Rabecca is 26 years old and a mother of one from Malawi. Her husband is a cook, while she runs a small business. A year ago, Rabecca began to experience troubling symptoms, including a hoarse voice, frequent coughs, and painful swallowing. Her symptoms have gotten worse, affecting her ability to do daily tasks. She went to a hospital and was diagnosed with a goiter, the swelling of the thyroid gland. The thyroid is the gland located in front of your neck and produces thyroid hormones. These hormones are responsible for functions such as metabolism, growth, and other bodily functions. She needs surgery to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Rabecca receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on August 19th at our medical partner's care center, Partners in Hope Medical Center. Surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. This procedure will cost $1,015, and she and her family need help raising money. Rabecca shared, "I wish I could get better to enable me to continue doing my business in good health and concentrating on family support rather than spending on hospital visits."

Thavoreak is a five-year-old Grade 1 student from Cambodia. His parents raise pigs to support the family. He enjoys reading and writing Khmer at school and playing with toy cars at home. His favorite food is sour fish soup. Thavoreak was born with polydactyly of his left hand. This means that he has an extra thumb on his left hand. The extra thumb cannot bend, straighten, or move sideways and has no function. Its appearance makes him feel shy around other children and may affect his confidence as he grows and interacts with others. Fortunately, on October 16th, surgeons will perform a polydactyly repair procedure to remove the extra digit. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $379 to fund this procedure. The surgery will improve mobility, and he will feel more comfortable and confident when playing, learning, and spending time with other children. Thavoreak's parents said, “We want our son to grow up feeling comfortable and confident about himself. He sometimes feels shy because of the extra thumb on his hand, and we hope the surgery will help him feel less self-conscious and use his hand more comfortably as he grows.”

Sim is a 76-year-old widow from Kampong Cham, Cambodia. She previously worked as a rice farmer and is now retired. She has four sons, four daughters, and twenty-two grandchildren. She lives alone in a house near her youngest daughter, who works in a garment factory. Her children provide support when needed. In her free time, Sim enjoys listening to the radio and listening to monks' prayers. Three years ago, Sim developed a cataract in her left eye, causing her itchiness, tearing, and blurry vision. A cataract is a clouding of the lens of the eye, so it is like looking through a frosty or fogged-up window. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, including colors and faces, and is worried about falling when walking, so she is not able to go places on her own. When Sim learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for three hours seeking treatment. On July 8th, doctors will perform a phacoemulsification cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in her left eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Now, she needs help to fund this $263 procedure. Sim shared, "I hope that after cataract surgery, my vision will improve so that I can recognize her relatives easily, go outside and travel to more distant places independently, and no longer worry about my eyesight."