Meet Slai, a 41-year-old man who lives alone, and works as a security guard at night. In June 2020, when Slai was living in Burma, he started to sneeze frequently, and he also developed a constantly runny nose. Additionally, his nose became swollen, and his right nostril became blocked, making it difficult for Slai to breathe through his nose. At the local hospital, he was diagnosed with nasal polyps, and was given medication to treat his condition. However, when he moved to Thailand in January 2022, his symptoms returned, and doctors recommended surgery so he can breathe well again. Fortunately, our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, can help Slai access the treatment that he needs. On January 11th, Slai will undergo surgery to remove the polyps at Mae Sot General Hospital. Slai is looking to you to help raise the $1,500 to cover the cost of this procedure, which will allow him to breathe freely again. Slai said: "After completing my treatment, I want to be legally employed as a worker in Thailand. Driving is my profession, so I want to work as a driver, but I would be happy with any work opportunity.”

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.”

Emmanuel is a 39-year-old father of two from Port-au-Prince, Haiti. He lives with his wife and children and works in sales at an electronics store. He has a cardiac condition called atrial septal defect. There is a hole between the two upper chambers of his heart, which causes blood to leak out without first passing through the lungs to obtain oxygen, leaving him weak and short of breath. Because the care he needs is not available in Haiti, Emmanuel will fly to the United States to undergo cardiac surgery on February 27th. Doctors will sew a patch over the hole in his heart so that blood can no longer leak through it. Baylor Scott and White Heart Hospital is contributing $10,000 to help pay for this surgery. His family now needs $1,500 to help fund costs of the surgery preparations, including labs, medicines, and check-up and follow-up appointments, and travel expenses. Our medical partner Haiti Cardiac Alliance will accompany Emmanuel overseas and ensure he safely undergoes treatment. Emmanuel says, "I am excited for this surgery so that I can focus on taking care of my family without worrying about my health."

Raymond is a 2-year-old toddler from Kenya and the only child in his family. A few months back, his mother lost her job at a clothing store because she must be at the hospital most of the time attending to her son. She works more flexible jobs like washing clothes for people in her neighborhood to help provide for the family. Raymond has been in and out of the hospital since birth. He was diagnosed with Hirschsprung's disease, a condition where the ganglion cells in the colon responsible for pushing food through are inactive or dead. He has undergone a series of surgeries through the family's health insurance fund. After a long journey, Raymond has one procedure left, but their insurance coverage has been exhausted, and they request financial assistance for his final procedure. Raymond underwent a colostomy, a procedure in which the end of the colon was brought through an opening in the abdominal wall. Raymond's colostomy requires closure in order to restore his bowel function and prevent future complications. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is requesting $1,084 to cover the cost of his colostomy closure. The surgery is scheduled to take place on March 14th and, once completed, will allow Raymond to live more comfortably and confidently moving forward. Raymond's mother said: "We have come a long way with his treatment, and I have been waiting for this moment for a long time. I really hope that it will go as planned."

Allan is an eight-year-old boy from Kenya who lives with his sibling and mother. One day while playing at school, Allen fell and fractured his leg. Since the accident, he has not been able to put weight on his leg and has been using crutches. Allan and his mother were initially unable to seek medical attention for his injury due to a lack of funds. With the help of his relatives, who fundraised in order to help him seek medical care, Allan was connected with our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare. Doctors there diagnosed Allan with an infection in his fractured left leg that requires immediate treatment. After the tibia sequestrectomy surgery, Allan will be able to use his leg comfortably once again and return to school. Allan and his family need support raising funds for the $1,500 surgery, which will take place on March 10th. Allan's mother says, "Allan stayed at home after the accident due to lack of funds. His leg has picked an infection. He is at risk of losing his leg if not treated. He needs this surgery to walk.”

Aung, who is 25 years old, lives with his mother, brother and two sisters in Burma. His mother is retired, and his brother is a security guard. One of his sisters works at a bicycle factory, while the other one works for a local company. Aung is currently unemployed because of his poor health. In October 2022, Aung fell ill and developed a persistent cough. He went to a charity hospital, where he was told that he had a heart infection. After he was treated with injected antibiotics, the doctor told him that he needed an echocardiogram, because he might have a heart condition due to the infection. After the echo was completed, he was diagnosed with mitral valve regurgitation, and he was referred to a cardiologist in Yangon. Aung went to see the cardiologist, who told him that he would need surgery, which he could not afford. On December 25, 2022, both of Aung's legs and his arms became swollen, and he was unable to sleep. He went to a private hospital, where it was determined that he would need surgery as soon as possible. Currently, Aung feels extremely fatigued, experiences chest pains, and has difficulty breathing. Sometimes, his legs and his arms become swollen, and he cannot sleep well at night. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 for the mitral valve replacement surgery that Aung needs. The procedure is currently scheduled to take place on April 2nd, at Pun Hlaing Hospital. "In the future, I want to work as a taxi driver, because I believe that I could easily earn money doing this [in the city]," said Aung.

Lolutori is a 7-year-old boy from Tanzania. He and his two siblings live with their parents, who are nomads. For the past two years, the family has been going through a difficult time due to a severe drought, which has made water and food scarce. The family has had to move frequently in search of better pastures for their animals. Lolutori has been diagnosed with genu valgus, or bow legs. This condition is typically caused by an excessive accumulation of fluoride in the bones, due to the consumption of contaminated drinking water. Because of this condition, Lolutori experiences difficulty walking. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $880 to fund corrective surgery for Lolutori. The procedure is scheduled to take place on April 17th at Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre. Treatment should restore Lolutori's mobility, allow him to participate in a variety of activities, and greatly decrease his risk of future complications. Lolutori’s father says: “With our living condition, him not being able to walk properly makes it hard for the family. We hope he will be able to walk properly like his siblings.”

Bramwel is a 10-year-old boy from Makindu, in Makueni county in Kenya. He lives with his grandmother while his mother works in Nairobi. Because he was born deaf he attends a school that specializes in educating deaf students. Since birth, Bramwel has lived with a clubfoot, which significantly affects his mobility. He walks on tiptoe and falls often. His grandmother brought him to the clinic in Makindu, seeking help for her grandson. With the assistance of our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, Bramwel is now scheduled to undergo angular deformity correction surgery on May 8th. This surgery will enable him to walk confidently and continue his studies. Bramwel and his family need your help to fund this $1,224 procedure. “As the grandmother of Bramwel, I would love to see him walk like other children and continue living a normal life. Any help to cater for his surgery will mean a lot to us,” Bramwel’s grandmother told us.