Ra is a 68-year-old man from Siem Reap province in Cambodia. He and his wife have two children. His wife sells biscuits, their eldest child is a grocery seller, and their youngest is a car repairer. In his free time, Ra helps his wife with household and work-related tasks. In 2019, Ra began experiencing pain in his right hip due to avascular necrosis, a condition in which bone tissue dies due to a lack of blood supply, which caused a structural failure of his hip ball joint. Ra underwent a total hip replacement through our medical partner, Children's Surgical Center (CSC), at that time. However, over the past year, his pain has returned, and walking has become difficult. His x-ray showed that some of the acetabular cup and femoral stem (components from his hip replacement surgery) have come loose, leaving him unable to walk comfortably or perform daily activities. Ra was referred back to CSC for treatment. On April 8th, he will undergo a revision hip replacement procedure on his right hip. This surgery will stabilize the hip, relieve his pain, and restore his mobility. Ra was able to contribute $100 to his care and is requesting assistance to raise the remaining $1,400 to cover the cost of prosthesis, surgery, medications, post-operative care, and rehabilitation. Roth said, "I had a hip replacement in 2019, but over the past year, the pain has returned, and it's become difficult for me to walk. I hope further treatment will fix the problem and help me move comfortably again."

Sambath is 17 years old and a first-year university student majoring in marketing from Cambodia. He lives in a small village in Kampong Cham province with his parents, who work as rice farmers. He is the second child among four siblings. His older sister is studying accounting at university, while his two younger siblings are still attending high school. In addition to helping his family, he works a part-time job to help cover household expenses and support his education. In his free time, he enjoys listening to music and doing his assignments. Since he was five years old, Sambath had an ear infection. This infection caused the tympanic membrane, or the eardrum, in his left ear to perforate. For this reason, Sambath experiences persistent ear pain, ear discharge, hearing loss, and a ringing sound in the ear. This makes it difficult for him to hear clearly, which affects communication with others and his ability to focus in class. Hearing problems have also caused discomfort and reduced his confidence in social interactions and academic activities. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is helping Sambath receive treatment. On March 4th, he will undergo a myringoplasty procedure in his left ear. During this procedure, surgeons will close the perforation. His family can contribute $25, but needs help raising $338 more to fund his procedure and care. Sambath shared, “Since I was young, I have struggled with my hearing. It is hard for me to follow lessons in class and talk with my friends. I hope that one day I can have surgery to repair my ear so I can hear clearly, study better, and feel more confident when communicating with others.”

Mekdes is a young mother from Ethiopia. At just 22, this single mother is the heart and soul of her small family, working hard to build a life for herself and her four-year-old child. She runs a small street-side stall selling fried chips, and this humble business is their only source of income. Mekdes has been fighting chronic tonsillitis for four years. Because her business is outdoors and requires her to be on her feet all day, these frequent, painful throat infections make it incredibly difficult for her to work. When she is too sick to stand at her stall, she loses the income they desperately need, creating a constant and exhausting cycle of physical pain and financial worry. Our medical partner, Saglan Wajee General Hospital, is requesting $700 to fund a tonsillectomy for Mekdes, which is scheduled to take place on May 23rd. Surgeons will remove her tonsils, hopefully relieving Mekdes of her symptoms and helping her live more comfortably. Mekdes said, "My deepest hope is to finally achieve lasting health and financial security, so I can work consistently without the constant fear that a sudden, painful illness will take away my ability to provide for my child."