Hiram, an eleven year old boy, lives in Mombasa county in Kenya. He is the lastborn in a family of three and has two sisters. He is raised by a single mother who sells fish for their daily living. Hiram is in grade five and was born with club feet, which he lived with until this year. He had never been to any hospital for help until they heard about CURE hospital's mobile clinic in Mombasa. Fortunately, Hiram was able to undergo treatment for his right foot last September and the surgery was successful. Hiram is so happy to have undergone the first surgery on his right foot and is optimistic that even his left foot will be corrected well now too. Hiram is scheduled to undergo surgery for his left foot at our medical partner's care center, AIC Cure International Hospital on July 20th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,286 to fund Hiram's clubfoot repair. The treatment will be of great impact to him because he will finally be able to put on both shoes, walk confidently, play football (which he is very excited for) and continue with his studies uninterrupted. “I am grateful to the donors for providing support to pay for my right foot which has healed well. I am looking forward to walking, playing with my friends, and continuing with school,” Hiram told us.

Meet Tessy, a beautiful 4-year-old girl, living in Kenya. In March 2022, Tessy and several of her family members were involved in an accident. Her grandparents and an uncle did not survive this event, and Tessy's parents and her sister - and Tessy herself - were all hospitalized with traumatic injuries. Her parents and her sister have all since recovered. Tessy sustained injuries to her head, chest, hand and legs, and she remained in the Intensive Care Unit of the hospital for several months. While Tessy has a visible deformity of her left arm and her right thigh, her doctors shared that her overall progress since the accident is impressive. Some of her fractures are healing well, but the fracture of her right femur requires surgical intervention. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is here to help Tessy access the care that she needs. On June 10th, Tessy will undergo an open reduction and internal fixation at AIC Kijabe Hospital. African Mission Healthcare Foundation is seeking $1,500 to fund this procedure, without which Tessy would find it difficult to walk, and would live in chronic pain. Tessy’s father says: “Her condition has greatly improved. She was in the ICU for almost two months and responded well to treatment. She needs the surgery to help with the healing and to be able to walk again.”

Agrey is a five-month-old baby boy, and the first child born to his parents. Agrey was born with spina bifida and bilateral clubfoot. Agrey's father, who is a truck driver at a local sand quarry, was able to find enough money to take Agrey to a referral hospital for assessment of his spina bifida. But their family could not afford to pay for the surgery necessary to correct this condition, which put Agrey at risk of losing the ability to use his lower limbs, and endangering his life in the event of a serious infection. They were referred to the Plaster House for help, and through Watsi funding, Agrey had his spina bifida corrected. Agrey's bilateral clubfoot also means that both of his feet are twisted out of shape, which would make it difficult for Agrey to walk when he gets older. Fortunately, Agrey's family brought him to Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre, our care partner's health center. There, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on May 13th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $935 to fund this procedure and his care. After treatment, Agrey's feet will be straightened and he will be able to wear shoes and to walk easily as he grows up. Agrey’s mother says: “My son has had his first surgery of his back and it was successful. He now needs to start treatment for his feet. Thank you for your help.”

Meet Mercy, a 7-year-old jovial and calm girl. Our medical partner met Mercy at Cure Hospital's satellite clinic in Matuu, Kenya when she arrived with her mother. Mercy is a second grade student who is very bright and likes to study. Her mother is a homemaker while her father works on a tea farm whenever he can get small jobs there. Mercy has clubfoot of both of her feet. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. This causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Fortunately, Mercy's family was referred to our medical partner's care center, AIC Cure International Hospital. There, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on April 11th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,286 to fund Mercy's clubfoot repair. After treatment, she will be able to walk, play and run like other kids she knows. “As a mother, I will be so happy seeing my child walking like other children,” Mercy’s mother told us.

Rosemary is a loving grandmother and a single mother of five children, who have all grown now. Because of Rosemary's medical condition, she has not been able to work and therefore has no current source of income. She is currently staying with her sister who is taking care of her. Four months ago, Rosemary was hit by a car and has been confined to a wheelchair ever since. An X-ray revealed that her femur/thigh bone that connects to the hip socket is broken affecting her mobility. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner can help. On March 14th, Rosemary will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation, to help heal her condition and hopefully be able to walk again. Now, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,500 to fund this procedure and care. Rosemary shared, "I used to be well, and I could use my legs well. But after the accident, I am just confined to this wheelchair and cannot do anything without help. I hope this treatment will help me get back to my feet.”

Meet Jonah, a 31-year-old quiet man. Jonah is the 2nd eldest in a family of three. His siblings and him were raised by a single mother who makes a modest living as a farmer. Earlier, Jonah left secondary school studies to find work to help support his family. Jonah has a history of a growing cheek mass that has recently increased in size. Jonah's condition is uncomfortable and often causes people to stare, which Jonah finds upsetting and is impacting his self esteem. Jonah received a scan of his cheek at AIC Kapsowar Hospital and was subsequently diagnosed with a submandibular tumor. Doctors recommended that the mass be removed and the procedure is scheduled for February 14th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare is helping Jonah raise the $1,196 he needs to undergo this life altering surgery. Jonah shared, “I have waited for this moment in my life for so long. My mother has tried to take me to so many hospitals but we lacked means because they requested too much from us.”

Margaret is a 41-year-old who works jobs she can find in her neighborhood. She hails from Baringo County in Kenya and is married with 8 children aged between 26 and three years old. Together with her husband, they work on their farm and other people's farms to earn a living. They also get their school fees for their kids from this work. Their family lives in a grass-thatched house. Fifteen years ago, Margaret began to experience troubling symptoms, including a neck swelling that has continuously grown over the years. Before she was seen by our medical partner's doctors, Margaret had tried to seek medication from different hospitals but she could not receive treatment because of financial strain. She opted for herbal treatments, which did not improve her condition either. Her thyroid condition has affected her general well-being and she cannot carry out her day-to-day duties normally since she gets tired easily. This has affected her daily income and support for her family. Margaret attended one of the free medical camps held at Kapsowar Hospital and after examination by the doctors, an ultrasound was done. She was diagnosed with a non-toxic multinodular goiter. The doctor recommended surgery, but Margaret is unable to raise the required funds. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is helping Margaret receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on January 13th at our medical partner's care center. Surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. This procedure will cost $936, and she and her family need help raising money. Margaret says: "I really look forward to getting well and going back to normal so that I can work like before and support my husband in providing for our family.”

Mark Gabriel is a two-year-old boy from the Philippines. He loves singing the alphabet and Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. He is the oldest son of his parents. His father works as a call center agent, while his mother is a stay-at-home mom. Mark Gabriel was born with a birth condition that leads to a complete or partial intestinal blockage. He needed to undergo a series of procedures to eliminate bowel dysfunction. Fortunately, our medical partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines, is helping Mark Gabriel receive treatment. On December 8th, he will undergo colostomy closure surgery to correct his condition. After his recovery, Mark Gabriel will no longer experience bowel dysfunction or be at risk of developing health complications in the future. Now, World Surgical Foundation Philippines is requesting $1,279 to cover the total cost of Mark Gabriel's procedure and care. Mark Gabriel's mother shared, "after his surgery, we hope that he will live a life without carrying a colostomy bag."

Joy is the first born child in her family. She is two weeks old. Their young family is feeling privileged and happy to welcome their firstborn baby, however, they are saddened by the fact that their baby needs medical care for her foot. Her condition has caused Joy’s parents a lot of worry about their daughter’s future. Joy’s mother is a housewife who completed secondary school and never was able to proceed to college due to a lack of funds. Joy's father just completed college and hasn’t been employed yet. The family doesn’t have a house of their own and still lives with their parents. When Joy was six days old, she was brought to the hospital by her mother with concerns of umbilical code sepsis. She was admitted to receive IV antibiotics and general medical management. While receiving medication in the ward, she developed wounds on her leg due to several attempts of cannulation. Over time her condition worsened and her wounds became septic. After several efforts to clean her wounds, it was noticed that her foot was not healing. After a long consultation with the medical team, the possibility of amputation was suggested to avoid further affecting her entire leg. Joy is in need and her family's inability to pay for the surgery has made them live with constant anxiety and worry about her future. Their family is appealing for financial assistance. Joy’s mother says, “I feel sorry about my child. It is painful for her to undergo this while she is just a few days old. Despite this, I will work hard to make her happy as she grows up."

Soriya is a 49-year-old seller of children's cookies. She lives with her husband who is a policeman. Together they have two children: one son and one daughter. Her son is married, while her daughter still lives at home. She likes to cook, exercise, and watch Khmer movies on TV in her free time. Two years ago, Soriya had a severe ear infection. The infection caused a cholesteatoma, or an abnormal skin growth, to develop in the middle ear behind the ear drum. For this reason, Soriya experiences severe ear aches, ear discharge, and pain. She visited a private hospital and received ear drops, but her symptoms did not improve and it is difficult for her to hear and communicate. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), is helping Soriya to receive treatment. She traveled to visit CSC's care center where, on September 14th, she will undergo a mastoidectomy procedure in her left ear. During this procedure, ENT surgeons will remove the cholesteatoma. Now, CSC is requesting $925 to fund her procedure. This covers medications, supplies, and inpatient care. Soriya shared that she hopes that the ear infection will finally stop and her hearing will improve.

Musa is a beautiful, 5-month-old baby boy with a twin sister named Neema. His parents are small-scale farmers whose maize and vegetable crops, alongside their few goats, provide food and milk for their families. Musa is experiencing clubfoot in both of his feet, a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. As a result, he has difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Musa's mother traveled to our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), for her son's treatment. On August 10th, surgeons will perform a clubfoot repair surgery that will allow Musa to walk easily. AMH is requesting $935 to fund this procedure. Musa’s mother says, "I was in shock when I realized my baby had a disability. We are a bit calmer to know his feet can be corrected but the cost is too high for us to afford. We don’t want him to grow up being disabled, please help our son."

David is a small scale farmer from Nazareth, Kenya. He is married, with six children. David does not work as much as he used to but does farming on his small piece of land. However he hasn't been able to do this since his fall. David was referred to our medical partner's care center, Nazareth Hospital, by his neighbor, who is one of the support staff there. The staff reported that David had fallen and broken his leg, to which the doctor advised an ORIF repair surgery to heal his leg. David says that bad luck is following him. In 2018, he had also fallen and sustained a closed fracture on his femur. On May 21st of this year, he fell again and sustained a closed fracture tibia on the same leg. David is experiencing pain and is unable to use his right leg. If not treated, he may develop malunion or healing with deformity. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), can help. On June 17th, David will undergo a fracture repair procedure (ORIF), so that David can be relieved of the pain, walk with ease, and farm. Now, AMH is requesting $1,049 to fund this procedure. “If my neighbor did not help me come to Nazareth and access this help, I don’t know what would have happened to my leg. My family still depends on me so I humbly request for help, to see myself walking again. I will appreciate,” said David.