Patrick is a three-year-old boy from Malawi. He is the youngest of two children. His parents are farmers who grow maize, beans, and groundnuts to support the family. A year ago, Patrick started experiencing a painful swelling on the right side below his waist. His mother took him to a nearby health center, where she was advised to seek medical help at Nkhoma Hospital. Patrick was diagnosed with a right inguinal hernia and was advised to have corrective surgery. This condition causes him abdominal pain whenever the swelling appears and his parents are worried about their child’s health. If left untreated, it may lead to more health complications. Treatment will relieve Patrick of the pain and alleviate his parents’ stress. Patrick is scheduled for surgery on March 12th and our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $421 for the surgery. Patrick’s mother says, “I am looking forward to my son’s treatment and recovery so that he can be happy again.”

PengEang is an 11-year-old student in grade four from Cambodia. He and his family come from Mondulkiri province, approximately five and a half hours from the capital of Phnom Penh. PengEang has one sister and two brothers. His father is a pepper farmer and his mother stays home to care for the children. PengEang enjoys mathematics and playing badminton. PengEang would like to be a policeman when he grows up. About a year ago, PengEang fell hard on a tile floor while playing with his brothers and fractured his left elbow. He had surgery with implants to stabilize the bones to heal the fracture. The fracture has healed, but PengEang still feels chronic low-level pain in his elbow. The hardware is uncomfortable and it is difficult for him to extend and flex his elbow. He would like the hardware removed. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, can help. On April 2nd, PengEang will undergo a hardware removal procedure which will cost $304. The hardware removal will help him heal completely and complete the rehabilitation of his arm. PengEang's mother said, "We hope my son will no longer have pain, and he can be healthy after the metal is removed from his elbow."

23-year-old Roth lives with his parents and three younger siblings in Kampong Thom province in Cambodia. His parents are rice farmers, while his two sisters and one brother are all in school. On August 5, Roth fell off his motorbike and injured his left knee. He went to the local provincial hospital, where the wound on his knee was stitched up. However, Roth is unable to put weight on or to extend his knee. He is in pain, and cannot work in the rice fields with his parents. After reading about our medical partner on their Facebook page, Roth consulted with their doctors. They determined that Roth has a completely torn patellar (knee) tendon, which requires surgery. If left untreated, this injury could result in other foot and leg problems, such as inflammation and pain in the ligaments in the soles of his foot, and tendinitis in other parts of his foot. He might also develop arthritis. Surgeons from our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, are scheduled to perform patellar tendon repair surgery on December 5th, at Kien Khleang National Rehabilitation Centre. Roth needs your help to fund the $572 cost of the procedure, hospitalization and rehabilitation. Roth said: "I hope I can walk more easily with no pain or swelling after this operation, so I can return to help my family with the rice crop."