Kaung is a 2-year-old baby boy who lives in Burma with his grandmother, uncle, aunt, and five-month-old cousin. His grandmother is retired, his uncle is a motorbike taxi driver and his aunt is a homemaker. Kaung was born with a condition called Congenital Hydrocephalus. Congenital Hydrocephalus is caused by a brain malformation or birth condition that causes excessive cerebrospinal fluid to accumulate in brain cavities. Cerebrospinal fluid is a clear, colorless liquid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord, protecting them from injury. It carries nutrients to the brain and spinal cord and takes away waste. In a healthy person, the amount of this fluid produced by the brain is absorbed by the body. In hydrocephalus, the fluid fails to drain and accumulates, leading to pressure on the brain. Kaung's symptoms include intensifying nasal congestion and coughing with mucus. Additionally, his head is gradually increasing in size as the fluid continues to put pressure on his brain. The condition is most often treated by inserting a shunt. The shunt diverts excess cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from the brain to another part of the body where the fluid can be reabsorbed. Kaung's family visited a doctor when he was born to address the issue. At the time, the doctor advised the family to seek further treatment. However, Kaung was never brought to a hospital or clinic due to the financial difficulties of the family. Fortunately, Kaung was able to meet with our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF). With the help of BCMF and Watsi, Kaung received a CT scan at Mae Sot General Hospital. The doctor was able to diagnose his condition and scheduled Kaung to undergo surgery immediately. Kaung is scheduled for surgery on May 26th. Kaung's aunt said, "My nephew becomes cuter by the day, and he is always smiling. I tried to save money to treat him, but I could not. But now, we are so happy to have met you all at BCMF. We are happy to know that Kaung will have the opportunity to get treated because of your support.”

Rachana is a 27-year-old from Cambodia. He lives with his parents, who are rice farmers in the Svay Rieng province. Originally, Rachana worked in a bank but has been unable to work since his injury. He has one brother and two sisters, all of whom still live nearby. In his free time, Rachana likes to go through social media apps on his phone. In January 2022, Rachana was in a motorcycle collision and lost consciousness for about ten minutes. He injured his left foot and was treated at a local hospital, where he lost his left big toe due to trauma. The traumatic injury from the fall also left him unable to move his left upper arm. He visited several hospitals and a Khmer traditional healer, but the immobility has not been able to be treated. Rachana also has bent toes on his left foot, which can be a symptom of a neurological disease, making it painful for him to walk or run. He has also been depressed since his injury because his limited mobility affects his daily activities. When Rachana learned about our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC), he traveled for two and a half hours seeking treatment. On May 2nd, surgeons at CSC will perform an arthrodesis fusion of his left toes, allowing him to walk again after this procedure. His shoulder injury is too old for a nerve transfer, but he may be eligible for a free flap muscle transfer at a later time. CSC is requesting $600 to fund this procedure. Rachana contributed $100 to his care. Rachana said: “I hope, after this surgery, my toes will be normal, and it will not be painful to walk or run. I also hope doctors will be able to help me with my arm later.”

Khemar is an active 23-month-old toddler from Cambodia. His parents work in Thailand, so he lives with his grandmother and older sister in Southern Cambodia. He stays home with his grandmother and his sister is in first grade in school. His favorite foods are fried chicken and milk, and he loves playing with the neighborhood children. Khemar was born with syndactyly of both feet, which means that he was born with fused or webbed toes. Khemar's big toe and second toe are fused together on both of his feet. His parents worry that he will face challenges when he starts school, and he does not walk well due to his condition. Fortunately, our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), is helping Khemar receive treatment. On May 19th, surgeons at CSC will perform a syndactyly repair procedure to separate and release the fused toes. After surgery, Khemar will be able to walk more easily and wear shoes. Now, he and his family need help raising $444 to fund his procedure and care. Khemar's grandmother shared, "after surgery, we hope Khemar's feet look better and it will be easy for him to move his toes."