Angela is a 32-year-old woman from Kenya. She is a single mother to four children between the ages of 4 and 13 years old. Her husband left to marry another woman, and Angela works hard to provide for her children. She was fetching firewood to sell to hotels and homes but became too ill to carry out this work. She also worked in a hotel as a cleaner, but the income was insufficient for their needs. Now, after taking her children to school, Angela stays in the area to carry water and wash clothes for residents. She also receives some financial support from her family. Angela shared that life has been challenging, but she is thankful to be alive and raising support for her treatment needs. Angela first met our medical partner's surgical team during a medical camp they hosted in her hometown a few months ago. During that visit, she was diagnosed with a non-toxic multinodular goiter. Angela’s symptoms began a few years back, including experiencing swelling on her neck and difficulty eating, swallowing, and breathing. She cannot sleep at night and becomes fatigued quickly. Angela needs to undergo surgery to heal and prevent her symptoms from worsening. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is helping Angela receive treatment. On March 16th, she will undergo a thyroidectomy at AMH’s care center. During this procedure, surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. AMH is requesting $936 to fund Angela’s surgery. Angela said: “Life is so hard, and sometimes I want to give up, but when I remember my children, I encourage myself to keep going only for their sake. When I get treated, I can work hard and provide for them without difficulty. Kindly help me.”

Trizah is an 18-month-old baby girl who is especially playful around her mother. Trizah lives with her parents and three siblings in Kenya, where her mother works as a casual laborer washing clothes, and her father is employed at a welding workshop. Because of the hydrocephalus she was diagnosed with early on, Trizah has already undergone more than three surgeries in her young life. She had a shunt insertion procedure done a few days after her birth, which needed to be revised in May 2022. Her hydrocephalus has worsened, requiring the placement of two external ventricular drains in 2023. Sadly, the revised shunt has failed, and Trizah is now in need of another surgery to have a new shunt inserted to drain the excess fluids in her brain and alleviate the intracranial pressure caused by the fluids. Trizah also needs surgery to stop the convulsions she has been experiencing, and prevent the severe physical and developmental delays that result from untreated hydrocephalus. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $720 to cover the cost of the surgery to treat her hydrocephalus. The procedure is scheduled to take place on February 22nd at BethanyKids Kijabe Hospital. The excess fluid will be drained from Trizah's brain, reducing the intracranial pressure, and greatly improving her quality of life. With proper treatment, Trizah should develop into a strong and healthy young girl. Trizah’s mother says: “She has been having surgeries since birth. Her head is increasing in size, and she is experiencing scary convulsions. I just hope this treatment will help her to recover.”

Sorn is a 70-year-old proud mother of seven and grandmother of five who lives in the Battambang province of Cambodia. Her husband passed away 15 years ago and her children live far away, tending their own farms. Sorn lives alone and enjoys listening to local monks pray on the radio. For the past five years, Sorn has had headaches, nasal congestion with sneezing, and a chronic runny nose, making it difficult for her to breathe. She feels embarrassed to visit her family and neighbors due to her affliction, so she spends much time alone at home. Sorn visited a local hospital for care but was unable to afford the cost of treatment, and medicine from her local pharmacy did not help. Sorn heard about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), from a neighbor, and traveled six hours for diagnosis and treatment. ENT surgeons from CSC diagnosed her with nasal polyps and have planned a bilateral nasal polypectomy for January 17th. Sorn's family has put together $37.50 toward her treatment, and CSC is requesting $397 for the full cost. The requested amount will include the operation, hospitalization, and post-op medications. After surgery, Sorn should be able to breathe more easily through her nose and no longer have pain. Sorn shared, "After surgery, I hope to breathe easily through my nose and stop my headaches. I want to plant my vegetables to sell at the market and support my own living."