Mae Sariang Hospital

Bae is a 63-year-old man who lives with his wife and son in a refugee camp. His wife is retired while his son is unemployed. Bae works as a vendor selling boiled corn in the refugee camp. He also grows vegetables in their garden for their own consumption. Bae enjoys reading in his free time. One year ago, Bae was diagnosed with an inguinal hernia, causing him severe pain and discomfort. Fortunately, on May 3rd, he will undergo hernia repair surgery at Mae Sariang Hospital, our medical partner's care center. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,486 to fund Bae's surgery. The procedure will, hopefully, allow him to live more comfortably. Bae said, “I hope that the operation will go well, that I can be discharged in a few days and go back to the refugee camp, returning to my life as usual.”

Saw Tay is a 41-year-old man from Burma, living in a refugee camp in Thailand. Saw Tay used to work as a day laborer in a nearby village, but because of his health concerns, he has been unable to work. Saw Tay's wife is a community health worker, and his three children attend the camp school. One year ago, Saw Tay developed an irreducible inguinal hernia. This causes him discomfort and he has not been able to work for the past few months. Fortunately, on July 18th, Saw Tay will undergo corrective surgery. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,486 to fund this procedure. Following the surgery, his symptoms will be alleviated, allowing him to live more comfortably. Saw Tay said, “I would like to feel better and free from discomfort of pain and I would like to work properly again. I am hoping to recover after I receive surgery.”

Naw Hser is a 21-year-old woman, currently living in a refugee camp in Thailand with her husband, son, parents-in-law, and two brothers-in-law. She is originally from Karen State in Myanmar, and has been at the refugee camp since March 2020. Her plans to return to Myanmar after visiting her brother were interrupted by unexpected COVID-19 travel restrictions and the ensuing civil war, leaving her far away from her home. Presently, her husband works twice a week as a laborer, unloading food rations from trucks. Naw Hser and her parents-in-law manage the household, while one of her brothers-in-law is a student and the other works as a day laborer. Her husband's aunt, who lives in the US sends them 3,300 baht (approx. 100 USD) once a year. They also receive 1,172 baht (approx. 39 USD) on a cash card every month from The Border Consortium. Their total monthly income of 3,047 baht (approx. 102 USD) is hardly enough to cover their basic needs. They receive free basic health care in the hospital in the refugee camp. Naw Hser is currently expecting her second child. Due to a higher-risk pregnancy, her doctors have recommend that she deliver via a caesarean section. This way, doctors can ensure the safety of both mother and child. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is helping Naw Hser undergo a C-Section on August 14th. This procedure will cost $1500, and Naw Hser needs your support. Naw Hser says: "I aspire to become an assistant teacher at a nursery school in the future."

Hsit is a 16-year-old girl living with her family in a refugee camp in Mae Hong Son Province, Thailand. She shares her home with her parents, two older sisters, two older brothers, and two younger sisters. While Hsit and her younger sisters focus on their studies, her oldest brother works as a day laborer, and the rest of her siblings are currently unemployed. Her mother weaves traditional Karen shirts, with help from her older sister, and her father occasionally takes on day labor jobs. Unfortunately, their combined income is insufficient to meet their needs, forcing them to borrow rice to get by each month. In her free time, Hsit enjoys spending time with her friends at the monastery, helping with cleaning tasks. Recently, however, she has faced a health challenge. She started experiencing severe abdominal pain, dizziness, and difficulty sleeping. After seeing a doctor, she was diagnosed with appendicitis and now urgently needs surgery to prevent her condition from worsening. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is helping Hsit receive treatment. On September 3rd, she is scheduled to undergo surgery to remove the infected appendix at Mae Sariang Hospital. This procedure will cost $1,500, and Hsit and her family need your support. Hsit's older sister says, "I feel very sad and worried when I see her in so much pain. My only wish is that she gets well soon."

Naw Htee is a 23-year-old woman from Thailand who lives with her family in a refugee camp. Her older sister works at the library, and her husband works as a day labourer. During her free time, Naw Htee enjoys weaving traditional Karen shirts. However, she stopped weaving when she was further along in her pregnancy, as she cannot sit and weave comfortably. Naw Htee is currently expecting her first child. Her doctors recommend that she deliver via a caesarean section because she is experiencing pre-eclampsia and cephalopelvic disproportion. By delivering via a C-section, her doctors can ensure the safety of both mother and child. Fortunately, our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF), is helping Naw Htee undergo a C-Section on September 5th. This procedure will cost $1500, and Naw Htee needs your support. Naw Htee's husband shared: "I am very worried about my wife and child. I hope that they are safe."

Saw Blae is an infant who currently lives in Thailand. He lives with his parents, three siblings, and five cousins in a refugee camp. His parents are not able to work in the camp, and his siblings and cousins all attend refugee camp school. Basic healthcare is provided and their family relies on small cash cards given by non-government organizations working in the camp. Blae's uncle in the United States also sends them some money to support them with food when he can. They work hard to make ends meet with their total monthly income. When Saw Blae was 11 months old, there was swelling and discomfort in a sensitive region in his body. He was diagnosed with a hernia and requires surgery. Fortunately, Saw Blae is scheduled for surgery on October 1st and our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, requests $1,468 to fund this procedure. The treatment will hopefully allow him to live more comfortably and be active as he grows. Saw Blae's mother said, "I was sad when I learned that my son would need an operation. I understand that his problem can only be corrected through an operation, and I hope his operation will go well."

Naw Kay is a 23-year-old woman from Thailand. She lives together with her husband, her son, two little brothers, her parents and her grandmother in a refugee camp in Mae Hong Son Province, Thailand. She is originally from Burma, but she fled to the refugee camp with her family in June 2011 due to armed conflict in their area. She got married and worked at a women's organization for a year after she graduated from school. She stopped working when she became three months pregnant. Presently, Naw Kay is a homemaker, taking care of her son. Her husband works in the Camp Information Team. His salary is 1000 baht (approx. $32 USD) per month. Every month the family receives 2,349 baht (approx. $78 USD) from The Border Consortium. Their monthly total income is not enough to cover their daily expenses. They receive free basic health care in the refugee camp, provided by Malteser International (MI) Thailand. Naw Kay is currently expecting her second child. Due to a high risk pregnancy, her doctors recommend that she deliver via a caesarean section. This way, doctors can ensure the safety of both mother and child. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is helping Nay Kay undergo a C-Section on October 2nd. This procedure will cost $1500, and Nay Kay needs your support. Naw Kay says, "In the future, I aspire to work as a midwife or nurse in a camp hospital, contributing to the well-being of my community."

Win is an 11-year-old student from Burma who lives with his family in a refugee camp in Thailand. His father has a shop in the camp while his mother is a homemaker. Win and his three younger brothers attend school in the camp. During his free time, he enjoys playing football and sometimes watching cartoons on YouTube. One day ago, Win began to experience troubling symptoms, including abdominal pain and vomiting. He was diagnosed with appendicitis and now needs surgery to prevent his condition from worsening. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is helping Win receive treatment. He is scheduled to undergo an appendectomy, a surgery to remove the appendix when it becomes infected, on October 10th. This procedure will cost $1500, and Win and his family need your support. “I have pain in my abdomen and I cannot touch it. It is very painful. I want this pain to stop,” said Win.