De Wai is a 55-year-old man from Burma. He lives with his wife, daughter, son-in-law, and daughter-in-law. All of the family members are agricultural day laborers, since their lands were destroyed by a military air strike in February 2026. However, De Wai stopped working in November 2025 due to his heart condition. They do not receive an income from their labor, but the owner of the farm provides them with rice. For their daily expenses, they have borrowed money from the village head—a debt they will have to repay with interest. In his free time, De Wai does household chores. De Wai has been diagnosed with a heart condition that requires valve replacement. Heart valves control the flow of blood between chambers, but certain conditions may narrow the heart valve or cause the blood to flow backwards. Normal valve function is necessary to prevent long-term damage to the heart and lungs. Currently, De Wai feels a little better since he has received medication from a doctor. However, he still experiences fatigue when he is active and walking, a loss of appetite, and sometimes he cannot sleep at night due to palpitations and chest pain. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to support a heart valve replacement for De Wai. The treatment is scheduled to take place on June 29th at our medical partner's care center, Kasemrad Prachachuen Hospital. Once completed, De Wail should be able to live more comfortably and begin again to contribute to his family's future. De Wai said, “I cannot work since November as I get tired easily, and I feel depressed and unhappy for my family as they have to face financial difficulties, and I have to suffer from these diseases. While I am undergoing treatment, I feel worried about my family who are in the village. I hope to recover soon, and I want to go back and help my family.”

Akshay is 18 years old and lives in Palamu, Jharkhand, India. He lives with his parents and elder sister. His father is a farmer. He studied until the 8th grade. When Akshay was six months old, he fell into a traditional cooking stove and burned his right hand. The burn caused a contracture, where the skin healed tightly, and over time, his hand became restricted in movement. He has lived with this since he was a baby. The contracture on his right hand makes daily tasks difficult. At 18, with a father who farms and a family that depends on physical work, this has been a real limitation in his day-to-day life. When Akshay learned about our medical partner, G.S. Memorial Plastic Surgery Hospital and Trauma Center, he and his mother traveled 6.5 hours to receive treatment to release the post-burn contracture of his right hand. On July 1st, specialty surgeons will perform a burn contracture release surgery so he can regain function and mobility in his hand. Now, he needs help to fund this $1,442 procedure. Akshay shared, "I want my hand to work properly so that I can help my family."

Aitana is a young girl from Bolivia. She lives with her mom and her dad, who have a small convenience store. Aitana has a twin sister and an older brother; they live in the northern part of Bolivia. Where they live, there are no cardiologists. So, when her mom noticed that her heart was beating too fast, she took her to a different area where she found out she had a heart condition and needed surgery. Aitana has a cardiac condition called an atrial septal defect. A hole exists between the two upper chambers of her heart: blood leaks through this hole, leaving her weak and short of breath. On April 15th, Aitana will undergo cardiac surgery at our medical partner's care center, Hospital del Niño Dr. Ovidio Aliaga Uría. During surgery, surgeons will sew a patch over the hole so that blood can no longer leak through it. Aitana's family needs help to fund the costs of cardiac care and surgery. Our medical partner, International Cardiac Alliance, requests $1,500 to cover the cost of cardiac exams and diagnostics, surgical costs, follow-up care, and medications. Aitana's mother shared, "We were looking forward to this day, I trust everything will go well, I pray for that."