John is a 12-year-old student living in a small village in northern Haiti. John lives with his parents, three brothers, and one sister, and before he fell ill, he loved to play soccer and to go to school. John has a cardiac condition called rheumatic mitral regurgitation, which means that one of his heart valves can no longer pump blood through his body. This condition is due to an infection John suffered earlier in childhood, and it has rendered him weak and left him in late-stage heart failure. The care John needs is not available in Haiti, so John will need to fly to the Dominican Republic to receive treatment. On May 9th, he'll finally undergo the cardiac surgery he needs, during which surgeons will remove the severely damaged valve and implant a mechanical valve in its place. Our medical partner Haiti Cardiac Alliance is contributing $15,000 to pay for the surgery. However, John's family also needs help to fund all the pre and postoperative costs. The $1,500 they are seeking will cover laboratory tests, medicines, checkups and follow-up appointments. It will also help John to obtain a passport, and cover the costs of the social workers from our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, who will accompany John's family overseas for his treatment. John shared: "I am looking forward to being strong and healthy again once my heart is fixed."

Sok Khorn is a 73-year-old widow with three sons, four daughters, and many grandchildren. Her husband passed away during the Khmer Rouge era, so she lives with her oldest daughter who is a farmer. She helps with cooking for the family, caring for her grandchildren, and likes to listen to the monks pray on the radio. Three years ago, Sok Khorn developed a cataract in her left eye, causing her photophobia and blurry vision. Doing household tasks has become frustrating for Sok Khorn and she feels like there is a film covering her eye. When Sok Khorn learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for three and a half hours seeking treatment. On May 13th, doctors will perform a small incision cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in her left eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly again. Now, she needs your help to fund this $253 procedure. She says "I hope after surgery I can be more independent, and help my daughter with the house and my grandchildren."

Seang Horn is a 68-year-old retired rice farmer. She has one son, one daughter, and six grandchildren. Seang Horn lives with her eldest daughter, who is also a farmer. In her free time, Seang Horn likes to listen to the monks pray on the radio. Four years ago, Seang Horn developed a cataract in her right eye, causing her blurry vision, photophobia, and tearing. As a result, she has difficulty seeing things clearly, including colors and faces, and is worried about falling when walking, so she cannot go places on her own. When Seang Horn learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), she traveled for four and a half hours seeking treatment. On June 7th, doctors will perform cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in her right eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. CSC is requesting $253 to fund this procedure. Seang Horn shared, "After surgery, I hope I can see well enough to go to the field on my own and help my husband."