Meet Sinoeun, a 33-year-old man from Cambodia. “Sinoeun is married with two sons and two daughters, and works as a fisherman. In his free time he enjoys hanging out by the river and listening to music,” explains our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC). Sinoeun's neck, chest, and legs were burnt by a gas fire. He has chronic wounds and he has found it difficult to walk, and he has not been able to work. Sineoun requires debridement of his wounds, or the removal of dead tissue. He also requires flap surgery, which places tissue from a donor site onto his wounds to help them heal properly. The full cost of the treatment will be $392. In Sineoun's own words, “I hope I can walk again after my surgery. When I go home I will continue my work.” Let's help him get back on his feet!

Meet Yern, a 73-year-old woman from Cambodia. “Yern is unmarried and does not work. She spends her time visiting the pagoda and listening to the monks pray," shares our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC). One year ago, Yern developed mature cataracts in both her eyes. A cataract occurs when a thin, cloudy layer forms over the eye’s lens. "This causes her blurred vision, discharge, tearing, and fear of bright lights. It is hard for her to see clearly, do work, or go anywhere outside," CSC explains. After learning about CSC, Yern and her nephew travelled to visit their clinic and learned that a simple surgical procedure may restore Yern’s sight. With $225, Yern will undergo cataract surgery, during which her old lenses will be removed and replaced with sheer artificial implants, allowing her to see again immediately after her operation.

Ivan is a two-year-old boy, and the son of subsistence farmers in Uganda. He currently lives with severe malnutrition. Ivan lives with his parents and newborn sister, who is only three weeks old. His parents grow millet, sweet potatoes, cassava and ground nuts. Ivan’s favorite food is bread, and he loves to sing along to music on the radio. Last year, Uganda went through an unusual harvest season, with a prolonged dry season followed by torrential downpour. The result was the widespread destruction of crops. Ivan’s family is one of many families who are feeling the strain of low crop yield and the associated malnutrition. Ivan has common symptoms of malnutrition, such as skin lesions, edema, and diarrhea. There is also an increased risk of stunting and cognitive impairment if he does not receive the nutrition needed. Our medical partner, The Kellermann Foundation, tells us that for $375 Ivan will receive IV fluids with therapeutic nutrition for 10 days, which is enough for Ivan to return to normal development and investigate for other causes of his symptoms. Ivan's mother will also receive nutritional education to give her the confidence she needs to provide her children with the nutrition they need on their budget and with the foods they have available. The treatment will help Ivan overcome these obstacles to development, and help him reach his full mental and physical potential. “I was worried about the hospital bills so I thank you very much," Ivan's mother shares. "May God bless you.”

One month ago, 28-year-old Thin from Cambodia had a traumatic blow from a piece of wood. This caused a cataract to develop in his right eye. A cataract occurs when the lens inside the eye becomes cloudy from a buildup of proteins. "The traumatic cataract causes him blurred vision, irritation, and a cloudy lens," reports our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC). This cloudiness has accumulated since the accident, and if left untreated he could completely lose his ability to see. Thin's cataract makes it very difficult for him to continue his work as a balloon seller. "He can't see clearly, do any work, or go outside on his own," explains CSC. Unable to do his job, he does not have enough money to pay for his medical expenses in addition to supporting his wife and son. Thin needs $150 to pay for a cataract surgery. During this procedure, doctors at CSC will remove the cloudy lens in Thin's right eye and replace it with a new, artificial lens. Within one day of his operation, Thin will be able to see clearly again. Thin is excited for his treatment so that he can go back to his job, and other activities he enjoys - like listening to the radio news and exercising.