Samon is a retired grandmother. She is 67 years old and has two daughters, three sons, and seven grandchildren. She lives with her husband and her youngest daughter, with both of them caring for Samon's aging husband. Now retired, Samon used to make and sell bottles of fish sauce in the local market. In her free time, she likes watching movies and going to the pagoda to pray. Around three years ago, Samon 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, including colors and faces, and is worried about falling when walking, so is not able to go places on her own. When Samon learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for one hour seeking treatment. On March 7th, 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. Samon shared, "I hope after surgery my eye can see better, and I can drive my motorbike to bring my grandchildren to school."

Rin is a 78-year-old retired rice farmer from Kompong Chhnang province in Cambodia. He has one daughter, two sons, and seven grandchildren. Sadly, his wife passed away almost fifteen years ago, due to complications from chronic illnesses. Rin then moved in with his daughter, who helps support him by working for a local construction company. He loves spending time with his grandkids, harvesting fruit in the village, and listening to the local Buddhist radio station. About one year ago, Rin developed a cataract in his right eye, causing him 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. He has difficulty seeing things clearly, including colors and faces, and is worried about potential falls while walking, which has made him reluctant to venture out independently. When Rin learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, he traveled for three hours seeking treatment. On April 1st, doctors will perform a small incision cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in his right eye. After recovery, he will be able to see clearly. Now, Rin needs help to fund this $253 procedure. Rin shared, "I hope after surgery my eye can see clearly. This would make me happy and I would feel more confident about going to the pagoda on my own."

Curtis is a second grade student from Kenya. Curtis is accompanied by his grandmother at the hospital. He is jovial and inquisitive. Curtis is the only child in his family and is being raised by his grandmother. His mother left him with his grandmother when he was 3 years to work in the Middle East. His father works at a timber yard splitting wood earning an inconsistent income. Curtis was diagnosed with cryptorchidism, a condition in which one or both of the testicles remains undescended. If left untreated, Curtis has an increased risk of developing hernias, testicular cancer, and fertility problems in the future. Curtis will be receiving assistance from our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH). Fortunately, he is scheduled to undergo corrective surgery on January 5th. AMH is requesting $646 to cover the total cost of his procedure and care. Curtis' grandmother says: “He needs treatment to be healthy in the future.”