La Min is a 21-year-old young woman from Burma. She lives with her aunt in Bangkok, Thailand. She moved to Bangkok from her village in Karen State, Burma, in 2023 in search of better job opportunities. She worked as a waitress, but had to stop because of her health. La Min has a heart condition that requires replacement of two heart valves -the aortic and mitral valves - and repair of the tricuspid valve. These valves control the blood flow between the chambers of the heart and are necessary to prevent long-term damage to the heart and lungs. Currently, La Min experiences fatigue and a rapid heartbeat while walking even short distances, poor appetite, and chest pain. Even though she has lived with her condition almost all her life, she still experiences anxiety and stress during her episodes. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 for this complex surgery. The treatment is scheduled to take place on April 10th and, once completed, will hopefully allow her to live more comfortably and have a more active and healthy life ahead. In the future, La Min hopes to continue to work in Bangkok and save enough money to return to her village in Burma. There she dreams of opening a restaurant and selling Thai food. She said, “When I lie down at night, I hear my rapid heartbeat and have trouble falling asleep. When I am very tired and experience heart palpitations, I worry that my heartbeat will stop suddenly. I want to know what the world is like without my heart disease.”

Rin is a 25-year-old chef from Kampong Thom Province, Cambodia. She lives with her sister. Her parents passed away one year ago, and her six siblings are all married and living with their own families. In her free time, she enjoys listening to music. At the age of nine, Rin had a knee abscess in her right knee that was treated at a private clinic. Over time, the infection led to lasting joint damage, and she has since developed osteoarthritis of the right knee. She experiences persistent pain, swelling, and difficulty walking, making it hard to manage her work as a chef and daily activities such as using stairs. Fortunately, on May 7th, Rin will undergo knee fusion surgery with the help of our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre. Rin can contribute $100, but needs help raising an additional $500 to fund her surgery and care. This procedure will help stabilize the joint, reduce her pain, and improve her mobility. Rin said, "After the surgery, I hope that my pain and swelling will be relieved, and that I will be able to move my right knee more comfortably. I also hope to regain better mobility and improve my ability to carry out daily activities without difficulty."

Yeniya is a seven-year-old active and sociable boy from Ethiopia. He enjoys riding his bicycle and playing football with his friends. He has a keen interest in environmental science and loves spending time with his younger sister. Yeniya lives with his parents and his two sisters in a small one-room iron-sheet house. Their family home was destroyed two years ago during the construction of a new government structure, leaving them in a difficult living situation. Yeniya's mother is a dedicated homemaker, while his father works as a daily laborer. Together, they strive to meet their children’s needs. Yeniya's parents were unaware of his condition until last year, when Yeniya began experiencing pain in the scrotal area. His mother took him to a health center, where he was diagnosed with an undescended testis and advised that he would need surgical intervention. The doctor also expressed concern that the condition had not been addressed earlier and referred them to a specialized hospital. Overwhelmed with emotion, Yeniya's mother relayed the diagnosis to his father, and they took him to the referred hospital. Yeniya was placed on the surgical wait list. As months went by, his father frequently inquired about the status of the case, worried that the condition might get worse due to treatment delay. One day, eight months later, they received a call from the referral hospital informing them that Yeniya had been further referred to our medical partner's care center, BethanyKids Myungsung Christian Medical Centre (BKMCM). Yeniya has been diagnosed with cryptorchidism, a condition in which one or both of the testicles remains undescended. If left untreated, Yeniya has an increased risk of developing hernias, testicular cancer, and fertility problems in the future. Yeniya will be receiving assistance from our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH). Fortunately, he is scheduled to undergo corrective surgery on February 24th. AMH is requesting $754 to cover the total cost of his procedure and care. Yeniya's father said, "We are grateful for the opportunity for our son's treatment, and hope that the surgery will go well, and he will recover."