Si Yol is an active 71-year-old grandmother from Kandal province. She and her husband live with their daughter and grandchild. Her husband is a farmer, and her daughter sells groceries. Si Yol works part-time as an assistant of communes and likes to watch TV news in her spare time. About one year ago, Si Yol developed a cataract in her right eye, causing her itchiness, tearing, and blurry vision. A cataract is a clouding of the lens of the eye, so it is like looking through a frosty or fogged-up window. When Si Yol learned about our medical partner Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), she traveled for three hours seeking treatment. On December 7th, doctors will perform phacoemulsification cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in her right eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Si Yol needs help raising $253 to fully fund the procedure. She shared, "I hope that after the surgery, my eyesight will improve. I want to go out and recognize and see people and things easily. I also want to write and read well."

Nyi is a 22-year-old man from Thailand. He lives in the monastery with two other monks. He helps the monk with cooking, cleaning, and looking after the monks. He receives free food and free accommodation. He has no income but has enough food. Originally from Burma, his aim of coming to Thailand was to look for better job opportunities and also to seek treatment but because of his condition, he does not have job and ended up living in the monastery. In December 2022, Nyi started experiencing some headaches and blurred vision. He went to the local eye clinic and his eyes were tested and he received a pair of eyeglasses. However, the eyeglasses did not help him see better so the doctor suggested him to have further investigation and possibly a computerized scan (CT). Nyi had no money so he did not pursue further investigation of his symptoms. He was looking for a way to get treatment and finally arrived in Thailand and visited Mae Tao Clinic (MTC) in November 2023. After meeting with the doctor at MTC, the doctor told him to go to Mae Sot Hospital (MSH) for further investigation and explained to him that his eyes looked normal but there might be a tumor that is causing his blurred vision, the doctor then recommended he undergo a CT scan to confirm his diagnosis and make the best plan for his care. Doctors want Nyi to undergo a CT scan, a procedure in which x-ray images taken from several angles are combined to produce cross-sectional images of the body. This scan will hopefully help doctors diagnose his condition and formulate an appropriate treatment plan. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $414 to cover the cost of Nyi's CT scan and care, scheduled for January 30th. Nyi said, "I want to recover and get a job so that I can earn money for my living."

Rehma is a 5-year-old student in the first grade. She is the only child in the family. Both her parents are doing business selling second-hand clothes and running a barber shop respectively. Rhema likes smiling and eating but since her problem started, her family said she has not been the same and no longer shares her smile or eats enough. Rhema was well until 2020 when she started becoming weak and lethargic and her behavior changed. Her parents took her to the hospital where tests noted nothing wrong. They later took her to different hospitals seeking help but to no avail. Last year in December, Rhema was sick and could not eat anything, so she lost weight. Upon taking her to a private hospital, a diagnosis of a hernia was made after she pointed out the source of her pain. Her mother Pauline was notified about the need for surgery. Fortunately, she was then tipped by well-wishers to seek medical support from Partners in Hope Medical Center (PIH). Hernia is the condition in which soft tissue bulges through a weak point in the abdominal muscle. If the hernia is left untreated, the size of the protruding intestine might get bigger and become strangulated leading to the reduction of blood flow to surrounding tissues which may be life-threatening. On January 26th, Rhema and her mother visited PIH for further assessments despite their financial challenges. Rhema was seen by the surgeon who confirmed the diagnosis of a hernia, and she was then recommended for surgery. She was recommended to our program for financial support and their family is also contributing what they can to her treatment. Rhema's family needs help raising $575 in funds for her surgery, scheduled for January 30th. Rhema’s mother looks forward to a successful surgery that would enable Rhema to concentrate on her school as she continues concentrating on her business. She said, “I just want my only daughter to be well to continue sharing her smiles and concentrate at school.”