Sarun is a 72-year-old widow from Banteay Mean Chey province, Cambodia. She previously sold Chinese noodles for a living but has now stopped working because of her poor eyesight. Her husband passed away 20 years ago. She has two sons and two grandchildren. She currently lives with her oldest son, who works as a laborer harvesting potatoes. In her free time, she enjoys listening to the radio, especially monks praying, and attending ceremonies at the pagoda. About two years ago, Sarun 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. She is unable to go places on her own. When Sarun learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for 7 hours to seek treatment. On May 8th, doctors will perform a phacoemulsification cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in her left eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Now, she needs help to fund this $263 procedure. Sarun said, "I hope that after surgery, my eyesight will improve so that I can see clearly again, recognize people and surroundings easily, and return to selling Chinese noodles well."

Emmanuel is a 45-year-old hardworking father from Philippines. He previously worked as driver to support his family, but is currently unemployed, which is challenging while raising two school-going children. His wife is also unemployed, and with no steady income, the family often skip meals and mainly depend on partial repayments of debts from relatives, and occasionally borrow money from the children's uncle. Six years ago, Emmanuel began to experience troubling symptoms, including intense chest pains that radiate to his back, which prevented him from sitting or lying down. He made repeated attempts to seek treatment in public hospitals, but these were unsuccessful due to overcrowding. Emmanuel is growing increasingly worried about not being able to provide for his family, yet he remains hopeful that the surgery could alleviate his painful symptoms and reduce the financial strain on his family. Emmanuel has been diagnosed with cholelithiasis, which are hardened pieces of bile that form in the gallbladder. Doctors have advised him to undergo a cholecystectomy, which the surgical removal of the gallbladder. If left untreated, his symptoms will continue to worsen and put him at a risk of future health complications. Emmanuel is scheduled to undergo a cholecystectomy on April 11th, through our partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines (WSFP). A portion of the cost of the procedure is being supported by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and WSFP is raising the remaining $1,031 to cover the cost of Emmanuel's surgery and care. Emmanuel says: "Despite our current struggles, I remain optimistic about our future. Once I receive treatment for my condition, I'll return to work so I can provide for my family again. My wife and children keep me strong."

La Min is a 12-year-old boy from Burma. He lives with his parents and three brothers in Myawaddy, Karen State, Burma. His father is a day laborer, and his mother takes in laundry. He and his two older brothers are students, but his younger brother is too young to go to school yet. The family’s monthly income is not enough to cover the family’s daily expenses, so they often borrow money from a neighbor to get by. Since 2023, La Min has been experiencing swollen tonsils which make it difficult for him to breathe. He coughs and snores at night and has difficulty sleeping, so he sometimes has to sleep sitting upright. Because of his difficulty breathing, he gets tired easily, so his parents sometimes do not allow him to play football or cane ball with his friends. La Min was recently diagnosed with enlarged tonsils, which, if not treated, will cause his symptoms to persist and possibly intensify over time. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund a tonsillectomy for La Min, which is scheduled to take place on March 17th. Surgeons will remove his tonsils, hopefully relieving La Min of his symptoms and helping him live more comfortably. La Min said, “I look forward to eating anything I can again. Right now, my mother just cooks plain food, so I want to eat something delicious again.”

Sroeung is 43 years old and a rice farmer from Cambodia. Her husband works alongside her on the farm to support their four children. The family lives a simple life and relies mainly on seasonal rice farming income. In her free time, she manages household chores and takes care of her children. About one month ago, Sroeung experienced sudden dizziness and fell, injuring her left elbow. After the fall, she felt pain and was unable to bend or lift her elbow properly, which made it difficult for her to perform farming work and daily household activities. Initially, she sought treatment from a Khmer traditional medicine practitioner, but her condition did not improve. Later, she visited a private clinic where an X-ray examination revealed an elbow dislocation. The doctor advised her to seek specialized orthopedic treatment. After learning about our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC), from her mother, she traveled 2.5 hours to receive further evaluation and care. On March 3rd, Sroeung will undergo a reduction procedure on her left elbow. She can contribute $25, and needs help raising $427 more to fund her procedure and care. With proper treatment and recovery, her elbow function is expected to improve, allowing her to move her arm more comfortably, return to farming activities, and care for her family with less pain and difficulty. Sroeung shared, “Since I fell, my elbow has been very painful, and I cannot move it properly. It makes daily work difficult for me. I hope this treatment will help my arm heal so I can use it normally again and take care of my family.”

Mosongo is a 13-year-old boy from Tanzania. He is the third-born in a family of eight children and lives in a pastoral household where grazing livestock is his primary responsibility. Mosongo completed his primary school but was unable to progress to secondary education because of the discomfort he experienced when walking long distances to school. His parents depend on animal keeping for their livelihood and face financial constraints in accessing specialized care. Mosongo was diagnosed with bilateral genu valgus. This condition began approximately two years ago and has caused both his legs to bow inward, making his knees touch. Several factors could cause this condition, such as growth disorders, vitamin deficiencies, or excessive fluoride found in contaminated drinking water. Mosongo has progressively experienced pain in his legs, particularly during cold seasons. Despite this discomfort, he continues to assist his family with daily herding activities. If left untreated, the condition could lead to worsening pain and further limitation of mobility. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $777 to fund treatment for Mosongo. The procedure is scheduled to take place on February 3rd at our medical partner's care center, Kafika House. Treatment will hopefully restore Mosongo's mobility, allow him to participate in a variety of activities, and greatly decrease his risk of future complications. Mosongo says, "I have always enjoyed going out with my friends for long walks and taking our cattle for grazing, but recently it has been hard because my legs hurt when I walk for a while."

Thi is a 24-year-old woman from Burma. She lives with her husband in Karen State. Thi and her husband work as rubber tappers in the rubber fields, but she had to stop working in November 2025 because of her pregnancy. During her free time, she enjoys watching TikTok videos on her phone and doing her household chores. Thi is currently expecting her first child. Her doctors recommend that she deliver via a caesarean section due to a high-risk pregnancy. This way, doctors can ensure the safety of both mother and child. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is helping Thi undergo a C-Section on January 16th at our medical partner's care center, Tha Song Yang Hospital. This procedure will cost $1500, and Thi needs your support. Thi expressed her gratitude, saying, "Thank you so much to donors for assisting with my C-section costs. I feel immense happiness for your support. Without your support, I could not afford the surgery and it could endanger my life. I hope you can continue to support more patients like me and wish for the wealth and growth of your organization."

Hannah is a casual laborer from Kenya. She was married but separated from her husband, left to care for their five children alone. Hannah does casual work picking tea from her neighbors' farms to sustain her family. Her children are now grown up and also doing casual jobs. Six years ago, Hannah began to experience troubling symptoms, including a dry cough that was becoming consistent and difficulty in swallowing. She started going to different local clinics, and the treatment she received did not give her relief. Over time, she started having headaches, sometimes severe, and noted a swelling on her neck. Someone advised her to go to a big hospital, and she decided to come to our medical partner's care center, Nazareth Hospital, where she was diagnosed with a multinodular goiter, an abnormal swelling of the thyroid gland. She needs surgery to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Hannah receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on December 4th. Surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. This procedure will cost $633, and she and her family need help raising money. Hannah said, "This problem has kept me going to different places to look for help." I am worried because I need to be there for my children. I ask for support so that I can be operated on and be back to my everyday life."

Malita is a 50-year-old married mother of eight from Dedza District, Malawi. Before her illness, she lived an active life, working on a farm. Since 2022, Malita has been experiencing painful abdominal swelling. The condition has significantly affected her daily life as both a farmer and a mother. Currently, the pain is so severe that she is unable to perform any household or farming activities, and her relatives have paused their own activities to care for her. Malita had to visit several hospitals before finally being diagnosed with uterine fibroids. She needs to undergo a hysterectomy, a procedure in which surgeons will remove her uterus. Malita's family has raised some funds for her surgery, but needs help with the remaining amount. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,363 to fund Malita's surgery. On November 8th, she will undergo gynecological surgery at our medical partner's care center, Partners in Hope Medical Center. Once recovered, Malita will be able to resume her daily activities free of pain. Malita says, "I am in pain. Kindly save my life."

Meng Hong is a 17-year-old student from the Kampong Spueu province, Cambodia. He is the oldest among three siblings. His father works as a poultry farmer, and his mother manages the household and cares for the children. In his free time, he enjoys reading books, listening to music, and eating fried beef and pork. When he was seven months old, Meng Hong rolled off a bed, injuring his right leg. As he started to learn to walk, his parents noted that his right foot and ankle were misaligned, and his condition worsened over time. Meng Hong finds it difficult to walk and experiences pain in his foot and ankle. Several years ago, Meng Hong's parents took him to a children's hospital, where the recommended treatment was amputation, which his parents refused. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, can help. On October 1st, Meng Hong will undergo a fracture repair procedure to correct the position of his ankle and foot, reduce his chronic pain, and help him walk. Meng Hong and his parents believe this will allow him to focus on his studies, achieve his dream of becoming a teacher, and make it possible for him to participate in more activities with his peers. Meng Hong's family needs help to fund this $588 surgery. Meng Hong's mother said: "After the surgery, I hope my son will no longer experience pain when walking and that he can continue attending school."

Stella is a lively and cheerful six-year-old girl. She is the third of five children and brings joy to everyone around her. Her parents are small-scale farmers. Stella recently started school and is excited about learning. She loves singing with her classmates, playing simple games, and helping her mother at home. Stella has a clubfoot on her right side, a condition present since birth. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. The tissues connecting the muscle to the bones are shorter than usual, and this causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Her parents sought treatment locally in the past, but due to financial limitations, they were unable to continue. Currently, it is difficult for Stella to keep up with other children, especially when walking long distances to school. Fortunately, Stella's family traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, Kafika House. Surgeons will begin clubfoot treatment on December 16th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,119 to fund Stella's clubfoot repair. After treatment, she will walk comfortably, stay in school, and look forward to a future full of possibilities. Stella’s mother says, “I wish nothing but the best for Stella. We may lack financial means, but we will find means for her to get help.”

Noel is a 55-year-old man from the Philippines who lives with his wife and children. His wife, Annabelle, works for the government, but most of her income contributes to supporting their relatives. They have three children: the oldest is already working and helps a little with household expenses, while the two younger children are still studying. After Noel's family learned that surgery would be the best option to treat his condition, they wanted it to be done as soon as possible, knowing that his health could affect how he cared for his family. Eleven months ago, Noel began to experience troubling symptoms, including difficulty swallowing, pressure in his neck, and shortness of breath. He was diagnosed with multinodular non-toxic goiter. He needs thyroid removal surgery to prevent his symptoms from getting worse. Fortunately, our medical partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines (WSFP), is helping Noel receive treatment. He is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on December 29th at Our Lady of Peace Hospital. Surgeons will remove all or part of his thyroid gland to reduce his pain and allow him to return to caring for his family. Some of the costs will be covered by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation. However, Noel still needs help with the remaining $935 to cover the rest of his care. Noel says, "Knowing the cost of my surgery would be covered gave me comfort and motivated me to move forward with the operation. Now, I can concentrate on my recovery. Thank you to everyone who is making this happen."