Yoeun is a 59 year-old mother of six. She lives in Takeo province, where she works as a rice farmer. Yoeun lives with her husband, who has recently retired from the army, and one of their younger sons, who works in administration for a local business. In her free time, Yoeun enjoys watching Cambodian dramas and listening to the monks pray on the radio. About three months ago, Yoeun developed a cataract in her left eye, causing her itchiness, tearing, and blurry vision. When Yoeun learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), she traveled for three hours seeking treatment. On February 1st, 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 $253 procedure. She shared, "I hope after surgery my eye can see better and I can recognize my family and the other villagers."

58-year-old Natchokani is a widow from a village in Dedza District in Malawi. With seven children, six of whom have passed away, she now lives with her youngest child, who is 7 years old and attending primary school. Natchokani never had the opportunity to attend school, making it challenging for her to find employment. Consequently, she relies on farming to sustain herself and her son, growing maize, beans, and groundnuts for both sustenance and income. Twenty years ago, Natchokani noticed an itch and an uncomfortable feeling in her throat whenever she was eating. Shortly after, people in her vicinity informed her of a swelling on her neck, which she eventually noticed herself. The swelling has been increasing in size over the years but she never went to seek medical help in health centers as she did not have finances to pay for treatment. Instead, she tried traditional medicine to no avail. Natchokani has continued to experience severe headaches and pain in her upper back. She struggles to swallow and sometimes has shortness of breath when she is lying down. She is unable to carry a heavy load on her head, therefore making it difficult for her to carry out household chores such as fetching water, and firewood and going to the maize mill. One day while she was visiting a patient at our medical partner's care center Nkhoma Hospital, she was seen by a surgeon who later diagnosed her with a multinodular mass, and thyroidectomy was recommended. Our medical partner African Mission Healthcare is requesting $491 to fund Natchokani's thyroid surgery scheduled for March 7th. Following the surgery, her symptoms will be alleviated, allowing her to breathe more easily and engage in her daily tasks without discomfort. Natchokani says, “I hope to receive treatment and resume life without this condition so that I can take care of my only son.”

Jomhel is a 27-year-old from the Philippines. His mother, Melissa, is a solo parent seeking assistance for Jomhel who has intellectual disability. The family relies on Melissa's income through laundry and ironing services for her relatives and neighbors. They live with Melissa's father, aged 75, who is also taking medications and aging. Her sister gives her extra money allotted for the medicines and other needs of their father. Two years ago, Jomhel began to experience troubling symptoms, including bleeding, pain, and difficulty sitting and standing. He was diagnosed with thrombosed hemorrhoids and needs surgery to prevent his symptoms from getting worse. Fortunately, our medical partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines (WSFP), is helping Jomhel receive treatment. He is scheduled to undergo a hemorrhoidectomy on January 12th at WSFP's care center. During this procedure, surgeons will remove his hemorrhoids so he can live pain free. A portion of the cost of his treatment is being supported by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and WSFP is raising the remaining $1,285 to cover the cost of Jomhel's procedure and care. Melissa shared: "Being a solo parent facing financial constraints, I do not have enough money for Jomhel's consultation, let alone a major surgery. This is a big help not just for me but also for my son and I am very grateful to all of you."