Sok Le is a smiling 3-year-old toddler from Cambodia. He lives in Prey Veng province with his parents, grandmother, and six-year-old brother. Since Sok Le is too young for school, he stays at home, cared for by his grandmother, while his parents cultivate rice. His favorite meal is fish soup, and he delights in spending time outdoors, playing with his collection of toy cars. Sok Le has clubfoot of his left foot. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape, making it difficult to walk or even wear shoes. Sok Le's family traveled three and a half hours to visit our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), seeking help. Fortunately, the surgeons at CSC can provide the needed treatment. They will perform left tendo-Achilles lengthening surgery to correct the foot equinus (pointing down) position on January 9th. After the surgery, Sok Le's foot will be put in a cast as he recovers. CSC is requesting $444 to fund Sok Le's clubfoot repair. After recovery, his ankle will flex with more range and Sok Le hopefully will be able to walk like other children and wear shoes. Sok Le's mother shared: "We hope after this, Sok Le will walk like other children without pain, and keep up with others when they play."

Daliya is a single mother of 4 children. She farms and does some daily work when available to support her living. Daliya likes chatting with her mother and enjoys eating a local favorite called nsima served with pumpkin leaves. In 2016, Daliya started experiencing a feeling of heat on her left breast followed by a small lump that initially was not painful. Later in the year, she visited several nearby hospitals, but was not able to find any answers. In 2018, her lump grew and had become painful. Daliya visited Kamuzu Central Hospital (KCH), where she was diagnosed with cancer. So far, Daliya has received 4 cycles of chemotherapy. Lately, Daliya has been experiencing needle-pricking pains, backache, and chest and abdominal pains. This has affected her ability to work. On February 2nd, Daliya reported to Partners in Hope Medical Center (PIH) where it was confirmed she will need a modified radical mastectomy. Dailya and her mother were able to pay $29.88 towards her treatment and need our help raising $1,194 to cover her care, which is scheduled for February 6th. Daliya believes that the surgical operation will help her get back home to join her family and continue supporting her children. She believes her children are the reason she lives and has to be in good health for their sake as a single mother. Daliya said, ‘Kindly help me to get better for me to go back home, my children need my support for them to go back to school.”

Phikhirona is a shy 8-year-old student in grade one. Her family consists of her father, formerly employed near Children's Surgical Centre crafting prosthetic limbs, and her two elder sisters. One, aged 13, is currently in grade 5, while the other, aged 11, is navigating grade 4. Unfortunately, her mother succumbed to breast cancer several years ago, so her older sisters watch after her. In her first year of attending school, she has interest in Khmer subjects. Back at home, her cooking skills are being developed by her older sisters, who are teaching her how to prepare her favorite dish - fried pork with vegetables. Phikhirona was born with polydactyly of both hands and feet. This means that she has an extra digit on the side of both hands and polysyndactyly of her feet. On each foot, she has an extra toe that is connected, via fusing or webbing, to an adjacent toe. She faces difficulty wearing conventional shoes due to the presence of extra toes and fingers, and unfortunately, she endures teasing from other children as a result. Fortunately, on January 29th, surgeons will perform a polydactyly repair procedure to remove the extra digits of her hands. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $299 to fund this procedure. After surgery, she will feel more comfortable about her appearance, and she won't be ashamed of how her feet look. Her father shared: "I hope that the surgery will not cause any infection and the extra fingers will not grow back."