Sokkry is a 22-year-old rice farmer who lives with his mother and younger sister. Sadly, his father passed away a few years ago. Since then, he and his mother support the family by working in the nearby rice fields. In his free time, he likes to play soccer with his friends in the village. Two years ago, Sokkry fell off a wall while he was training for the army and fractured his right femur. He was immediately transferred to a nearby military hospital where doctors used nails and screws to align the bone and heal the fracture. Now that the fracture is healed, the hardware is causing problems. It is difficult for him to walk, and he is in pain. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, can help. On February 21st, Sokkry will undergo a hardware removal procedure, which will cost $304. This procedure will help him walk easily again and stop the risk of infection. After surgery, he hopes he is no longer in pain and will be able to walk normally and play soccer again.

Saw Ta is a 36-year-old farmer who lives with his wife and eight children in a village in Karen State, Burma. Saw Ta plants chili and cardamom and volunteers as a community development worker in his area. The family also raises chickens, goats, and pigs. Saw Ta has a heart condition that requires the replacement of the aortic and mitral heart valves and the repair of the tricuspid valve. These valves control the blood flow between the chambers of the heart and are necessary to prevent long-term damage to the heart and lungs. Saw Ta gets tired easily and experiences heart palpitations when he is working, requiring him to take frequent periods of rest. As he cannot work long hours on the farm, he stays home to take care of his children while his wife goes out to work. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 for the complex surgery that Saw Ta's condition requires. The procedure is scheduled to take place at Kasemrad Prachachuen Hospital on April 10th, and once completed, will hopefully allow Saw Ta to live a fuller and healthier life. Saw Ta said: "After treatment, I will go back to help my wife on the farm, and also continue to volunteer in my community. Now, because of my heart condition, my wife has to do all the work at home and I feel sorry for her."

Valentina is a 3-year-old toddler who lives with her mother, father, and younger sister in a city in central Bolivia. Her father is a construction worker and her mother is a homemaker. Valentina is very outgoing and enjoys drawing and painting. When Valentina was younger, health workers came to her house for a vaccination campaign and noticed that she was very small for her age. They helped the family reach a pediatrician and then a cardiologist, who diagnosed her with patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), a condition in which a hole exists between two major blood vessels next to the heart. PDA can cause poor growth, shortness of breath, and fatigue. Valentina will be undergoing heart surgery on March 27th to treat her condition. During surgery, doctors will close the hole so that blood will no longer leak through it. Our medical partner, International Cardiac Alliance, is asking for $1,500 to fund this surgery. After surgery, Valentina is expected to grow stronger and healthier. Valentina's mother shares: "Our family would like to say thank you to everyone who is helping to fix our daughter's heart!"