Linn is a 50-year-old woman from Burma. She is divorced and lives with her mother and son in Karen State - a conflict area near the border of Burma and Thailand. She works as a shop vendor, selling steamed sticky rice with chicken and pork, and her mother is retired. Her 12-year-old son is in the fifth grade in Burma. Linn also cultivates vegetables in her garden and usually cooks meals using them. Linn enjoys watching movies in her free time, but she has not been able to do so for a while now. One year ago, Linn began to experience blurred and double vision. Currently, Linn cannot read, see, or walk well and requires a caregiver to assist her with daily activities. These symptoms have made it increasingly difficult for her to see clearly. Linn was diagnosed with retinal detachment, a condition in which the retina pulls away from the supportive tissue in the eye, resulting in vision loss. If left untreated, she could lose vision completely. Linn is scheduled to undergo surgery to reattach her retina. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF), requests $1,500 to cover her procedure and care costs. After her surgery, Linn's vision will hopefully be restored, and she will resume her daily activities comfortably. Linn expressed, "I am very pleased to receive help and I am relieved that I can also stay at BCMF's patients' house in Chiang Mai. I wish for the success of my eye surgery. After recovery, I hope to restart my previous business again."

Margaret is a shopkeeper and a single mother of three. Her kids are all adults. She used to work at a small shop selling exam papers. However, she has not been able to go to work since December because of her pain. She is currently at home without a source of income and does not have medical coverage. She lives in a three-room house which her family shares with her elderly mother. Margaret has been diagnosed with breast cancer. Without treatment, the cancer may spread to other organs. A mastectomy, a surgery to remove breast tissue, has been suggested to rid her body of breast cancer and to prevent the cancer from metastasizing. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1110 to cover the cost of a mastectomy for Margaret. The procedure is scheduled to take place on January 23rd. After treatment, Margaret will hopefully return to a cancer-free life. Margaret says, “I am currently experiencing a lot of pain. This condition has caused me not to be able to work at all. I need this surgery to stop the disease from spreading.”

Leat is a 37-year-old mother of two and a rice farmer from Cambodia. Her husband also works in the rice fields. They spend their downtime with their two children. Leat enjoys cooking soups, looking after the house, and gardening. In November 2023, Leat fell and dislocated her elbow. She traveled three hours to a clinic for surgery and treatment. Unfortunately, her arm did not heal so she traveled five and a half hours to our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), for consultation. It is difficult for her to use her arm and she is in chronic pain. Fortunately, surgeons at CSC can help. On March 7th, Leat will undergo a fracture repair procedure, which will cost $483. This procedure will restore function in her arm. Leat shared, "I hope I can use my arm again so I can work, care for my children, and help support my family."