Oliver is a married mother of four children, all of whom are married with children except the last one who is still in school. She is a farmer together with her husband. Her second child, a daughter, has been there for her support throughout her illness. Oliver likes chatting with her daughter and enjoys eating nsima made from cassava maize flour served with fresh fish. Oliver was well until one year ago when she noted a small lump on her right breast that was not painful. She visited her nearest hospital where some pain medication was provided. She visited many other hospitals after noting that the growth was becoming bigger as time passed. At one of the hospitals, a diagnosis of suspected breast cancer was made before proceeding to Kamuzu Central Hospital for further assessments. At Kamuzu Central Hospital (KCH), different tests were done, and a diagnosis of invasive ductal carcinoma was made followed by four cycles of neoadjuvant therapy. Oliver was later scheduled for surgery on January 15th this year but unfortunately, she did not report back since she did not have the funds. On January 29th, Oliver went back to KCH where she was referred to our medical partner's care center Partners in Hope Medical Center (PIH) so that she can undergo surgery more urgently. Of late, Oliver has been experiencing needle pricking pains, and weakness affecting her farm work plus household chores as a mother. On January 30th, Oliver reported to PIH and met the surgeon who confirmed the need for a modified radical mastectomy. Modified radical mastectomy is the removal of the entire breast, including the nipple, areola, and skin plus most axillary lymph nodes. Oliver believes the surgical operation will help her get back home in a good condition and enable her to resume her farm work. Oliver said, “Kindly remove this breast for me to have my peace of mind after getting rid of these bad symptoms that I experience, I would rather be able to move on in my age.”

Tor lives in Prey Veng province with his wife, one of his daughters and her family, and four grandchildren. They all work in the nearby rice fields. Tor enjoys watching Cambodian boxing and spending time with his family. Tor's right leg was injured by a bomb during the time of the Khmer Rouge and the injury did not heal properly. Tor has since been diagnosed with Majorlin Ulcer, a type of cancer that can grow from burns, poorly healing wounds, or scars. It grows slowly, but over time it can spread to other parts of the body. As a result of the pain and discomfort, Tor is unable to go up and down stairs and needs assistance for everyday activities. Tor was accompanied by his relatives to travel four hours to reach Children's Surgical Centre. On February 21st, Tor will have an above-the-knee amputation at this facility. The amputation will eliminate pain and help prevent the cancer from spreading. The family needs help to fund this procedure and our medical partner is requesting $479 to cover medications, surgical materials, and four nights of hospital stay. His grandson said, "I hope my grandfather can have surgery so he is no longer in pain and can enjoy time with his family."

Sa is a 43-year-old woman from Thailand who lives with her nephew in a village in Tak Province. She used to be a farmer but was forced to stop working last year due to her condition. For several months, Sa has been experiencing abdominal pain and massive bleeding. She has been advised to undergo a total abdominal hysterectomy which involves the surgical removal of her uterus and cervix. If left untreated, Sa's symptoms will continue to worsen and put her at risk for further health complications. Fortunately, Sa is scheduled to undergo her hysterectomy on March 29th. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of her procedure and care. Once recovered, she will no longer be in pain and will be able to work on the farm again. Sa said, “I feel happy to receive the treatment through the support from BCMF and its donors. I hope that I will undergo the operation soon so that I can go back to work on the farm.”