Hla is a 42-year-old woman from Burma. She lives with her husband in a village in Bago Division. Hla and her husband are farmers. In early of September 2023, Hla felt a small lump in her right breast. As the lump was not painful and did not cause her any discomfort, she did not seek treatment until the mass started to increase in size. She received an injection from a village health worker, but the mass continued to grow and eventually became slightly painful. Hla experiences slight pain and discomfort in her right breast. Hla sought treatment through our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund. She is now scheduled to undergo mass removal surgery on December 12th. She is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of her procedure and care. Hla said, "Since my condition has worsened, I cannot help my husband much on the farm. I mostly stay at home and do some household chores. To come to Thailand, I had to borrow money from our neighbors and we need to pay them 5% interest which makes me worried. Thank you to the kind donors and the organization for supporting my treatment cost."

Larah is a toddler from Haiti. She lives with her parents and older sister in a small village in the mountains of central Haiti. She likes dressing up and going to church. Larah has two cardiac conditions called ventricular septal defect and patent ductus arteriosus. A hole exists between the two lower chambers of her heart, and a second hole exists between two major blood vessels near her heart. Blood leaks through these holes, leaving her weak and short of breath. Larah will fly to the United States to receive treatment. On February 29th, she will undergo cardiac surgery, during which surgeons will sew a patch over the larger hole, and tie shut the smaller hole, so that blood can no longer leak through them. Another organization, HeartGift Foundation, is contributing $15,000 to pay for surgery, but Larah's family also needs help to fund the costs of surgery preparation. The $1,500 bill covers labs, medicines, and preop and postop appointments. It also supports passport obtainment and the help of social workers from our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, who will accompany Larah's family overseas. Larah's mother said: "Our family thinks it is a miracle that our daughter has this chance to travel for her surgery!"

Residing in Kampong Thom province alongside her parents, two brothers, and two sisters, Sine's family earns their livelihood from the nearby rice paddies. Sine's favorite food is Khmer noodle soup, and she finds she loves Cambodian Studies. During her free time, she engages in reading and enjoys playing with her siblings. When she grows up, she wants to attend a prestigious university and ultimately pursue a career as a doctor. Sine was born with a hairy nevus - a type of birthmark characterized by a darkly pigmented, often raised patch of skin covered with hair. These birthmarks can vary significantly in size and appearance, ranging from small and barely noticeable to larger and more prominent. Hairy nevi are present at birth and are caused by an overgrowth of pigment cells in the skin. While most hairy nevi are harmless, larger ones may carry a slightly increased risk of developing into skin cancer, particularly melanoma. As Sine has gotten older, her insecurities around her birthmark have led to her missing a lot of school. In the pursuit of a solution, Sine and her mother traveled to Kien Khleang National Rehabilitation Centre, the care center of our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC) for treatment. The doctors at CSC devised a treatment plan for Sine. On November 15th, 2023, Sine is scheduled for a partial removal of the nevus, with a follow-up in six months for additional planning and removal. Skilled surgeons at CSC will conduct the initial operation, employing skin grafting from her scalp to excise part of the nevus. This intervention aims to restore Sine's confidence, enabling her to resume regular school attendance, and to minimize her future health risks. CSC is requesting $726 to help fund the cost of this transformative procedure for Sine. Her mother shared, "I hope she can feel better and will want to play with her friends."