Channy is 21 years old and in the twelfth grade. She has four sisters and four brothers. In her free time, she likes to read books, cook, and watch TV. When she was six years old, Channy developed a cholesteatoma in her right ear. A cholesteatoma is an abnormal skin growth behind the ear drum. It causes her ear discharge, hearing loss, pain, and itchiness. She went to a hospital in Phnom Penh for treatment, but her symptoms did not improve. When Channy learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), she traveled for two hours to seek treatment. On January 3, surgeons at CSC performed a mastoidectomy procedure in Channy's right ear to remove the cholesteatoma. This procedure should improve Channy's hearing. CSC is requesting $842 to fund this treatment. "I hope to have no more pain and good hearing," says Channy. "I hope it will be easy for me to communicate with other people. I want to work in the bank in the future."

Three weeks ago, Saviour, a beautiful little girl, was born. She had a leaking cystic mass on her lower spinal region. Due to the risks associated with Saviour’s condition, her mother was advised to seek for specialized treatment immediately. According to her mother, Saviour sleeps a lot and feeds fairly well. Saviour’s mother is a college student while her father neglected the responsibility of taking care of their baby. Saviour and her mother solely depend on Saviour's grandparents who are subsistence farmers. The family lives in a three roomed house in the Western region of Kenya. Saviour's mother is worried that she cannot raise funds for her daughter's treatment. If not treated, Saviour is at a risk of getting infection and developing tethered cord that can lead to either Scoliosis and/or Kyphosis. She is also at a risk of lower limbs paralysis. Fortunately, we can help prevent these complications and fund the treatment Saviour needs - a spina bifida closure, which will cost $805. Saviour’s treatment will reduce the risk of infection as well as development of tethered cord and risk of lower limbs paralysis. “I feel sad that my daughter has this condition," her mother shares. "Any help accorded towards her treatment will be a great blessing to us.”

Meet Dhurpa, a nine-year-old boy from Nepal who lives with his mother. “He currently studies in the second grade and enjoys reading Nepali stories,” shares our medical partner, Possible. “Dhurpa had gone fishing with his friends when he lost his balance, fell down and hit his left elbow on a rock,” explains Possible. “He has been in a lot of pain since and is unable to move his hand. The area of injury has swollen too.” Dhurpa’s mother tends to a farm and his father works in India, but treatment is too costly for the family to afford. For $224, Dhurpa will undergo a closed reduction procedure to align the fractured bones in his elbow, after which he will be placed in a plaster cast. Once the bones heal, the cast will be removed and Dhurpa will begin to recover the strength and mobility in his arm. With time, he should regain full use of his arm. “Dhurpa has never had to come to the hospital for treatments before. He has never been an ill child,” adds Dhurpa’s mother. She is anxious for the treatment to be done.