Sovannareach is a six-year-old first-grade student from Prey Veng Province in Cambodia. He lives with his grandmother, who is a rice farmer, while his mother works as a factory worker to support him. His parents divorced five years ago, and he has remained close to his family. Sovannareach enjoys reading and writing Khmer, and he hopes to become a doctor when he grows up. In his free time, he likes playing football with his friends in the village. His favorite meals are lemongrass sour soup and eggs. Sovannareach was born with scoliosis, a condition in which the spine curves abnormally to one side, often resembling a “C” or “S” shape. As he has grown, his spinal curve has gradually worsened, bending toward the right side. The condition causes him pain and makes it difficult for him to sit comfortably for long periods. As a result, he sometimes struggles to concentrate in class and worries about being teased by his classmates because of his appearance. He also has difficulty walking, which affects his daily activities. In the past, Sovannareach had never received hospital treatment because his family could not afford it. However, a relative told his family about our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC). They traveled approximately four hours to CSC for a consultation and to seek specialized care. On August 11th, surgeons at CSC plan to implant a metal “growing rod” into his spine to help control the curvature while allowing his spine to continue growing. CSC is requesting $1,500 to cover the costs of his surgery, the implant, and post-operative care, including physiotherapy. Sovannareach's grandmother said, “I hope this treatment will help control my grandson’s spinal curvature as he grows and keep his spine stable. I want him to continue walking, playing, going to school, and enjoying his childhood without his condition limiting his daily life.”

Thoon is a 13-year-old girl from Burma. She lives with her parents in Phop Phra District, Tak Province, Thailand. They are originally from Karen State, Burma. They moved to Thailand in search of better job opportunities. Her parents are agricultural day laborers. In her free time, she loves to play with her friends or watch movies on her mother's phone. On July 9th, 2026, Thoon and her friends got into a motorbike accident. An X-ray showed that she fractured her left leg and jaw. She cannot walk and is in pain. With the help of our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, Thoon will undergo surgery to reset her fractured bones and ensure proper healing. The procedure is scheduled for July 15th. After surgery, Thoon will be able to walk again, look after herself, and help with household chores. Her family needs help raising $1,500 to help fund the cost of her procedure and care. Thoon's mother said, "We are unable to borrow money for her surgery. Thank you for helping my daughter."

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."

Reaksa is a hardworking barber from Takeo province, Cambodia. He lives with his parents and his sister, who works in a garment factory. His father is a truck driver, and his mother also works in a garment factory. In his free time, Reaksa enjoys listening to music and helping his parents with daily tasks around the home. In 2016, Reaksa fell down the stairs at his home, injuring his hip. Since then, he has suffered from ankylosis of the hip with severe flexion deformity, which makes it difficult for him to walk, sit, and maintain a normal posture. He also experiences back pain when sitting for long periods. After the accident, he was treated at a government hospital with medication, but his condition did not improve. He was referred to our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC), where doctors treated him with a cast. It initially relieved his pain and allowed him to walk without support. However, over time, his posture gradually worsened, and the hip deformity became more noticeable. On March 16th, Reaksa will undergo an uncemented hip replacement procedure on his left hip. Reaksa can contribute $100 for his treatment, and needs help to raise an additional $1,400 to cover surgery, a special prosthesis, medications, post-operative care, and rehabilitation. Reaksa shared, “My hip still makes it hard to sit and walk properly, and I worry about my posture getting worse. I hope the treatment at CSC will help me move more comfortably and live without pain.”

Samwel is a seven-year-old boy from Tanzania. He is the fifth child in a family of six. His mother is a farmer, and his father keeps livestock. Samwel has clubfoot on his left foot. 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. As the pain increased, Samwel began missing school and eventually dropped out because walking to and from class became too difficult. His family had never sought specialized treatment before, as they were unaware that corrective care was available. Through a village outreach visit, Samwel was identified and referred to our medical partner's care center, Kafika House. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, can help. Samwel will begin clubfoot treatment on February 10th, and he needs help raising $1,119 to fund his care. After treatment, he will be able to walk without pain and return to school, restoring his chance at education and a productive future. Samwel's father says, “He stopped going to school because of the pain he experiences while walking, and I fear for his future if he fails to be treated.”

Chakriya is a 39-year-old man from Takaeo province, Cambodia. He lives with his wife and two children. His oldest child is in kindergarten, and his youngest child is two years old. His wife stays at home to look after the children and manage household tasks. In his free time, he enjoys planting vegetables around his home and listening to music. For the past 14 years, Chakriya has been living with ankylosing spondylitis - a chronic inflammatory arthritis primarily affecting the spine, causing back pain, stiffness, and inflammation, especially the base of the spine and pelvis. Around one year ago, Chakriya began experiencing pain in his right hip, which has caused difficulty walking and limited his ability to perform daily tasks independently. He had previously undergone a total hip arthroplasty on his left hip in 2014 with the help of our medical partner. Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC). Chakriya decided to travel back to CSC for treatment on his right hip. On January 16th, he will undergo a hip replacement procedure, which will cost $1500, including surgery and post-op care. Chakriya and his family can contribute $50, and need support for the remaining cost. Surgeons will operate on his right hip to relieve pain and improve mobility, allowing him to move comfortably and return to work. Chakriya said, "After the surgery, I hope that I will be able to walk easily and no longer have hip pain, so I can do my job properly."

Luc is a toddler from Haiti. He lives in northern Haiti with his father, a teacher, his mother, a homemaker, and one older brother; he likes to help his mother around the house and feed the family's chickens. Luc has a cardiac condition called a ventricular septal defect. A hole exists between the two lower chambers of his heart; blood leaks through this hole without passing through the lungs to obtain oxygen, leaving him weak and short of breath. Luc will fly to the Dominican Republic to receive treatment. On December 17th, he will undergo cardiac surgery, during which surgeons will sew a patch over the hole so that blood can no longer leak through it. Our medical partner, International Cardiac Alliance, is contributing $ 6,000 toward surgery costs. Luc's family also needs help to fund the costs of surgery prep. They need help to raise $1,500 to cover labs, medicines, and check-up and follow-up appointments. It also supports securing travel documents for the family and travel costs for the social workers from our medical partner, who will accompany Luc's family overseas. Luc's mother shared, "Our family has faith that this surgery will go well and our son's heart will be healed!"

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.”