Three year old Sok Heng lives in Phnom Penh, Cambodia with her parents and 10 year-old brother. Currently, Sok Heng's mother is unemployed, and her father is unable to work due to a recent illness. They live near extended family members who assist with caring for the children. Sok Heng was born with a rare congenital condition called Morquio syndrome. In children with Morquio syndrome, the body cannot break down sugar chains called glycosaminoglycans that help build bone, cartilage, corneas, skin and connective tissues. As a result, these children suffer from loose joints and restricted mobility of their joints. For the last several months, Sok Heng been undergoing treatment, including splinting and physiotherapy of her right hand and wrist. Unfortunately, she is still experiencing pain and limited hand function. On November 2nd, Hok Seng will undergo tenosynovectomy surgery with our medical partner at Kien Khleang National Rehabilitation Centre. This tendon and nerve procedure corrects restricted or painful movement of a tendon, due to thickening and adhesions within the tendon sheath. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is seeking $572 to fund Hok Seng's surgery and post-operative care, including physiotherapy. After recovery, Sok Heng will have reduced pain and improved function in her hand. Her mom shared: "I hope my daughter can move her hand again and not be in pain."

Princesse is a 7-year-old student from Haiti. She lives with her parents and three siblings in a small city in northwest Haiti. Princesse has a cardiac condition called rheumatic mitral regurgitation. One of the four valves in her heart was severely damaged by an infection she suffered earlier in childhood; as a result, it cannot adequately pump blood through her body. Princesse will fly to the Cayman Islands to receive treatment. On April 29th, she will undergo cardiac surgery, during which doctors will first try to repair her existing valve if possible; if not, they will remove it and implant an artificial replacement. Another organization, Have a Heart Cayman, is contributing $14,000 to pay for surgery. Princesse's family needs help raising an additional $1,500 for surgery prep. The bill covers labs, medicines, checkups, and follow-up appointments. It also supports passport obtainment and the social workers from our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, who will accompany Princesse's family overseas. Her mother said: "Our family is very hopeful that this surgery will save our daughter's life and allow her to become healthy."

Elia is a two-year-old boy from a small village in the Simanjiro district of Tanzania. His parents are livestock keepers and farmers, relying on agriculture for food and sustenance. The drought has brought new problems to their residential area, with large animals such as elephants and buffaloes coming in search of food and damaging their crops. Despite the challenges in the past year, they remain hopeful that the situation will improve in the coming season. In October 2022, Elia had an accident and suffered burns from hot water, resulting in severe wounds on both his hands that required medical attention. His parents took him to a health center for care. Over the next four months, as his wounds healed, he developed skin contractures on both elbows. Recognizing the impact of the scars on Elia, his parents sought treatment at Monduli Hospital. However, they could not receive the appropriate care and were subsequently referred to our medical partner's facility. In September, Elia’s mother, accompanied by an escort from Monduli Hospital, approached with concerns about Elia’s well-being. Our medical partner facilitated a meeting with a visiting plastics surgeon. During the preparations for surgery, it was observed that Elia was not yet ready for the procedure, and it was decided that he needed to wait until he was in better health before undergoing surgery. In November, Elia had the opportunity to meet with a plastic surgeon and was deemed fit for surgery. Given the severity of his case, the plan is to start with a contracture release on one elbow as the start of Elia's healing journey. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is helping Elia receive treatment. On November 16th, surgeons at their care center will perform a burn contracture release surgery to enhance the extension of his arm. AMH is requesting $639 to fund this procedure. Elia’s mother says: “I hope this treatment will be a start for a better life for my son.”