Fund healthcare for people around the world

Jabali is a nine-month-old boy from Kenya. He is the youngest in a family of two children. When he was six months old, Jabali was diagnosed with an undescended testis, an abnormal condition in a sensitive area. Without treatment, he is at risk of fertility problems, testicular cancer, or a hernia. Fortunately, he will undergo a corrective orchidopexy surgery on January 17. Jabali and his family live in a one-room rental house. His mother works as a caterer, while his father is taxi driver. Jabali's parents have contributed $52 to fund his care, but they need help to raise more. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting an additional $535, which will cover surgical supplies, medications, and Jabali's hospital stay. "We were worried about the condition," says Jabali's mother, "but through intense reassurance, we are hopeful all will be well.”

Nyein is a 28-year-old woman originally from Burma. When she was a child, her mother opened a mohinga, a Burmese noodle shop. Nyein quit school after sixth grade to help her mother in the shop. When she was 18 years old, Nyein moved to Bangkok to support her mother financially. She currently works as a babysitter and housekeeper in Bangkok, living with her employer’s family. She looks after the young children, prepares food, cleans the house, and does laundry. Nyein sends most of her income home to her mother, who she visits once a year. Three years ago, she paid for her mother to undergo two cataract surgeries to restore her vision. In September of 2016, Nyein began to experience stomachaches. She took painkillers, but the pain continued. Finally, she visited a public hospital in Bangkok, where she underwent an X-ray and was diagnosed with stomach flu. Despite taking oral medication, her symptoms were alleviated only temporarily. Nyein decided to return to Burma to see her mother. There, she learned about our medical partner’s clinic, Mae Tao Clinic (MTC). When Nyein visited MTC, she was diagnosed with a benign colon tumor. She underwent a tumor removal procedure on December 19. During her free time, Nyein loves watching Thai movies and listening to Thai music on her mobile phone. She hopes that she will be fully cured so that she can return to work and continue to support her mother. For now, she needs help to pay for this $1,500 surgery.

Josephine and her twin brother are the third and fourth children to their parents. Josephine's mother says she is a happy child who enjoys playing with her siblings. Josephine's feet are turned inward. Because she can walk, her mother never sought treatment for the condition. Recently, our medical partner's community outreach officer traveled to Josephine's village, where he diagnosed her with clubfeet and spoke to her parents about treatment options. Now, she is scheduled to undergo repair surgery on January 24. Josephine's parents are small scale farmers who herd goats and cows. However, their income is limited, and they need help to provide treatment for their daughter. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,160. Josephine's mother says, "I hope that my daughter will be able to walk straight and attend school."

Phue is a one-year-old girl who lives in Thailand. Her parents are originally from Burma. In 2013, the whole family moved to Thailand because her parents needed better jobs to pay for their children's school fees. Recently, Phue's neck became stiff, and she couldn't turn her head. She had to turn her whole body to look around. When her mother pinched the left side of her torso, she did not react. She was also experiencing fever, coughing, and difficulty sleeping. Phue's mother took her to our medical partner's care center, where Phue received antibiotics. On January 18, Phue will undergo a CT scan. This procedure will allow her doctors to make a diagnosis and develop a treatment plan. Our medical partner is requesting $414 to cover the expenses of the test. “Even though we do not have enough money, our priority now is to take care of her health problem," says Phue's mother. "We don’t want her to become disabled. We are so worried about her, but we cannot do anything by ourselves as we do not have money.”