Chit is a 12-year-old girl from Burma. Her family moved to Thailand when her village was burned down. She lives with her mother, her twin sister, and her brother. Chit's mother works at home and looks after the children. Her brother runs a barber shop and her father is a monk who lives in the monastery in the village. Chit's brother's income supports their family. When Chit turned two years old, her mother noticed that whenever she tried to look at something, like pictures, she stared at them very closely. Last year, Chit had a check-up at a clinic and was told that her both eyes have cataracts so even when wearing eyeglasses, she is unable to see clearly. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund lens replacement surgery for Chit. On April 4th, doctors will perform a lens replacement, during which they will remove Chit's natural lenses and replace them with an intraocular lens implant in each eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Now, she needs help to fund this $1,500 procedure. Chit said, “I am sad when I don’t see clearly because I can’t go to school without help from my family, I cannot study and play with my friends.” Chit's brother added, “I worry for her how she will live with her current condition when I don’t stay near her, but now when I know that she has donors to support her treatment at Chiang Mai, I am relieved.”

Angela is a 62-year-old woman with two grown sons. During her childhood, her dream was to be a teacher however she has to stop school at Primary 6 due to financial constraints. She is married and she and her husband farm for a living. They live in a traditional mud house in southwestern Uganda. Two years ago, Angela began experiencing lower abdominal pain and backache. Due to limited finances, Angela had never seen a doctor but when symptoms became severe, she decided to seek medical help and was diagnosed with premalignant cervical lesion. She needs to undergo a total abdominal hysterectomy, a procedure in which surgeons will remove her uterus. On February 22nd, she will undergo gynecological surgery at Karoli Lwanga Hospital. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $219 to fund this procedure. Once she has recovered, Angela will be able to resume her daily activities free of pain. She says, “I hope for a complete recovery and I have faith that I will get better.”

Christopher, who is 12 years old, lives with his parents and three siblings in a small fishing village in southwest Haiti. As a young child, Christopher suffered from a bout of rheumatic fever, which severely damaged one of his heart valves. As a result, it is difficult for his heart to efficiently pump blood through his body. The Gift of Life International will be subsidizing Christopher's heart surgery, which is scheduled to take place on February 5th, at Welcare Hospital. During this procedure, surgeons will remove the damaged valve, and implant an artificial replacement. Our medical partner, International Cardiac Alliance, is requesting $1,500 to fund the preoperative testing that Christopher will need, his post-operative care, and the travel expenses for Christopher and his family. Christopher shared: "I am very excited to have a healthy heart after waiting for so long!"