Kasemrad Prachachuen Hospital

Pan Ei is a 24-year-old woman from Burma. Pan Ei’s father is a farmer. Her mother is receiving kidney dialysis treatment and cannot work. Her siblings help their father on the farm. In her free time, she enjoys playing with children and loves playing football. In the future, she hopes to work hard so she can support her family. Pan Ei was diagnosed with a heart condition that requires valve replacement. Heart valves control the flow of blood between chambers, but certain conditions may narrow the heart valve or cause the blood to flow backwards. Normal valve function is necessary to prevent long-term damage to the heart and lungs. Currently, Pan Ei suffers from fatigue, insomnia, and pain in her finger joints. Aside from her symptoms, she worries about her health condition and the financial burden of repaying debts. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund a heart valve replacement for Pan Ei. The treatment is scheduled to take place on January 17th and, once completed, will hopefully allow her to live more comfortably. Pan Ei expresses her gratitude, saying, “Thank you for helping me with financial support. When I heard that your organization and your donors would provide financial support for me, I felt deeply grateful. Thank you so much for helping with the surgery cost.”

Htay is a 44-year-old woman from Burma. She lives with her husband, her daughter, and her son in Myawaddy Township, Karen State, Burma. Her husband is unable to walk and is unemployed due to an injury. Their daughter works part time at the registration department in Myawaddy and their son is a high school student. Htay is a homemaker and sells betel nuts and betel leaves from her home for living. Her family income is just enough to cover their daily expenses, but they have to borrow money for basic healthcare. . Htay was born with a heart condition called patent ductus arteriosis (PDA). PDA is a persistent opening between two major blood vessels leading from the heart. When a baby is growing in the womb the opening is necessary to provide adequate blood and oxygen, but this typically closes after birth. When it remains open, it can weaken the heart and cause other complications. Currently, Htay experiences tiredness and difficulty breathing sometimes. She feels like her condition is slowly getting worse. Htay is stressed about her condition and worries about her future. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to support surgery that will close off the patent ductus arteriosis for Htay. The treatment is scheduled to take place on March 17th and, once completed, will hopefully allow her to live more comfortably. Htay said, “Due to my poor health condition, I cannot help with household chores like I did before. I feel too tired to walk to the market to buy vegetables for cooking. Moreover, I worry that I would not be able to continue my daily tasks if I do not receive surgery.”

Win Swe is a 25-year-old man from Burma. He lives with his uncle, cousin, and aunt in a refugee camp in Ratchaburi Province, Thailand. His parents live in Burma, but since 2013, Win Swe has been staying with his uncle’s family for better educational opportunities. In the refugee camp, Win Swe’s aunt works as a member of the camp committee, while his uncle works as an agricultural day labourer outside of the camp. His uncle usually can only find work for about 5-8 days each month. His cousin is a medic who serves at the clinic in the camp. Previously, Win Swe used to work as a day labourer with his uncle, but due to his health condition, he cannot work anymore. They can access free basic health care inside the camp. When Win Swe was 18 years old, he started to feel tired while walking or carrying objects heavier than 20 kilograms, so he stopped going to school as he could not walk long distances. He went to the local clinic in the refugee camp, and the doctor suspected heart disease and presented his condition to the International Rescue Committee (IRC). The IRC referred him to a hospital for testing. He was diagnosed with congenital heart disease. Yet, since he was 18, he was told that he was too old to receive support from the IRC for a congenital heart condition, so he did not seek further treatment. In July 2024, Win Swe underwent an ECHO recommended by the doctor. Afterwards, the doctor diagnosed Win Swe with a ventricular septal defect (VSD) and told him that he would need surgery to repair the hole in his heart before it got any worse. Currently, Win Swe experiences fatigue, heart palpitations, rapid breathing, and sometimes chest pain after walking for even a few minutes. His symptoms have prevented him from working, leaving him feeling stressed and ashamed of having to depend on his uncle. Fortunately, our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, can help. On April 10th, Win Swe will undergo heart surgery so he can live more comfortably and be able to work. He needs help raising $1,500 to fund the cost of his treatment and care. Win Swe says, "Thank you to your organization for helping me and finding the donors for me. There is no way for me to receive treatment without your support.”

Htet is an 18-year-old boy from Burma. He is a student and lives with his mother who is a homemaker. His father is an agricultural day laborer in Karen State, Burma. Htet has a heart condition that requires replacement of two heart valves (aortic and mitral) and repair of the tricuspid valve. These valves control the blood flow between the chambers of the heart and are necessary to prevent long-term damage to the heart and lungs. Htet is experiencing a rapid heartbeat and difficulty breathing. He cannot walk long distances or he becomes fatigued. He has little appetite, and he is losing weight. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 for this complex surgery. The treatment is scheduled to take place at our medical partner's care center, Kasemrad Prachachuen Hospital, on October 10th and, once completed, will hopefully allow him to live more comfortably and have a more active and healthy life ahead. Htet said, “I am very thankful to all the donors and BCMF for covering my treatment. Without the help of BCMF, I might have died because we couldn't afford the cost of my treatment. When I recover fully, I want to find a job to support my family.”

18-year-old Say has been living with his grandparents, aunt, and five cousins in a refugee camp in Ratchaburi Province, Thailand. Originally from Tanintharyi Division, Burma, Say’s parents sent him to the refugee camp to continue his studies in May 2024, because of frequent armed conflict near their village. Since he regularly missed school due to poor health, Say could not pass his exams last year, and did not return to school in May 2025. Instead, he has joined a vocational training course, covering basic computer skills, in the camp. The family receives cash support and basic health care from international aid agencies. In June 2024, Say developed a fever and started to experience nosebleeds, palpitations, fatigue, and chest pain. He was admitted for a week to the camp hospital, where the doctor diagnosed him with dengue fever and provided oral medication. He was referred to another hospital for additional treatment. During his hospital stay, Say underwent an echocardiogram (ECHO) that showed he has a ventricular septal defect, with pulmonary hypertension. Doctors explained that Say has a hole in his heart and needs surgery. However, he and his family are unable to afford the cost of this procedure. Fortunately, Say was referred to our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund. On July 1st, Say will undergo heart surgery to correct his ventricular septal defect. Say needs your help to raise $1,500 to cover the cost of Say's treatment and care. Say said, “I had to skip school frequently due to my health issues, which led me to drop out of school. I was very sad that my surgery would not happen due to financial problems. However, I am glad since I learned that BCMF can find donors to support my surgery. I will continue my education after the surgery.”

Tha Zin is a 25-year-old woman from Burma. She lives with her husband in Karen State, Burma. The couple works as subsistence farmers, but her husband occasionally takes on day labor jobs to earn extra income. Tha Zin was born with an atrial septal defect (ASD), a condition in which a hole exists between the two upper chambers of the heart. Sometimes ASDs may close on their own during development, but sometimes this condition requires surgery to repair the hole and prevent long-term damage to the heart and lungs. Currently, Tha Zin still feels tired when walking long distances and occasionally experiences chest pain. Medications help manage her symptoms, but she sometimes struggles to sleep well. Her heart condition has affected her ability to work on the farm, and she relies more on her husband’s support. The frequent travel for healthcare has also placed a financial burden on her family. Her husband often has to take time off work to accompany her to medical appointments. Tha Zin is scheduled to undergo heart surgery on May 20th. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to cover the cost of Tha Zin's procedure and care. For the future, Tha Zin said, “I dream of opening a small food shop, because I cannot work in the hot sun anymore.”

Nyi is a 16-year-old boy from Burma. He lives with his parents, older brother, and two younger brothers in Mon State, Burma. Nyi finished sixth grade but discontinued his education, hoping to find a job. His mother is a homemaker, and his father works as a cargo carrier. In his free time, Nyi enjoys repairing things like electronic devices for fun. Nyi was diagnosed with a heart condition that requires valve replacement. Heart valves control the flow of blood between chambers, but certain conditions may narrow the heart valve or cause the blood to flow backward. Normal valve function is necessary to prevent long-term damage to the heart and lungs. Currently, Nyi still suffers from tiredness and breathlessness on exertion. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund a heart valve replacement for Nyi. The treatment is scheduled to take place on May 10th. After his recovery, he should be able to live more comfortably. Nyi said, “After my full recovery, I want to find work so I can help my family." Nyi’s mother added, “Thank you so much to BCMF and the donors for helping with my son’s treatment costs.”

Paw is a 40-year-old woman from Burma. She lives with her younger sister, niece, and nephew in a refugee camp in Tak Province, Thailand. She and her sister’s family fled to the refugee camp in 2023 due to the military situation in their area in Burma. In the refugee camp, they receive cash support from an international aid agency. Paw's sister helps out at their church with cleaning, special events, and weekly decorations. In exchange, she sometimes receives pay for her work or donations from the church. Paw helps with household chores, while her niece and nephew are students. They receive free basic health care in the refugee camp provided by the International Rescue Committee (IRC). In her free time, Paw loves to read the Bible and also listen to gospel songs or her pastor preaching online. In the future, she plans to open a small shop at home to make different snacks and sell them. Paw has a heart condition that requires replacement of two heart valves, the aortic and mitral valves, and repair of the tricuspid valve. These valves control the blood flow between the chambers of the heart and are necessary to prevent long-term damage to the heart and lungs. Currently, Paw feels tired when she walks or climbs the stairs. She still helps her sister with household chores, but she often feels tired and needs to rest before finishing her chores. She cannot sleep well at night and has a poor appetite. Aside from her symptoms, she feels stressed about her condition. Her sister also feels worried for her and sad seeing her suffer. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 for this complex surgery. The treatment is scheduled to take place on July 9th. Once completed, she will hopefully live more comfortably and have a more active and healthy life ahead. Paw said, “I used to make different snacks when I was in Burma for sale, but now due to my condition and often feeling tired, I can no longer make it.”

Zaw is a 13-year-old student from Burma. He lives in Karen State, Burma, with his grandparents, father, and brother. Zaw’s father used to work in Bangkok, Thailand, but returned to Burma in early 2025 to help look after Zaw. His mother works as a domestic worker in Bangkok and sends money to Zaw’s grandparents every month to cover their daily expenses and pay for basic health care. Zaw’s grandparents are retired and look after him and his brother. Zaw enjoys playing cane ball and football in his free time. Zaw was diagnosed with a heart condition that requires valve replacement. Heart valves control the flow of blood between chambers, but certain conditions may narrow the heart valve or cause the blood to flow backward. Normal valve function is necessary to prevent long-term damage to the heart and lungs. Currently, Zaw sometimes has a rapid heartbeat, and he experiences some fatigue when he plays and walks longer distances. He also needs to take medication regularly. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund a heart valve replacement for Zaw. The treatment is scheduled to take place on July 11th and, once completed, will allow him to live more comfortably. Zaw's father said, “When I learned that he could get surgery in Bangkok, I felt hopeless because we don’t have money. Our family’s income is just enough to cover our family expenses. Thank you so much for your support for him and my family.” And Zaw shared, “I want to play football again once I have fully recovered, and I want to become an engineer when I grow up.”