Aitana is a young girl from Bolivia. She lives with her mom and her dad, who have a small convenience store. Aitana has a twin sister and an older brother; they live in the northern part of Bolivia. Where they live, there are no cardiologists. So, when her mom noticed that her heart was beating too fast, she took her to a different area where she found out she had a heart condition and needed surgery. Aitana has a cardiac condition called an atrial septal defect. A hole exists between the two upper chambers of her heart: blood leaks through this hole, leaving her weak and short of breath. On April 15th, Aitana will undergo cardiac surgery at our medical partner's care center, Hospital del Niño Dr. Ovidio Aliaga Uría. During surgery, surgeons will sew a patch over the hole so that blood can no longer leak through it. Aitana's family needs help to fund the costs of cardiac care and surgery. Our medical partner, International Cardiac Alliance, requests $1,500 to cover the cost of cardiac exams and diagnostics, surgical costs, follow-up care, and medications. Aitana's mother shared, "We were looking forward to this day, I trust everything will go well, I pray for that."

Salorn is 44 years old and a mother of two from Cambodia. Her husband is a construction worker. Their oldest child is married, and the youngest is in Grade 5. In her free time, she enjoys watching the news on her phone and doing household chores. In 2018, Salorn developed right calcaneum osteomyelitis, a condition where bacteria penetrate the bone tissue and bone marrow, often involving the surrounding soft tissues. She experiences constant pain, discharge, and difficulty walking, requiring a crutch to maintain balance. Her condition has limited her mobility and ability to work. She visited a hospital in Vietnam, where doctors recommended surgery, but she could not afford the cost. Salorn was referred to our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), where she underwent several surgeries in 2020. For a time, she was able to walk and move more comfortably again. However, a year ago, the pain returned, and her condition worsened. Again, Salorn traveled to CSC for four hours seeking treatment. On March 18th, surgeons at CSC will perform a debridement procedure to relieve pain, remove infected tissue, and restore her ability to walk and return to work. Now, Salorn needs help to fund this $412 procedure. Salorn said, “After the surgery, I truly hope that I can finally walk without pain again, regain my strength, and return to work so I can better support my family and give my youngest child a brighter future.”

Jana is a four-year-old young girl from El Bagre, Colombia. She is an active, cheerful preschooler who loves spending time with her family and enjoys music and dancing. Even at a young age, Jana shows a caring heart and dreams of becoming a doctor one day so she can help people, or animals, in need. Unfortunately, Jana has developed severe dental caries and infections. Because of her young age, she requires extensive dental treatment under general anesthesia to safely address the problem. At times, Jana feels sad because other children tease her about her teeth, and she hopes her teeth can be fixed. Our medical partner, Clinica Noel, is requesting $868 to fund treatment for her infection and severe tooth decay under general anesthesia on March 20th. Doctors hope this care will allow Jana to grow up healthy, free from pain, and able to smile with confidence. Jana's mother shares, "To anyone who wants to do their bit to help my daughter, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. We are a low-income family; I am a single mother, I do odd jobs, and unfortunately, I do not have the financial means to cover the treatment she needs, as it is very expensive. God bless every person who can help make this surgery possible. My daughter dreams of the day when she can smile without fear or pain. She always tells me, 'Mom, when I have my pretty teeth, I'm going to laugh all the time, and they won't hurt anymore.' That is her greatest wish, and hopefully we will see it come true very soon. May God reward you for your support, solidarity, and prayers."

Srey Neang is 18 years old and a twelfth-grade student from a small village in Prey Veng Province, Cambodia. She lives with her parents, who are rice farmers. She is the second of four siblings; her older brother works in a garment factory, while her two younger siblings are in school. She enjoys studying literature, which is her favorite subject at school, and she hopes to become a teacher in the future. In her free time, she likes listening to music and helping with housework. Her favorite food is spicy stir-fried chicken. Srey Neang has had scoliosis since she was 13 years old, a condition in which the spine curves abnormally to one side, often forming a “C” or “S” shape. As she has grown, the curve in her spine has progressively worsened and now bends toward the right side. This condition causes frequent pain and makes it difficult for her to sit for extended periods. Because of this, she struggles to concentrate in class and feels worried about being bullied by her classmates due to her appearance. She also experiences difficulty walking, which further affects her daily life. In the past, Srey Neang had not sought hospital treatment because her family could not afford the cost. Recently, a relative informed her family about our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC). On February 6th, surgeons at CSC will implant a metal “growing rod” into her spine to help correct the curve and allow for continued spinal growth. Her family can only afford to contribute $75 and needs help with the remaining $1,425. This will cover the costs of surgery, the implant, and post-operative care, including physiotherapy. Srey Neang's mother said, “After the surgery, I hope that Srey Neang will no longer have any pain so that she can do a good job at school and focus on her studies.”

Chan is a 31-year-old construction worker from Cambodia. He lives in Kampong Cham province with his wife, who is a rice farmer. He has three children; his eldest child works in a garment factory, while his two younger children are still students. In his free time, Chan helps his wife in the rice fields and takes care of his children. Twenty days ago, Chan was involved in a traffic accident between a motorcycle and a car. The car ran over his foot, causing serious injury to his right foot. Several days after the accident, a local clinic amputated his 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th toes. However, he still has a degloving injury, a traumatic injury where skin and underlying soft tissues are torn away. Chan has a large open wound and experiences pain and stiffness at the site. He cannot walk and needs to use crutches to maintain balance, which has prevented him from working. When Chan learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, he traveled for five hours seeking treatment. On January 16th, surgeons at CSC will perform a skin graft procedure to close the massive wound, prevent severe infection, and restore function by replacing lost skin. The treatment will reduce pain, improve wound healing, and help Chan regain the ability to walk more easily. Chan can contribute $25 to his care, but needs help to raise $558 more to fund his treatment. Chan said, "After the surgery, I hope that I will be able to walk without pain again, so I can return to my job and earn some money to support my family."

Mu Tha is a 42-year-old woman from Burma. She lives with her husband, her son, and her daughter in a refugee camp in Tha Song Yang District, Tak Province, Thailand. Mu Tha and her family have been living in the camp since 2006. Both of her children go to school in the camp. Mu Tha works as a health worker in the camp's clinic. Her husband occasionally works as a motorbike taxi driver in the camp. In late 2024, Mu Tha has been experiencing sharp pain in her right lower abdomen and back pain. She has been diagnosed with a myoma with a right ovarian cyst. She has been advised to undergo a total abdominal hysterectomy, the surgical removal of her uterus and cervix. If left untreated, Mu Tha's symptoms will continue to worsen and put her at risk for further health complications in the future. Fortunately, Mu Tha is scheduled to undergo her hysterectomy on January 8th. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of her procedure and care. Once recovered, this procedure will help Mu Tha be free of pain and able to resume her work. Due to her condition, Mu Tha has had to take time off from work while going for her treatment. She said, “I want to get surgery soon so that I can work happily and free from stress and worry. I would also like to say thank you very much to your organization and all your donors for your generous support."

Jimmy is a resilient husband from the Philippines. His children already have families of their own, and he does not rely on them financially. Instead, Jimmy and his wife depend mainly on his pension to meet their daily needs. He once worked abroad to sustain his family. However, due to physical pain and the effects of aging, he now hopes to undergo surgery so he can recover and return to work without worry. Four years ago, Jimmy developed an umbilical hernia. This hernia causes him pain on his side and after eating. It also gives him so much discomfort that he prefers not to move at times. Before his illness, Jimmy stayed active by playing basketball, but today he spends most of his time at home with his wife. His family encourages him to have the operation, so he no longer has to suffer. Fortunately, on April 17th, Jimmy will undergo a hernia repair surgery at our medical partner's care center, Our Lady of Peace Hospital. The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation is supporting a portion of the cost of Jimmy's treatment. Our medical partner is requesting the remaining $1,038 to cover the cost of his surgery and care. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully allow him to live more comfortably and confidently. "I am very grateful for this surgery. I know that my discomfort will go away after the operation. I am quite optimistic about moving normally again," says Jimmy.

Thina is a six-year-old first-grader from Cambodia. She lives in Phnom Penh with her parents, who work as cooks in a Chinese restaurant. Thina attends a school near her house, and dreams of becoming a nurse when she grows up. In her free time, she likes playing with her friends from school and playing with slime. She also enjoys lemongrass sour soup and fresh bread. For the past three years, Thina has been experiencing snoring, persistent sore throats, and difficulty swallowing. These symptoms make her feel lethargic and frequently cause her to miss school. Thina was recently diagnosed with enlarged tonsils and adenoids, which, if not treated, will cause her symptoms to persist and possibly intensify over time. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $345 to fund a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy for Thina, which is scheduled to take place on November 12th. Surgeons will remove her tonsils and adenoids, hopefully relieving Thina of her symptoms and helping her live much more comfortably. Thina's father said, “After the surgery, I hope that my daughter will be able to sleep and swallow easily, so she can focus more on school and grow up healthy.”

Aung is a 42-year-old man from Burma. He lives by himself in a refugee camp in Mae Sot District, Tak Province, Thailand. He is unemployed, and the community provides him with free accommodation, food, and basic healthcare, as he has no relatives to look after him. Sometimes he weeds by hand in someone’s yard for some money. Aung underwent a colostomy, in which the end of the colon is brought through an opening in the abdominal wall. This surgery is often performed to bypass bowel malformations, but colostomies are usually temporary and may call for reversal. In Aung's case, his colostomy requires reversal to restore bowel function and prevent future complications. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF), is requesting $1,500 to cover the cost of a reverse colostomy for Aung. The surgery is scheduled to take place on November 11th and, once completed, will hopefully allow him to live more comfortably and confidently. Aung said, “When the doctor talked about the treatment cost, I felt sad, and I decided not to undergo the treatment since I have nothing, and I cannot afford it. But when I know that BCMF and donors are going to support my treatment, I feel happy. When I recover, I am going to find a job and earn money to support myself.”

Thol is a grandmother from Kampong Thom province, Cambodia. She is an 80-year-old widow and has two daughters, four sons, and twelve grandchildren. Her husband passed away almost twenty years ago, and Thol has lived with her children since then. She is currently living with one of her daughters, who works in a handbag factory. At home, Thol likes cooking and listening to Buddhist prayers on the radio. About one year ago, Thol developed a cataract in her left eye, causing her itchiness, tearing, and blurry vision. A cataract is a clouding of the lens of the eye, so it is like looking through a frosty or fogged-up window. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, including colors and faces, and is worried about falling when walking, so she is not able to go places on her own. When Thol learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for four hours seeking treatment. On October 2nd, doctors will perform a small incision cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in her left eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Thol and her family can contribute $50, but needs help to raise $213 more to fund her procedure and care. Thol shared, "I hope after surgery my eye can see better I can recognize my family members and take better care of myself."