Zaw, who is 29 years old, lives with his wife and extended family members in Karen State, Burma. He and his wife are currently unemployed, although Zaw hopes to work as a second-hand motorbike seller. Zaw has had an irregular heartbeat since he was 10 years old. Although he visited a local clinic as a child, he was never provided a definitive diagnosis. By January 2022, he began to experience fatigue. His back and neck were stiff, and he lost his appetite. He also had difficulty sleeping, experienced a persistent cough and body aches, and his lips turned blue. After multiple hospital visits, Zaw was told he had a heart condition that required surgery. Unable to afford surgery in Burma, Zaw sought affordable care at Mae Tao Clinic (MTC) in Thailand. With the help of our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, he received a free echocardiogram, which revealed he had mitral valve regurgitation, atrial valve regurgitation, pulmonary valve regurgitation, and patent ductus arteriosus. He is now scheduled for a procedure at Kasemrad Prachachuen Hospital in Bangkok on April 18th to repair or replace three of his valves and address any other issues with his heart. Currently, Zaw continues to experience fatigue, thus he is unable to work. He experiences shortness of breath and a racing heartbeat, for which he requires oxygen therapy three times a day. He needs your help to raise the $1,500 to fund his life-changing surgery. Zaw said: “I want to be free from this disease as soon as possible. Thank you all for helping with my treatment cost.”

Lu is a 63-year-old man who lives with his wife and niece in a refugee camp in Thailand. He is unemployed, while his wife is a homemaker, and his niece is a student. Lu enjoys going to the forest to fish in the steams and to forage for vegetables. He shared he also likes to read the Bible and to sing hymns. Lu developed cataracts in both of his eyes. As a result, his vision is blurry and impaired, which makes it difficult for Lu to lead an independent life. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund lens replacement surgery for Lu. On January 19th, doctors at Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital will perform a lens replacement procedure, during which they will remove Lu's natural lenses, and replace them with intraocular lens implants. After recovery, Lu will be able to see clearly again and get back to his day-to-day life. Now, he needs your help to fund this $1,500 procedure. Lu said: “I feel so annoyed and uncomfortable when I try to look around me, so I will often just close my eyes,” he said. “I want to receive surgery so that my vision can be restored.”

Mary, who is 53 years old, is a small-scale farmer, living in the Rukungiri district in Uganda. Mary and her husband - who have been married for 22 years - have five children. Two of their sons are currently studying; their elder daughter is married and works as a farmer, while the rest of their children are still in school. When she was a child, Mary had ambitions to become a teacher. However, due to a lack of school fees, she only completed grade six, and never reached her goal. Instead, she farms to earn a living, while her husband works as a carpenter. Despite all their hard work, their income is limited. Since January of this year, Mary has been experiencing bleeding, along with severe backaches, lower abdominal pain, and intermittent headaches. She has visited several hospitals where she was treated, but her condition remains unresolved. She was recently diagnosed with a premalignant cervical lesion, and advised to undergo a hysterectomy. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $219 to fund Mary's surgery. On April 4th, she will be operated on at Karoli Lwanga Hospital, Nyakibale. Once she has recovered, Mary will be able to resume her daily activities free of pain. With a bright hopeful smile, Mary says: “I’ve had a lot of pain, but I have hope that when I am given your support, I will be able to attain my surgery and hope to get well.”