Meet Khin, a 38-year old wife and mother of three children. While initially from Burma, Khin currently resides in Thailand where she sews sports clothing at a local factory to support her family. Recently, Khin has experienced increasing pain in her abdomen due to a uterine myoma. Since last February, Khin has experienced discomfort due to her condition. According to our medical partner, Burma Border Projects (BBP), "Her abdomen is swollen, and she also has sharp pain in her lower abdomen. Sometimes the pain is so bad she cannot even stand." Her symptoms have ultimately brought Khin to stop working her job at the factory. A uterine myoma is a benign tumor that develops within the uterus. Myomas can multiply and grow if left untreated, leading to increased pressure on the surrounding internal organs. In cases such as Khin’s, the tumors can grow large enough to inflict nerve damage, contributing towards back leg pain. With $1500, Khin will receive a total abdominal hysterectomy to remove her uterus and cervix. This treatment will ensure that the myoma cannot redevelop later on, allowing Khin to resume her everyday activities without pain. After recovery, BBP informs us that Khin is already looking ahead to new opportunities. "Khin wants to have her own shop where she can sell Burmese noodles and curry,” BBP adds.

This is Dah Si. She's 16-years-old and lives with her parents in Burma. The family works on a small vegetable farm to support themselves. Being self reliant is really important to them. "Dah Si first became aware she had a heart condition in August this year, when she went to the doctor to get treatment for a bad cold and the attending doctor detected a heart murmur," Burma Border Projects (BBP) tells us. "Dah Si said she currently feels fine and doesn't see herself as a sick person." "This is not uncommon," continues Dah Si. "Most people with mitral valve prolapse have no symptoms. One thing she does notice, however, is that she has heavy heart palpitations. Another thing she has noticed is that she has lost some weight over the last few months. She still has a good appetite but she struggles to keep food down." Clinicians at BBP have recommended a mitral valve replacement for Dah Si. The cost of this procedure is $1500 - not something the family can cover independently - but will benefit Dah Si greatly. "After receiving treatment in Thailand, Dah Shi can return to her family farm in Burma," BBP writes. "She will be able to go about her daily life without having to worry about the impact of certain activities on her heart."