Mercy is a determined young lady, a sixth born in a family of nine children. Her father is a small scale farmer and her mother a homemaker. She goes to secondary school in Meru County, but is currently behind on her studies due to delays caused by a condition impacting both legs. Mercy was born with a condition known as bilateral genu varum (sometimes referred to as bowlegs), which causes her legs to curve outward at the knees. The condition has greatly affected her mobility. She finds it difficult to walk long distances, she gets tired quickly, and is unable to fully engage in activities with friends. Her self-esteem has been dramatically impacted by constant teasing from her peers, who find her way of walking different. Fortunately, Mercy is scheduled to undergo a surgery called bilateral Proximal Tibial Osteotomy (PTO) at our medical partner's care center AIC CURE International Hospital. The treatment will heal her legs, allow her to walk easily and support her to engage better both in school and with friends. Mercy hopes to become an orthopedic surgeon in order to help other children in the future. “I am looking forward to see my legs being corrected, to live more actively and continue with my education. God bless you for the support,” Mercy told us.

Theare is a 15-year-old student from Cambodia. He has two older brothers and they live with their grandmother and cousins in Battambang province. His parents are divorced and his mother works in a clothing factory in another province to support her children. In school, he is in grade five and enjoys classes about Khmer history. He would like to be a teacher when he is older. At home, he enjoys soccer, but cannot play due to his condition. Two years ago, he was riding with his brother on a motorbike and fell, suffering a severe injury to his left tibia or shin. His leg became red, swollen, and painful. His grandmother took him to a local hospital, where he had several different surgeries. Unfortunately, none of the surgeries repaired his leg and has since been diagnosed with a delayed union fracture or a fracture that will not heal without intervention. The local surgeons told his grandmother they could not do any more surgery to fix his leg as Theare needed a more complicated procedure that would entail internal fixation and bone grafting. His current condition hinders his mobility, forcing him to rely on crutches and endure constant pain, impeding his ability to keep up with school and indulge in his love for soccer. When Theare learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, he traveled for six hours seeking treatment. On March 12th, surgeons at CSC will perform a joint arthrodesis procedure to fuse his left tibia and to correct the non-union. This will help him walk unaided and help relieve the pain. Now, Theare needs help to fund this $600 procedure. Theare said, "I hope to walk with no pain and continue my schooling."

Rosario is a cleaning lady from the Philippines. She has three children who have their own families. Her partner works as a part-time employee in a government agency and their combined income is barely enough for their family's needs. During her days off, she would spend her time singing karaoke with her children. Three years ago, she felt something in her throat. She had difficulty breathing and was easily tired. She was diagnosed with Multiple Colloid Adenomatous Goiter and needs surgery to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. Our medical partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines (WSFP), is helping Rosario receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on February 24th at Our Lady of Peace Hospital. Surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation is supporting a portion of the cost of her treatment and WSFP is raising the remaining $935 to cover the cost of Rosario's procedure and care. Rosario says, "I am extremely grateful for those who will help me get my surgery done. I am speechless. I went here with high hopes and God did not fail me. Thank you very much."