Sophea is an 18-year-old student from Cambodia. She lives at home with her parents and two siblings. Her dad is a rice farmer and her mom cares for the children at home. Sophea spends most of her free time reading and studying. She enjoys spending time with her family and going to school. Sophea was born with club feet, a condition in which the feet are turned in and under, making it difficult to walk and balance. Currently, Sophea uses a wheelchair to help her get around. Sophea's family traveled an hour and a half to visit our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC), so she could undergo clubfoot treatment. On February 15th, surgeons will perform bilateral tendon Achilles lengthening (TAL) and casting. Surgery and physiotherapy will improve her mobility. The procedure will cost $572. Sophea said, “I hope I will look better after surgery and walk someday.”

David is a 17-year-old from Kenya. He is the oldest child of six, and his parents work on their neighbors' farms to provide income for the family's basic needs. Their home was constructed by volunteers and their church. David's family shared that they do not have national health insurance coverage and are requesting assistance for David's medical care. A few months after David was born, he started experiencing fevers and an increasing head circumference. David's family brought him to different hospitals for treatment, but his symptoms did not improve. When David was three, he was referred to our medical partner's hospital, where he was diagnosed with hydrocephalus and underwent shunt insertion surgery. Hydrocephalus is a condition in which excess cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the brain and increases intracranial pressure. Everything was stable following David's surgery until last month when David began experiencing signs of shunt failure. David's doctor recommends EVT/CPC surgery to address the shunt failure as soon as possible. On March 16th, David will undergo surgery to drain the excess fluid from his brain and reduce intracranial pressure. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is requesting $720 to cover the surgery cost. With proper treatment, David can continue to develop into a strong, healthy young man. David's father said: "I do not feel well when he is not in good health because it makes it hard for us to leave him with anyone for us to work and provide for the family."

SreyOun is a 29-year-old hairstylist from Cambodia. Her husband works in construction, and they have a 6-year-old daughter in first grade. At home, SreyOun enjoys watching Youtube videos to experiment with different hairstyles and helping her daughter with schoolwork. In October 2021, SreyOun was on her motorbike and swerved to avoid hitting a dog in the street. She fell and fractured her lower left leg (tibia). SreyOun underwent surgery and received hardware in her leg at a private clinic; however, her leg has not healed correctly. Her wound is infected, and SreyOun is in constant pain and unable to stand up for her work. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), can help. On April 21st, SreyOun will undergo a hardware removal procedure to remove the hardware and clean the wound so her leg can heal properly. CSC is requesting $304 to fund this procedure. SreyOun contributed $100 to her care. SreyOun shared: "After surgery, I hope the wound will be healed, and I can stand on my feet to style hair without pain."