Kanhchana is an eight-year-old Grade 4 student from Cambodia. She is the only child in her family. Her father is a rice farmer, while her mother works in a garment factory. She enjoys mathematics at school and likes playing with toys alongside her cousins. Her favorite meal is fried pork with ginger. When Kanhchana was three years old, she suffered a hot-water burn to her left hand. After being treated at a private clinic, the burn healed with scarring that caused her fingers to contract. She later had contracture release and skin grafting, but tightness remains between several fingers, particularly between the third and fourth fingers. Burn scars have caused contractures affecting the second through fifth fingers of her left hand. The tight webspace between her middle and ring fingers limits how comfortably she can use her hand. Her mother is also concerned that her daughter may become self-conscious about the appearance of her hand as she gets older. When Kanhchana's family learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, they traveled for three hours seeking treatment. On September 15th, surgeons at CSC will perform a burn contracture release surgery to loosen the tight area between her third and fourth fingers, helping her use and move her left hand more comfortably. Now, she needs help to fund this $652 procedure. Kanhchana's mother said, “I hope this surgery will help improve my daughter’s hand and make it easier for her to use her fingers. I also worry that she may feel shy about her hand as she grows older, so I hope the treatment will help her feel more comfortable and confident.”

Luciano is an eight-year-old student from Colombia. He is an outgoing, intelligent, and very affectionate boy who stands out for being extremely responsible and level-headed in everything he does. He has a unique spark that fills his entire family with pride and love, and in his heart he holds a big dream: to become a professional soccer player when he grows up. A year ago, Luciano was diagnosed with an umbilical hernia, a condition in which a small portion of abdominal tissue protrudes through the navel. He needs surgery to correct it and prevent potential future complications. Umbilical hernias cause mild discomfort or tenderness around the navel, especially when crying, coughing, or straining. It often causes discomfort that prevents one from carrying out daily activities. Fortunately, on September 18th, Luciano will undergo repair surgery, and our medical partner, Clinica Noel, is requesting $1,005 to fund Luciano's surgery. Once completed, this procedure should allow him to live more comfortably. Luciano's mother said, "I am writing this message with a heart full of gratitude. I want to sincerely thank you for your invaluable help and for making it possible for children like mine to have the opportunity to improve their quality of life. For us, as single mothers, not having the financial resources for these procedures is very difficult, and people with your generosity are a beacon of hope. May God reward you for your kindness!"

Neary is a resilient widow and devoted mother of two from Cambodia. She is a 52-year-old grocery seller from Pursat Province who lives with her daughter. Her husband passed away six years ago due to an illness. She has two children—her son is a police officer, and her daughter is a teacher. In her free time, she enjoys listening to music and planting vegetables around her home. In 2022, Neary was involved in a motorcycle accident that caused a fracture of her left femur. After the accident, she received treatment at a clinic in Pursat Province, where doctors performed internal fixation surgery and implanted hardware to stabilize the fracture. In 2023, after a proximal screw broke, she underwent another procedure to remove the broken screw and replace it with a new one. She is now experiencing lower back pain, pain in her left leg, difficulty walking, and occasional stiffness. The non-union of her left femur has affected her mobility and causes discomfort that makes daily activities and running her grocery-selling work difficult. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, can help. On May 26th, Neary will undergo a hardware removal procedure, which will remove the problematic top screw and use bone grafting to promote proper healing of the fracture. It will help reduce pain, improve stability, and allow her to walk more comfortably and independently again. Neary can contribute $100, but needs help raising $278 more to fund her procedure and care. Neary said, “After the surgery, I hope that my pain will be relieved and that I will be able to walk comfortably again. I hope to recover well and return to my normal daily activities without difficulty. I am very thankful to the doctors and everyone who is helping make my treatment possible.”