Meet Hou, a 62-year-old woman who plants rice and other crops in Cambodia. She has one son, six daughters, and seven grandchildren. She enjoys listening to social news on the radio and visiting the pagoda to listen to the monks pray. "One year ago Hou developed a cataract in her left eye," our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), tells us. A cataract occurs when the lens inside the eye becomes cloudy from a buildup of proteins. This cloudiness has accumulated over time and has slowly deteriorated Hou's vision. If left untreated, she could completely lose her ability to see. Due to her condition, Hou experiences blurred vision and tearing in her eye. Her daily farm work and household activities have become much more difficult. "It is hard to see clearly and recognize people's faces," Hou explains to us. "I can't do any work very well or go anywhere on my own." After hearing that her neighbor received treatment at CSC, Hou traveled three hours with her husband to the clinic for proper medical care. For $150, doctors at CSC will perform cataract surgery to remove the cloudy lens in Hou's left eye and replace it with a new, artificial lens. Within one day of her procedure, Hou will be able to see clearly again. "I hope after treatment my eye can see everything clear again so I can help my family take care of the grandchildren at home," Hou shares. "I want to be able to see letters clearly and easily go anywhere outside by myself."

Meet three-year-old Moise. Moise is a shy little boy who lives in Haiti with his mother, father, and two older brothers. Our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance (HCA), shares: "Moise is very close to his family and likes to help them around the house and in the garden." His parents make a living for the family growing and selling fruit in a local market. "Moise was born with a cardiac condition called atrial septal defect, in which a hole exists between the two upper chambers of the heart,” shares HCA. “Blood leaks through this hole without first passing through the lungs to obtain oxygen, leaving him weak and sickly. If untreated, the condition could eventually become fatal.” For $1500, Moise will be transported overseas where he will receive heart surgery. Gift of Life International has contributed $5,000 toward his treatment cost. This surgery will restore normal blood flow to his heart, relieving him of all symptoms. "We are so very happy that Moise can get his heart fixed so that we no longer have to worry so much about his health," his mother adds.

Phyu is a 37-year-old woman from Burma who is a mother to 15-year-old-son and 13-year-old daughter. Phyu's husband works as a carpenter to support their family. Phyu has a heart condition called mitral stenosis. She "suffers from fatigue and heart palpitations," explains our medical partner, Burma Border Projects (BBP). "These symptoms made her stop working as a day laborer. Presently she works as a housewife because her medical condition precludes work outside of the house." Mitral stenosis is a disorder in which a valve of the heart does not open fully, restricting the flow of blood through the heart. This has lead to another condition, called mitral regurgitation, which causes the backward flow of blood in the heart. The complex cardiac surgery to treat Phyu's condition costs $1,500. BBP tells us, "After surgery, she should be able to work and could provide an income for her family." Phyu tells our medical partner, "I want to recover and work with the traditional medicine shop, selling medicine in my village. I want to make money to support my children and my parents."