Saw is a 30-year-old father of three who lives in Burma. He works as a day laborer, sometimes as a mason and sometimes as a carpenter, and he additionally grows food on his own farm for his family. Saw has been experiencing heart problems and, since the recent intensification of his condition, has not been able to go away for work or do any hard manual labor. This has cost him wages and the ability to provide for his family. Upon visiting the doctor, Saw was diagnosed with atrial septal defect, or a hole in the wall that separates the heart's two upper chambers. Without treatment, Saw is at risk of further medical complications and irreparable damage to his heart and lungs. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund heart surgery for Saw, which is scheduled to take place on July 19. The hole in his heart will be closed, and, once the treatment is complete, Saw will hopefully be able to live much more comfortably.

Than Win is a 42-year-old woman from Burma. She and her husband work as agricultural day laborers. Their tasks range from picking vegetables to carrying firewood and sacks of sawdust. They take every job that they are offered, but sometimes there are no jobs available. At times, they have had to get a loan from a moneylender. In June, Than Win began to experience cramping in her stomach. Over time, the pain worsened. Soon, she was feeling abdominal pain every day. She could not move or work, and she was experiencing headaches and dizziness. Often, her husband or a neighbor had to stay home from work to care for her. In September, Than Win visited a nearby clinic, where she received medication. The medication relieved her symptoms, allowing her to return to work three days a week. Then, she visited our medical partner’s hospital, Mae Sot General Hospital, at the beginning of November. She underwent a pap smear and a blood test. Doctors discovered a cyst on her right ovary. On December 2, she underwent an oophorectomy surgery. Due to Than Win’s condition, her husband has been the sole income earner in the family for months. He cannot afford this $913 procedure. Quality healthcare in Burma is inaccessible and very expensive, but Than Win was fortunate to receive help from our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund. Than Win is looking forward to returning to work and helping her husband.