Pov is a 66-year-old loving grandmother from Cambodia. She has two sons, five daughters, and twenty-two grandchildren. She retired from her work as a rice farmer and lives with her youngest daughter, who is a garment worker. In her free time, Pov enjoys listening to the monks pray on the radio, visiting the local pagoda, and cooking for her grandchildren. A year ago, Pov developed a cataract in her left eye that causes her blurry vision. She cannot see well in low or bright light and is afraid to go outside by herself. She also has difficulty seeing things clearly, including colors and faces, and is worried about falling when walking. As a result, she cannot go places independently. When Pov learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), she traveled for an hour seeking treatment. On September 29th, doctors will perform cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in her left eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. CSC is requesting $253 to fund her procedure. Pov shared, "I hope I can I go outside by myself and see faces well again. I want to help my daughter take care of my grandchildren."

Ruth is a widowed farmer in her 50s from Uganda. She lost her husband in 2006, leaving her with 6 children (2 sons and 4 daughters). All her daughters are married and farmers but her sons are still studying. She shared that she only managed to study up to 6th grade because her parents never valued education for girls. She does farming for a living but has to augment her income with manual labour work in other people’s gardens to pay school fees for her sons. For several months now, Ruth has been experiencing bleeding, severe lower abdominal pain, backache, and dizziness to an extent that she couldn’t even walk. She has been diagnosed with severe uterine bleeding. She needs to undergo a hysterectomy, a procedure in which surgeons will remove her uterus. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $219 to fund Ruth's surgery. On December 1st, she will undergo gynecological surgery at our medical partner's care center. Once recovered, Ruth will be able to resume her daily activities free of pain. Ruth says, “I never got a chance to get an education, I have been working so hard to see that my children don’t suffer the way I have suffered by providing them some education. However, in such poor health, I won’t be able to make them reach where I want them. I need your support.”

Thet is a 35 year old husband and father, who lives with his wife, son and in-laws in Mon State in Burma. Both Thet and his wife work in his uncle's grocery store, while his in laws are farmers. When he isn't working, Thet enjoys spending time with his son and reading. In November 2018, Thet started to experience tiredness when working, and frequent headaches. He also had a rapid heartbeat, and he couldn't sleep well. He went to a hospital in Mawlamyine, where he was referred to a different hospital in Yangon for further treatment. At the hospital in Yangon, Thet was diagnosed with mitral valve regurgitation and stenosis, which would require surgery to correct. Thet was sent home with medications to manage his condition. In March 2022, Thet went back to the hospital in Yangon, because of continuing fatigue, headaches, coughing and fever. The doctor told him they would contact him to schedule his surgery in May, but Thet never heard back from the hospital. When Thet told his neighbor about this, his neighbor gave him the phone number of a heart patient who had been helped by our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF). Thet followed up, and thanks to the assistance of Burma Children Medical Fund, he is finally scheduled for surgery to replace the valve in his heart on October 13th, at Pun Hlaing Hospital. Now Thet needs your help to fund the $1,500 to cover the cost of this surgery. "I have sold all my jewelry to pay for the cost of traveling to the hospital. I feel less stressed since I met the BCMF staff,” said Thet.

Meet Hour! He lives in Cambodia with his parents, who both work as farmers. His 26-year-old brother works as a seller at a local market. Hour completed school up to 6th grade, but he no longer attends. He enjoys spending time listening to music, playing games, and meeting friends. When he was a toddler, Hour was diagnosed with hemophilia, a medical condition that severely reduces the ability of blood to clot. This causes him to bleed heavily from even slight injuries. Four months ago, Hour began experiencing pain in his hips. He was diagnosed with bilateral hip necrosis, a painful condition that occurs when the blood supply to the head of the femur, or thighbone, is disrupted. Because bone cells need a steady supply of blood to stay healthy, his condition can ultimately lead to the destruction of his hip joint. Hour is currently unable to walk without support, has anemia, and is in chronic pain. Fortunately, our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), is helping him receive treatment. On August 10th, he will undergo a joint replacement, called an uncemented hip arthroplasty. CSC is requesting $1,500 to fund Hour's treatment and care. Hour shares, "I am thankful that I have a chance to have a new hip. This treatment will help me be able to work to help my family in the future."

Myo is 13-year-old boy from Burma. He lives with his parents in a village in Karen State. His mother is a homemaker and she is currently eight months pregnant. His father is a subsistence farmer but he also works as a day laborer to earn money. Myo is in grade six and he enjoys playing football in his free time. Two years ago, Myo was playing football with his friends. While playing, his friend tried to kick the ball but accidentally kicked him in his left forearm. Right away he was in a lot of pain, but his arm did not look broken. At first, the pain lessened, but gradually the pain worsened and his upper left forearm became swollen. Myo could also feel a mass under the swollen area of his left forearm. After he and his father were brought to Chiang Mai Hospital, the doctor thought he might have cancer in his left forearm. Doctors want Myo to undergo an MRI, an imaging procedure that uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce images of bodily organs. This scan will hopefully help doctors diagnose his condition and formulate an appropriate treatment plan. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $814 to cover the cost of Myo's MRI and care, scheduled for October 5th. "I have not been able to work nor save money since I need to accompany my son [Myo] while he gets treatment," said Myo's father. "So I want to say thank you to all the donors who have agreed to help my child.”

Exavier is an adorable 5-month-old baby from Haiti who has been diagnosed with hydrocephalus, a condition in which excess cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the brain and increases intracranial pressure. As a result of his condition, Exavier's head circumference has increased. Without treatment, he will experience severe physical and developmental delays. Our medical partner, Project Medishare, is requesting $897 to cover the cost of surgery for Exavier at Hospital Bernard Mevs. This is the only site in the country where this care is currently available, and the procedure is scheduled to take place on August 26th. This critical treatment will drain the excess fluid from his brain to reduce intracranial pressure and greatly improve his quality of life. With proper treatment, Exavier will hopefully develop into a strong, healthy young boy. Exavier's family shares that they hope the surgery with allow him to grow, attend school, and play with the other children.

Lonh is a 23-year-old father from Cambodia. He is married and has one son, who just started school. He and his wife are both rice farmers, but Lonh began working at a restaurant in Phnom Penh, Cambodia's capital city, for additional income. During his free time, he enjoys fishing, playing football, and listening to music with his wife. Last November, Lonh fell in a rice paddy field, a flooded field used for growing crops. This fall left him with an injured right knee that became very hard and swollen. After paying close attention to the injured area, he noticed that he had developed a tumor. A biopsy of the mass revealed that he has osteosarcoma, a rare type of bone cancer that commonly originates in the long bones. Lonh currently experiences persistent pain and difficulty sleeping. He is also unable to walk or work. When Lonh learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), he traveled for six hours seeking treatment. On August 4th, surgeons at CSC will perform an above-the-knee amputation to treat his cancer. Now, Lonh needs help funding this $479 procedure. Lonh shares, "I hope after this surgery I will be able to return to my family and see my son grow up."