71-year-old Yean lives with his wife and their youngest daughter in Kandal province in Cambodia. He and his wife have a total of seven children, with six of them already married and living with their own families. In his free time, Yean likes to watch boxing and "Lakhaon Bassac", a Cambodian traditional theatre performance on TV. About two years ago, Yean began experiencing weight loss, fatigue and a chronic pain in his right knee. When he visited a local hospital, he was referred to our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC), which was an hour's drive, for further care. Yean was diagnosed with Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumor (MPNST), a rare type of cancer that develops in the soft tissues that cover and protect peripheral nerves. If left untreated, MPNST can also spread to other parts of the body. Although the surgeons had hoped to remove the tumor and save his leg, it was determined that Yean needed to have his leg amputated. Our partner, CSC, is helping Yean receive treatment. On April 24th, surgeons at Kien Khleang National Rehabilitation Centre will perform a leg amputation surgery to relieve his symptoms and prevent the cancer from spreading. Yean and his family are able to contribute $100 towards the cost of his treatment and need help raising $379 more to fund the procedure. Yean says: "After surgery, I hope to no longer be in pain, so that I can go home and spend time with my family."

Edina, a 41-year-old mother of seven, works as a vegetable seller, earning about $2.97 per day for her family's upkeep. She finds joy interacting with her customers and has a fondness for chicken and nsima, a Malawian staple porridge made from maize flour. Four years ago, Edina discovered a small, painless swelling on the right side of her neck. After seeking medical advice at a nearby hospital, she was diagnosed with goiter, an enlargement of the thyroid gland. She was instructed to wait for an opportunity for surgery, but her condition has worsened, causing breathlessness, neck pain, and difficulty lifting heavy objects. This has affected her work capacity and resulted in a decrease in income. Inspired by a fellow community member's journey to seek help, Edina visited our medical partner's care facility, Partners in Hope Medical Centre, where a surgeon reconfirmed the need for a thyroidectomy, the surgical removal of all or part of your thyroid gland. Faced with financial hardships, Edina is seeking support for her surgery treatment. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Edina receive treatment. On March 20th, surgeons at PIH will perform a thyroidectomy to relieve her symptoms and help her resume her vegetable business at full capacity. Now, Edina needs help to fund this $1,015 procedure. Edina says, “I feel so fortunate to get the opportunity for support. Thank you so much, I believe surgery will help me get back to normal life."

Jannifer is the second-born child in a family of two. She lost both her parents in a road traffic accident when she was four years old. She was the only survivor of the accident. After her parent's burial, she stayed with her grandmother in the village until she started having abdominal pains and was taken in by her aunt for proper care and support. The aunt is a single mother of 4 children aged 20 (twins),16 and 6. Beatrice, the aunt, separated from her husband, who does not render support so she works as a driver and uses her income to support the children. They live in a two-bedroom rented house with water and electricity. For four years, Jannifer has had abdominal pains originating from the umbilical region. This has affected her studies as she keeps missing school attendance. Jannifer has now been diagnosed with a hernia, and fortunately, she is eligible for surgery which can cure her condition. Her aunt looks forward to a successful surgery that would enable Jannifer to concentrate on her school. She said she could not wait to see Jennifer continue to excel in life as a loving and beautiful girl. Jannifer said, “I don’t like the pain because it hurts,” and Beatrice, her aunt said, "Kindly help my daughter because I want her to live happily.”