Cherrylyn is a mother of three from the Philippines. Cherrylyn resides in Binan, Laguna. Her husband works as a helper and earns $16 per week, which is insufficient to meet their daily needs. Her children are all old enough to work now, however, their educational attainment makes it hard for them to find a permanent job. Cherrylyn enjoys doing laundry and engaging in water-related activities when she was stronger. Lately, she enjoys joining the free Zumba classes offered by the barangay. However, she eventually has had to stop because of her condition. Seven years ago, Cherrylyn began to experience troubling symptoms, including back, flank, and abdominal pain, which affected her daily activities. She typically takes various pain relievers to alleviate the pain. Sometimes, she endures the pain or her spouse will try to give her massages to ease her discomfort. Cherrylyn has been advised to undergo a cholecystectomy, the surgical removal of the gallbladder. If left untreated, her symptoms will continue to worsen and put her at risk for further health complications in the future. After seeking treatment through our medical partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines (WSFP), Cherrylyn is scheduled to undergo a cholecystectomy on January 13th. The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation is supporting a portion of the cost of the procedure, and WSFP is raising the remaining $1,128 to cover the cost of Cherrylyn's surgery and care. Cherrylyn says, "I am very grateful to everyone for your generosity. We will only be able to afford this operation with you. I trust that the Lord will return this blessing you gave me."

Mercy is a determined young lady, a sixth born in a family of nine children. Her father is a small scale farmer and her mother a homemaker. She goes to secondary school in Meru County, but is currently behind on her studies due to delays caused by a condition impacting both legs. Mercy was born with a condition known as bilateral genu varum (sometimes referred to as bowlegs), which causes her legs to curve outward at the knees. The condition has greatly affected her mobility. She finds it difficult to walk long distances, she gets tired quickly, and is unable to fully engage in activities with friends. Her self-esteem has been dramatically impacted by constant teasing from her peers, who find her way of walking different. Fortunately, Mercy is scheduled to undergo a surgery called bilateral Proximal Tibial Osteotomy (PTO) at our medical partner's care center AIC CURE International Hospital. The treatment will heal her legs, allow her to walk easily and support her to engage better both in school and with friends. Mercy hopes to become an orthopedic surgeon in order to help other children in the future. “I am looking forward to see my legs being corrected, to live more actively and continue with my education. God bless you for the support,” Mercy told us.

Moo is a 34-year-old man from Thailand. He lives with his wife and three children in a refugee camp. He is a homemaker while his wife studies at a Bible school. Two of his children go to school while the youngest stays home with him. During his free time, Moo loves to play with his children and listen to music. Moo recently began to experience troubling symptoms, including fever and lower abdominal pain. He was diagnosed with appendicitis and now needs surgery to prevent his condition from worsening. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is helping Moo receive treatment. He is scheduled to undergo an appendectomy, a surgery to remove the appendix, on April 24th. As a refugee in Thailand, Moo's healthcare is not supported or subsidized by the government. This procedure will cost $1500 and Moo and his family need your support. “I would like to get the surgery as soon as possible and I hope that I can be discharged from the hospital in a few days because there is no one who can look after my youngest child while my wife studies," Moo said.