Hannah is a quiet small-scale businesswoman from Kenya. She is the third born in a family of ten. Hannah has one daughter. Her medical condition has impacted her social life, causing her to separate from her spouse and bear the weight of her problems alone, only feeling comfortable sharing her experiences with a close family member. She sells vegetables at a nearby market to sustain her and her daughter’s needs. Hannah loves her job and does all she can to ensure her daughter’s education and comfort are cared for! For six years, Hannah has been experiencing irregular menstrual cycles, severe lower abdominal pain, and other worrisome symptoms. She has had several miscarriages and was treated for anemia. Over the years, Hannah has been to many hospitals and undergone scans showing fibroids increasing over time. When she visited our medical partner’s care enter, she was already losing blood and was advised to undergo surgery. Hannah’s condition was diagnosed as multiple fibroids with anemia. In order to finally heal, she needs to undergo a hysterectomy, a procedure in which surgeons will remove her uterus. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is requesting $755 to fund Hannah’s surgery. On August 16th, she will undergo gynecological surgery at AMH’s care center. Once recovered, Hannah can resume her daily activities free of pain. Hannah shared: “This bleeding is getting out of control, and I feel it may even make me die. I seek help so that through God’s mercy, I will be operated to remove this problem and get back to my normal life. I have to be strong for the sake of my daughter.”

Mar is a 56-year-old woman who lives with her family in a refugee camp located on the Thai-Burma border. They sell vegetables to earn income. During her free time, Mar enjoys reading religious books. Since late August, Mar has had an incisional hernia at the side of her previous caesarean section scar. The scar bulged from her abdomen, and was accompanied by significant pain and vomiting. This hernia causes pain and discomfort in her abdomen which worsens with physical activity. It hinders her ability to work to support her family. Fortunately, she will be able to undergo hernia repair surgery at Mae Sot General Hospital, our medical partner's care center. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund Mar's hernia repair surgery. The procedure is scheduled to take place on September 21 and, once completed, will hopefully allow her to live more comfortably. Mar said, “I just want to return to a normal life, free from worries brought on by this condition. After surgery, I will be able to work more and contribute more money to my family's income. Thank you.”

Mameulove is a 10th-grade student from Haiti. She lives with her parents and three siblings in a neighborhood of Port-au-Prince. In addition to studying, Mameulove helps her parents with their ironwork business. Mameulove has a cardiac condition called pulmonary valve stenosis. When she was six, she underwent surgery for a condition called Tetralogy of Fallot. While the surgery was successful, one of the valves of her heart could not be completely repaired at that time. Now, Mameulove needs to undergo cardiac surgery to repair or replace her pulmonary valve so that it functions normally. She will fly to the United States to receive treatment on July 10th. Another organization, the Baylor Scott and White Heart Hospital, is contributing $20,000 to pay for surgery. Mameulove's family also needs help to fund the costs of her surgery prep, which is $1,500 and covers all labs, medicines, check-ups, and follow-up appointments. Additionally, it covers the cost of the passports they need to travel and the social workers from our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, who will accompany Mameulove's family overseas. Mameulove said, "I am so grateful to everyone who is helping me to have a strong and healthy heart!"