his tonsils, hopefully relieving Obsa of his symptoms and helping him live more comfortably. Obsa's parents shared, "We hope that the successful surgical removal of his chronically enlarged tonsils will bring a permanent end to the breathing, eating, and sleeping difficulties that have plagued him for over nine years."