Salaam Alaikum and Ramadan Mubarak y'all,

A couple years ago you guys helped me fundraise for cancer treatments for a young Afghan boy named Hamza. While he did not survive because of your generosity he was able to live a year longer. While his death broke my heart as a mother I know that any extra time with our children is precious. For that, I consider all our efforts a success. I have once again been put in contact with a young Afghan child. I've been able to personally verify this case and a coworker of mine is closely related to this family.

His case is urgent but it is treatable. Little Emad is two and a half years old. He loves playing outside and toy cars. He also has been diagnosed with a congenital heart condition called Severe Pulmonary Valve Stenosis. He requires a balloon valvulplasty procedure to prevent serious future complications. The cost of this surgery is 180,000 Afghanis or $2750.USD. The family is completely unable to afford this procedure.

I can't help but look at my two little girls when I learned about Emad's case. Just last night I was telling my husband I've had a lot of dreams and alhumdullilah gotten to accomplish some of them. However, the joy I felt from those achievements was completely eclipsed by the joy I felt when I gave my youngest daughter her favorite snack ( a cheesestick) and her whole face and person seemed to melt into joy.

Even if we are countries apart, I know that this joy is universal. Which leads me to believe that the pain and fear of a child needing care but being unable to provide it is universal as well.

Emad isn't our child, but the sooner we realize all the children in the world are our joy, our neighbors, our shared responsibility and victory the closer I believe we will be to experiencing cheese stick levels of joy. Please give with your whole heart as we are in these final days of Ramadan.