Paw is 52-year-old woman from Thailand. She lives with her husband, two daughters and son-in-law in a refugee camp. She and her husband are homemakers, while her eldest daughter and son-in-law are teachers. Her youngest daughter is a student. She has cataracts and she has blurred vision in both of her eyes. Because of her poor vision, she has difficulty walking around the refugee camp and she has had to stop weaving and selling traditional Karen clothes from her home-region of Burma. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund lens replacement surgery for Paw. On December 29th, doctors will perform a lens replacement, during which they will remove Paw's natural lenses and replace them with an intraocular lens implant in each eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Now, she needs help to fund this $1,500 procedure. "I hope that my treatment will be successful. I want to be able to see well. I want to continue weaving clothes in the future, and I want to live with my family for the rest of my life,” she said.

Cheng is a 48-year-old rice farmer. He is married with two sons. He is also chief of his local commune. His wife farms the rice paddies with him and his sons are students. When he is at home, he likes to watch the news and boxing on TV. Five years ago, Cheng developed a cataract in his right eye, causing him blurry vision and tearing. This has made life much more difficult for him. But when Cheng learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, he traveled for four and a half hours hoping for treatment. On November 21st, doctors will perform a phacoemulsification cataract surgery and place an intraocular lens implant in his right eye. After recovery, he will be able to see clearly again and live his full life in the future. Now, he needs help to fund this $253 procedure. Cheng said: "I hope after surgery I will see better. I want to visit places by myself and read the news."

Nat is a 40-year-old farmer, living with his wife in southern Kampot province in Cambodia. Nat and his wife have been married for 15 years, and currently, they do not have any children. They are both rainy-day rice farmers, and during the off season, Nat works on motors for neighbors to earn more income. In April 2018, Nat fell off his motorbike, and suffered a severe fracture of his left femur. He underwent surgery at a local government hospital to repair the fracture, and a nail was placed in the bone to stabilize it. Subsequently, Nat lost blood flow to his injured leg, and doctors at this local hospital recommended that it be amputated. Instead, Nat traveled for further surgery, to reconstruct one of the major blood vessels in his leg. Now, the bone is healed completely, and Nat has full function of his leg. To avoid any possible future complications and infections, he needs to have the nail removed. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, can help. On October 21st, Nat will undergo a hardware removal procedure at Kien Khleang National Rehabilitation Centre. Now he needs your help to fund the $304 cost of this procedure, which in removing the nail, will also relieve Nat of the chronic ache that he has experienced for the past four years. Nat said: "I hope the metal in my leg will be removed and I will heal quickly."

Rin is a 43-year-old mother of one. She is a construction worker and divorced from her husband. She has one son who lives with her. In her free time, she likes to listen to Khmer songs and do things around the house. Earlier this month, she was working on a roof near a high-voltage wire and suffered multiple electrical burns on her hands, feet, and head. She was taken to a referral hospital, but only received minimal dressing for her burns. The tissue damage is extensive, and she is in pain and unable to use her hands. When Rin learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for three and a half hours seeking treatment. On September 15th, surgeons at CSC will perform a skin graft surgery to to help regenerate the damaged skin. Now, she needs help to fund this $805 procedure. Rin is hopeful that after surgery her hands will be better and she will be able to work again.

Miheretu is a sweet nine month old boy, who loves to play with his mother and other children. Miheretu's father works as a day laborer, while his mother stays at home to care for their children. Sadly, the family's income is insufficient to supply adequate food for the children, leaving Miheretu nutritionally deprived. Due to the concerns of his doctors, Miheretu underwent a colostomy for what was determined to be Hirschsprung's Disease. This is a condition that is present at birth, in which the baby's colon is missing necessary nerve cells. Without these cells, the muscles of Miheretu's gut cannot move contents through his colon, which can result in the contents backing up and causing a bowel blockage. After the colostomy, Miheretu's parents brought him back home, as they were unable to pay for the additional medical care that he needs. Thanks to the intervention of a local charitable organization, Miheretu was brought to BethanyKids Myungsung Christian Medical Centre, where on January 5th, doctors from our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, will perform a Hirschsprung Pull Through. During this procedure, doctors will remove the damaged section of Miheretu's colon, which will alleviate the bowel obstruction, and allow for normal colon function. Miheretu's parents cannot afford the $1,500 cost of the surgery, and are looking to you for help. Miheretu's mother says: “If my child gets the surgery and recovers, I will give thanks to God in front of all church members and tell my testimony. I will take care of him to the best of my capacity. I want him to get an education and to get married one day.”

Sokcheat is a 50-year-old rice farmer from Cambodia. She is married and has one daughter and two sons. Her sons both work in construction and her daughter works in a clothing store. Sokcheat lives with her husband, who is also a farmer. During her free time, she likes to watch the news and movies on TV. Three years ago, Sokcheat developed a pterygium in her left eye, causing her to experience redness, irritation and tearing in her eye. Pterygiums are non-cancerous growths of the conjunctiva, a mucous layer that lubricates the eye. The growths occur when the conjunctiva is exposed to excessive sun damage and the cells grow abnormally over the pupil. Because of her condition, she now has reduced vision and experiences difficulty seeing things clearly, recognizing faces, working, and going anywhere outside. When Sokcheat learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for four and a half hours seeking treatment. Sokcheat needs a surgical procedure to remove the abnormal conjunctiva from the cornea surface and replace it with a conjunctival graft to prevent recurrence. The total cost of her procedure is $225, which covers supplies, treatment, and inpatient care for two days. The procedure is scheduled for August 11th. Sokcheat says, "I hope after surgery my eye stops burning and I will feel better. I am afraid that if I do nothing, I will not be able to see to plant rice to feed my family."

Simon is a 20-year-old who, since he was a little boy, he has worked selling goods at a nearby open market. He has no stable source of income and is currently unable to work due to his medical condition. His single mother is unable to support him. Fortunately, his friend is allowing him to stay in their single room close to the city market. Two years ago, Simon began experiencing pain in his left knee, causing him to limp as he walked. His pain eventually spread to his hip. He now cannot walk without a walking stick and has an infected hip and knee, which are limiting his mobility. After receiving a CT scan, Simon was diagnosed with septic arthritis, which is inflammation of a joint caused by an infection, and sequelae of the hip. In hopes to help his condition, Simon visited visited Kenyatta National Hospital. He has since been on medical follow-up for septic arthritis at the facility without any surgical intervention. He eventually had to stop attending the follow-up clinics due to a lack of financial resources. Fortunately, a friend told Simon about our medical partner's care center, and he traveled there to receive treatment. Now, Simon is scheduled to undergo a treatment on July 8th. This will hopefully finally help heal his condition and relieve his pain. Our medical partner is requesting $1,500 to fund his treatment. Simon shares, “I can barely move my leg without support from this walking stick. My hip is painful and my knee is just unbearable. I cannot work in my condition and therefore am struggling to survive.”

Htun is a four year old boy living with 12 other children and a pastor and his wife who are helping to raise them in Tak Province, Thailand. Htun enjoys riding bicycles, watching cartoons, and playing with action figures. Towards the beginning of April, Htun began experiencing discomfort while walking and when he was sitting down. According to his guardian, whenever Htun begins to feel pain, he will point to where the pain is coming from and cry. Htun has been diagnosed with an inguinal hernia, which will need to be treated with surgery. Fortunately, he was brought to our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, and he is now scheduled for hernia repair surgery on May 31st, at Mae Sot General Hospital. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund Htun's hernia repair surgery, after which Htun will be able to live a full and healthy life ahead. "I want to support him as if he were my own child, and I want him to feel like we are his family," shared the pastor.

Mark is a primary school student in a special need school in Nairobi. Mark wears a broad smile and is feeling proud to take his photo and share his story. Mark is the firstborn in a family of two children. Mark's parents are both hawkers at a local market in Githurai. His father sells second-hand shoes famously known as Mitumba and his mother sells t-shirts at the same market. This work results in inconsistent income for their family. Mark has a fracture and dislocation of the shoulder joint and the upper part of the bone of the arm (humerus). As a result of his disability, Mark is unable to communicate the cause of the injury, but his mother suspects he fell a couple weeks ago and injured himself. Mark is unable to use his arm and hand as a result of the fracture. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner can help. On October 5th, Mark will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation. This procedure will help him heal well and he will be able to use his arm and hand again. Now, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is helping Mark's family raise $1,500 to fund this procedure. Mark's mother shared, “Mark is struggling to use his hand. He is in constant pain and it is written all over his face. Normally, he is a jovial kid but the pain is making him frown constantly.”

Neat is a 41-year old-construction worker, who is married and has a nine-year-old daughter who is in 1st grade. Neat's wife is also a construction worker, and when Neat has free time, he repairs motorcycles to earn more money. In 2021, Neat developed an ear infection, which caused the ear drum in his right ear to perforate. As a result, Neat now experiences ear pain, hearing loss, tinnitus, discharge, and headaches, and he cannot hear clearly when he is at work. Neat traveled to Children's Surgical Centre hoping to receive treatment. On May 5th, he will undergo a procedure on his right ear, during which surgeons will close the perforation. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $487 to fund this procedure. This will cover medications, supplies, and inpatient care. Neat says: "I hope my ear heals so the infection stops and I can hear well again."

Porla is a 57-year-old farmer who is married and has two sons and two daughters. Porla's children are now married and he has several grandchildren. Porla enjoys playing with his grandchildren, drinking tea with his friends, and listening to the radio. Porla's right foot is has become severely infected from an insect bite. His foot is swollen and red making it difficult for him to walk without pain. When Porla learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), he traveled there hoping for treatment. On April 20th, surgeons will perform a skin graft procedure to help him walk easily again. CSC is helping Porla raise $487 to fund this procedure. Porla says, "I hope after surgery I heal quickly and am able to return to work and be free of pain."

Shisena is a fun-loving 8-year-old girl from Haiti. She lives with her parents and four older brothers and sisters in a neighborhood of Port-au-Prince. Shisena likes playing with her older siblings and listening to music. She goes to a special school program that she enjoys very much. Shisena was born with Down Syndrome and a condition called patent ductus arteriosus, in which a hole exists between two major blood vessels near the heart; blood leaks through this hole without passing through the lungs to obtain oxygen, leaving her weak and short of breath. Our medical partner Haiti Cardiac Alliance (HCA) is helping Shisena undergo the cardiac surgery she needs for a healthy life ahead. During the procedure, doctors will use a catheter to plug the hole with a small device. HCA is contributing $5,000 to make her treatment possible and needs to raise $1,500 to fully cover her medical care. Shisena's mom told us, "We are very thankful to everyone who is making this miracle possible for our daughter!"