Ath is a 54-year-old rice farmer. He is married and has two daughters, three sons, and six grandchildren. He lives with his wife, who farms the ancestral land with him. At home, he likes to listen to the news and boxing matches. Two years ago, Ath developed a cataract in his right eye, causing him photophobia, tearing, and blurry vision. He has difficulty seeing things clearly, including colors and faces, and is worried about falling when walking, so is not able to go places on his own. When Ath learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, he traveled for three and a half hours seeking treatment. On October 17th, doctors will perform a phacoemulsification cataract surgery and place an intraocular lens implant in his right eye. After recovery, he will be able to see clearly. Now, he needs help to fund this $253 procedure. Ath says, "I hope after surgery my vision can improve so I can go back to working in the rice fields again. I want to be able to see the faces of my grandchildren and walk them to school."

Oun is a 57-year-old soft drink seller. He is married and has one daughter and two sons. Oun enjoys playing chess and growing vegetables. Five years ago, Oun had an ear infection. This infection caused the tympanic membrane, or ear drum, in his right ear to perforate. For this reason, Oun experiences pain, ear discharge, and hearing loss. He cannot communicate clearly with others and has spent a lot of money on medicines that did not help. Oun traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On September 8th, he will undergo a surgical procedure to repair the perforation in his right ear which will help him hear well again. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $487 to fund this life-changing procedure. This cost covers his medications, supplies, and inpatient care. Oun says, "I really hope I can improve my hearing."

Phat is a bright nine-year-old student from Cambodia who is in third grade. She loves reading books and playing with her older sister, who is in ninth grade. To support their family, her mother works in a factory and her father works as a farmer. When Phat was six-years-old, she had an ear infection. This infection caused the ear drum of her right ear to perforate. For this reason, she now experiences chronic pain and hearing loss. Phat and her family traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On August 9th, she will undergo a myringoplasty procedure in her right ear to close the perforation. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $487 to fund this procedure. This covers an X-ray, supplies, and inpatient care. Phat says, "I hope my hearing will improve and my pain will go away after the surgery."

Rose is a retried woman who used to work as a junior officer at the county government in Machakos in Kenya. Her husband is also retired, and they both now spend their time farming at their ancestral home to provide food for their family. Together, they have one daughter who is currently attending secondary school. Their family does not have a stable source of income. Rose was involved in a motorbike accident two weeks ago, and she was rushed to a nearby facility. There, she was treated for pain and discharged, but she later developed a blister on her right leg which burst and worsened into a wound. After attempting to clean the wound at home with no improvement, one of Rose's relatives advised her to visit Kijabe Hospital. On June 21st, she visited the facility and underwent two debridement surgeries where they removed damaged and infected tissue in her leg. However, her wound still needs care, as well as skin graft surgery. Due to financial constraints, Rose has not been able to pay for her medical coverage since she retired. She accrued a bill that she has been unable to clear, and as a result, she cannot afford her third procedure. Rose currently experiences pain due to her injury, and she is unable to use her right leg or walk. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Rose receive treatment. On July 4th, surgeons will perform a debridement and skin graft procedure to get rid of the infection and help her walk again. Now, Rose needs help to fund this $1,185 procedure. Rose shares, “I haven’t been able to walk since the accident. The leg was so swollen and infected. I am scared I might lose my leg if not treated.”

Ma Ei is a 37-year-old woman who lives with and financially supports her parents and son in a village in Burma. Over the last year, Ma El has suffered from a debilitating uterine mass, which causes her severe pain and weakness. She was given medications for six months to try to help, but she did not feel any better. In January, Ma Ei went to Karen Baptist Convention (KBC) Hospital, where she was diagnosed with a myoma. Doctors shared that to heal she would need surgery to remove her uterus. She is now raising $1,207 to fund her surgery and care, which is scheduled for May 18th. Ma Ei says, “I am worried that I cannot support and care for my family. When I recover from surgery, I will go back to work in the garment factory. I need to support my parents and pay for my son’s education."

Aye is a 47-year-old mother, living with her daughter in Thailand. Up until four months ago, Aye worked as a day laborer on a farm. Because she has had to stop working, Aye's daughter left school, and now works as a nanny to help support her mother. Aye's siblings have also stepped up to support their sister. Five years ago, Aye began to experience pain on the left side of her body. She also developed a fever and vomiting, lost her appetite, and found it difficult to sleep. In addition, she experienced night sweats and a stiff neck. Aye was treated by a local health worker, and for a while, she felt better. However, in June 2021, her symptoms worsened, and she went to Mae Tao Clinic (MTC), where she was told to go to the hospital. Due to a lack of funds, Aye could not go to the hospital, and was treated at a local clinic, instead. In April 2022, Aye's symptoms returned, and she went back to Mae Tao Clinic, where she was diagnosed with stones in her left kidney. This time she did go the hospital, where she was told that she would need to have surgery, to remove the stones from her kidney. Thanks to our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, Aye is scheduled for surgery to remove the kidney stones on October 3rd, at Mae Sot General Hospital. After she has recovered, Aye should be able to return to her work and to enjoying her life, free from all of her uncomfortable symptoms. Aye and her family need your help to cover the $1,500 needed to pay for her surgery. Aye said: "I am happy that I will be able to receive surgery through donors. Thank you so much for saving my life.”

Soveat is a 37-year-old rice and vegetable farmer who is married and has two children. At the end of a long day, Soveat likes to listen to the news, to play football, and to spend time with his children. In March, Soveat was in an accident while riding his motorbike, which resulted in an injury to the nerves which control his right arm, shoulder and hand. He was admitted to a local hospital and stayed five days, but he is still unable to move his shoulder or his arm, and he is in a lot of pain. The local hospital advised him that he needs surgery, and referred him to our local medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, which is the only hospital in Cambodia offering the treatment that Soveat needs. Soveat will undergo surgery on May 2nd, after which he will be able to use his arm again to continue farming, and to do the other activities he enjoys. Children's Surgical Centre is requesting $709 to fund this procedure. Soveat said: "I hope after this surgery, I will be able to use my arm again to do things by myself and grow rice."

Treshass is a three-week-old baby. She is the only child in her family. Her parents are hardworking and already are learning to be exceptional parents. Her father depends on casual labor jobs, while her mother has established a small local business selling groceries. They live near the city and the current inflation and high standard of living makes it difficult for them to provide even basic needs for their family. They are worried if their child will live a full life because they are not in a position to fund her medical bill. Treshass has clubfoot of both legs. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. This causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Fortunately, Treshass's family traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre. There, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on September 2nd. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $935 to fund Treshass's clubfoot repair. After treatment, she will be able to grow with her legs being straight and walking with ease. Treshass's father says, “When we heard of the work and treatment offered here, we decided to visit. We hope our baby will receive the required treatment."

Samson is a quiet and reserved 16-year-old boy. Three months ago, he started experiencing severe headaches. His father gave him medication but the headache was persistent so they visited a nearby hospital. There he received mediation, but after some time he started to stagger while walking. This has made it difficult for him to go anywhere on his own. His father took him to a branch of Kijabe Hospital in their home area where they referred Samson for treatment at Bethanykids Hospital. His father went with him back home, gathered some funds and now brought him to our medical partner's care center BethanyKids Hospital. Scans have revealed that Samson has a mass growing in his head, which has affected his right eye and his balance. The doctor recommends a craniotomy surgery to heal his condition. Samson is the last born in a family of five children. His mother passed away four years ago due to illness. Now his father sells groceries to provide for their family. Without insurance coverage, they are not able to raise the amount needed for Samson's care so our medical partner is helping to raise $1,500. Samson told us, “I would like to regain my health back and go to school and after that help my father in his business.”

Tracey is a sweet and adorable newborn baby from Kenya who was born just over a week ago at a local government hospital. She is the youngest in a family of three children. To support their family, her parents both do casual labor for their neighbors. Tracey was born with spina bifida, a type of neural tube condition in which the spine does not properly close around the spinal cord. Without treatment, Tracey is at risk of lower-limb paralysis, infection of the exposed nervous tissue, development of tethered cord syndrome, and developmental delays. Her parents share that they do not have insurance and are unable to pay for their daughter's needed treatment due to financial constraints. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,151 to cover the cost of Tracey's spina bifida closure surgery. The procedure is scheduled to take place on August 8th. This procedure will hopefully spare Tracey from the risks associated with her condition, instead allowing her to grow and develop along a healthy trajectory. Tracey’s mother says, “When I got more informed about her condition, I felt bad. I just want her to be treated and be well.”

Oeun is a 70-year-old widow and retired rice farmer. He shared that his wife passed away several years ago. He used to farm rice, but with his declining vision, he stopped farming. He lives with his son and his family and has one grandchild. At home, he likes to listen to the news and the monks give sermons on the radio. Almost six years ago, Oeun developed a cataract in his left eye, causing him photophobia and blurry vision. It is hard for him to help around the house because he often has double vision, and it is difficult to coordinate. He has difficulty seeing things clearly, including colors and faces, and is worried about falling when walking, so is not able to go places on his own. When Oeun learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, he traveled for three and a half hours seeking treatment. On March 22th, doctors will perform a small incision cataract surgery, and an intraocular lens implant in his left eye. After recovery, he will be able to see clearly. Now, he needs help to fund this procedure costing $229. Oeun shared, "I hope after surgery I can see better. I hope to go outside again and take better care of myself and my family."