Liza is a happy eight-year-old girl, living in Kandal province, Cambodia. She has two older siblings - an older sister who works in a factory, and an older brother who is in grade seven. Her father recycles cans and plastic bottles, while her mother stays home to care for her. Liza was born with Down syndrome and she does not attend school, but spends her day enjoying cartoons on TV and helping her mother around the house. For the past five years, Liza has been experiencing frequent throat infections, and difficulty swallowing. She has a harder time breathing at night and does not sleep well, so she is often tired during the day. Her mother says she often cries because her throat hurts so much. Liza was recently diagnosed with enlarged tonsils and adenoids, which, if not treated, will cause her symptoms to persist and to intensify over time. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $265 to fund a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy for Liza, which is scheduled to take place on January 23rd at Kien Khleang National Rehabilitation Centre. During this procedure, surgeons will remove her tonsils and adenoids, hopefully relieving Liza of her symptoms, and helping her to live a healthier and more comfortable life. Liza's mother shared: "We hope after surgery Liza will stop having sore throats, and it will be easy for her to swallow."

34-year-old Beatrice lives with her husband and four children in Malawi. Beatrice uses the income from the saloon that she owns to take care of the needs of her children. Her husband, who is a businessman, uses his income to take care of their home, a three-bedroom house that has neither running water nor electricity. In 2020, some of Beatrice's friends noticed a swelling in her neck. Beatrice- who was pregnant at the time- went to the hospital to be evaluated. She was told that the swelling might be related to her pregnancy and that she should come back after giving birth if the swelling hadn't subsided. The swelling continued to grow; ultimately, Beatrice was diagnosed with a goiter- a swelling of the thyroid gland- and told that she would need to have her thyroid surgically removed. Beatrice's surgery continued to be postponed, but her symptoms of breathlessness and coughing- which often kept her from going to work- continued to worsen. Finally, her sister suggested that she visit Partners in Hope Medical Center, where doctors scheduled her for surgery on January 31st. As Beatrice is unable to cover the costs of her treatment, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is seeking $1,015 to fund Beatrice's thyroidectomy. Beatrice believes the removal of her thyroid will help her to return to her home in Blantyre, and to rejoin her family in good health. She believes her children are the reason why she lives, and she knows that she has to be healthy in order to continue supporting them. Beatrice said: “I am looking forward to getting back to normal.”

Saros is a 17-year-old 8th grade student from Cambodia. Her family includes two brothers, three sisters, and her parents, who fish to support their family. Saros enjoys swimming, playing with her friends, and watching TV. Her best subject in school is Khmer literature, and she wants to be a lawyer when she is older. In 2019, Saros was burned by fire on her left foot. She went to Vietnam for treatment. Since then, burn scar contractures have developed, tightening the skin around her toes and ankle and making it difficult for her to walk. When Saros learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for two hours seeking treatment. On September 1st, surgeons at CSC will perform a burn contracture release surgery to help her walk easily again. Now, she needs help to fund this $495 procedure. Saros says, "I hope my foot can move and be comfortable again."

Hnin is a determined 5-year-old girl from Burma. In her free time, she likes to draw pictures. Hnin lives with her grandmother and brother in Mon State. She goes to kindergarten, her brother goes to primary school, and her grandmother is a washerwoman. Hnin's parents, who work as day laborers in Thailand, also send them money every month to help support basic needs. Hnin was born with club foot of her left leg. With the help of Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF), she underwent casting at Mawlawmyine Christian Leprosy Hospital (MCLH) to straighten her foot. Hnin's family was told to bring her back when she was five years old as she would need another surgery to fully correct her clubfoot. Currently, Hnin still has a cast on her left leg. When she walks, she walks on the side of her left foot. Because of this, she cannot play on the playground or keep up with her friends. Without treatment, Hnin's condition will continue to cause her discomfort and will further limit her movement. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to cover the cost of surgery for Hnin, which is scheduled to take place on November 18th. This procedure will elongate her Achilles tendon, allowing increased motion at the ankle joint. Hnin said, “My left leg is so heavy with the cast, but I am not scared to have the operation on my leg. I want to have surgery."

Vanis is a 60 year old small-scale farmer. She and her husband - who passed away in 2021 - had eleven children, of whom nine are still alive. Vanis had to leave school because of a lack of the fees necessary to remain in school, and of her children, only her youngest has been able to be educated. Over 20 years ago, Vanis began to experience troubling symptoms, including a small neck swelling that later started progressing in size. She initially thought it was a temporary condition, and resorted to using herbs, which did not help to relieve her symptoms. After delivering her first five children, she underwent a thyroidectomy, and she felt better. However, her symptoms recurred after she gave birth to six more children, and this time, the swelling was larger than it had ever been. She finds that she is unable to carry loads on her head, and she will occasionally experience difficulty breathing. Vanis has been diagnosed with a non-toxic, multinodular goiter, and she needs surgery to resolve her condition. Her family cannot afford to pay for her treatment, but our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, has stepped up to help Vanis access the care that she needs. They are requesting $333 to fund Vanis' procedure, which is scheduled to take place on December 3rd, at Rushoroza Hospital, and which will ensure that Vanis' symptoms do not get worse over time. Vanis says: “I pray that I may be considered for treatment so that I may live a normal life once again. I will continue with farming as soon as possible.”

Abias is a single mother from Uganda. She has three children, all of whom are currently in school. She shares that she hopes her daughters will become teachers or nurses in the future. Abias and her children live with her elderly parents and her late brother's two children, meaning she is the sole income within her family. However, her current health condition is limiting her ability to do her job: small-scale farming. Abias wishes to open a shop to earn a living, pay her children's school fees, and provide for her family wholly. For the past three years, Abias has experienced pain and swelling in her abdominal area. She also experiences backaches, a lack of appetite, and general body weakness. After visiting our medical partner's care center, Nyakibale Karoli Lwanga Hospital, she was diagnosed with a large pelvic mass that requires excision. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is helping Abias receive treatment. On August 11th, surgeons will perform a curative laparotomy to alleviate her symptoms and allow her to live more comfortably and confidently. Now, Abias needs help to fund this $242 procedure. Abias says, “I hope after my operation I will get better. I wish to continue with farming to provide for my family and work hard to make sure my children achieve their dreams.”

George is a brave boy from a village in southern Kenya. He is the third born in a family of four children. He is in pre-kindergarten and likes to play a lot. His mother does house work when available while his father does any jobs he can find. The family faces a lot of financial challenges which made it hard for them to bring George to the hospital for help. On June 30th, George accidentally fell and fractured both the radius and ulna bones in his right hand. The surgeon found that he needs a fracture repair surgery, but George's family cannot raise the money for it. George is in pain and cannot use his hand. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner can help. On July 7th, George will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation. This procedure will help reduce his pain and be able to use the hand once he recovers. Now, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1049 to fund this procedure. “I am desperate and have no way to help my son. I ask for help so that he can be treated, be able to use his hand, and continue with his education. I will appreciate this help,” said George’s mother.

Francis is a helpful and supportive son who lives with his single mother and eight siblings. His family lives together in a rental house. Together, he and his mother work tending farms to support their family. Francis has been a great source of support for his family, especially in helping his mother raise his siblings. However, Francis experiences frequent convulsions, or uncontrollable muscle contractions, preceded by dizziness, nausea, and headaches, which have affected his lifestyle and his family. Francis first experienced a convulsion at the end of 2020 after being hit in the head by a ball and losing consciousness while playing football with his colleagues. This marked the beginning of his health troubles. Although he has been seeking treatment at a local health center, he decided to seek out specialized care at our medical partner's care center, AIC Kijabe Hospital, once the intervals of his convulsions began to increase. After receiving a CT scan, it was revealed that Francis has a brain tumor, which is the cause of his convulsions. Fortunately, he is scheduled for a craniotomy for tumor resection. This procedure will help remove the tumor and stop its spread. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,500 to fund Francis's tumor removal surgery. The procedure is scheduled to take place on August 22nd. Once completed, he will hopefully be able to live more comfortably and confidently. Francis says, “My work is to tend farms so that I can help my mother and siblings. I sometimes experience many convulsions that are affecting my livelihood. I hope for treatment to end these discomforts.”

Klyn is a 12-year-old boy who lives in a small town in central Haiti with his parents, grandparents, and several other relatives. He likes school, especially science and math. Klyn was born with a condition called atrial septal defect. The defect means there is a hole between the two upper chambers of Klyn's heart. Blood leaks through this hole, which leaves him often weak and short of breath. Our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, has arranged for Klyn and his mother to travel to the Dominican Republic for surgery since this treatment is not available within Haiti. On May 24th, doctors will first attempt to use a catheter to close the opening between Klyn's upper cardiac chambers. If that's not possible, they will need to perform open-heart surgery and use a patch to close the hole in Klyn's heart. Another organization, Gift of Life International, is contributing $5,000 for Klyn's care. His family is raising $1,500 to help cover remaining costs of the procedure and related care, including travel expenses for Klyn. Klyn's mother says, "We are very thankful to everyone who is making this surgery possible for our son!"

Meet Precious: a nine-year-old talkative girl who comes from a small village in Nandi County in Western Kenya. She's a bright third grade student who likes singing at home and at church. She is a second born in a family of two. Precious lives with her brother in their grandmothers’ house since their parents separated due to family conflicts. Precious' father is a casual laborer who works really hard to make ends meet. He is always determined to give what is best to his children and he now requests help so that his daughter can be well and be able to continue with her education without difficulty. Precious visited our medical partner's facility due to recurrent tonsillitis for more than a year. Medication has not improved her recurring infection and the medical team has recommended she undergo surgery to fully heal. With this treatment, Precious will finally have relief from her symptoms. Her family hopes she will be well and be able to concentrate in school and perform well once she is healthy. Precious' father shared, "I would like to see her well. I am motivated to work hard for my children to ensure they get a good education and prosper in life.”

Innocent is farmer and a single mother with three children. Her elder son is in senior six of high school, her second is in senior four, and her youngest is in senior one. She holds a diploma in journalism, but hasn't been able to get a job within her profession, despite trying so hard to apply for one. She was married and her family lived in the capital area of Kampala. Her husband was a driver but was involved in a serious car accident where he lost his legs. They were renting a home and a time came when they couldn’t afford the high cost of living in Kampala. This led her to the decision to come back to stay with her parents in the village. Her father took up the role of helping to pay for her children's school fees. She shared that ultimately the distance between her and her husband caused them to separate, but he is a supportive father. Innocent's father has since passed away, but she has been able to keep her children in school through farming and acquiring loans from local community development groups. About 24 years ago, Innocent began to experience troubling symptoms, including a large neck swelling which leads difficulty in breathing and inability to turn around well. She was diagnosed with Nodular Goiter and needs surgery to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Innocent receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on March 1st at our medical partner's care center. Surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. This procedure will cost $252, and she and her family need help raising money. Innocent says, "I hope to get relief once operated on because I really need to be strong to meet the needs of my children."