Kuon is a 68-year-old grandmother from Cambodia. She lives in Battambang with her elderly husband and grandchildren. She has three children: her oldest child works as a car repairer, her second child works for a private company, and her youngest child is a taxi driver. She spends much of her time caring for her grandchildren. She also enjoys visiting the pagoda. Kuon developed a non-healing ulcer on her right cheek after suffering a burn while cooking. The wound remained open for about one year and was later diagnosed as invasive basal cell carcinoma. The ulcer has not healed and has a small area of dead tissue along its edge. Although it is not painful when touched, having a persistent lesion on her cheek affects her comfort and confidence in daily life. When Kuon learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for three hours seeking treatment. On September 10th, surgeons at CSC will perform a removal of the basal cell carcinoma from her right cheek, followed by reconstruction with a rhomboid flap to remove the cancerous lesion and reconstruct the affected area, helping the wound heal and restoring the appearance and function of her cheek. Her family can contribute $100, but needs help raising $616 more to fund her procedure and care. Kuon said, “I hope the surgery will remove the ulcer on my cheek and help the area heal properly. I am looking forward to recovering and returning to my usual daily activities with more confidence.”

Sotheavy is an 11-year-old student from Cambodia. Her father is a police officer, and her mother works at a grocery shop. She is in Grade 4, and English is her favorite subject. In her free time, she enjoys drawing and reading storybooks. Her favorite foods are sour fish soup and fried pork with vegetables. Sotheavy was born with left torticollis, a condition in which the tight muscle on the left side of her neck causes her head to tilt to the left. The condition has become worse over the past year. She has difficulty bending her neck to the right because of the tight muscle. She also feels shy about her appearance because her head tilts to one side. Fortunately, our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is helping Sotheavy receive treatment. On October 29th, surgeons will perform a contracture release surgery to loosen the tight muscle in her neck, helping her hold her head straighter and move it more easily. This may also help her feel more comfortable and confident about her appearance. Now, she needs help to fund this $572 procedure. Sotheavy's mother said, “As her mother, I hope the surgery will help straighten my daughter’s neck and make it easier for her to move her head. She often feels shy about her appearance, and I want her to feel more confident, comfortable, and happy with herself as she grows up.”

Deborah is a 27-year-old mother of two from Kenya. Her husband is a small-scale farmer, while she stays home to manage their household and care for their children. When Deborah was two years old, she lost her hearing. She had an ear infection, underwent treatment and surgeries, but her hearing was never restored. When she was seven years old, she received hearing aids donated by missionaries. Unfortunately, she misplaced one of the hearing aids and was never able to recover it. She relied on the remaining hearing aid throughout her primary school education. Over time, her only hearing aid stopped working, leaving her with profound hearing loss. Since then, Deborah has withdrawn from social interactions, often choosing to remain at home because communicating with others has become extremely difficult. She is unable to help her children as they begin learning and growing, something that deeply saddens her. On July 8th, Deborah will be fitted with hearing aids, and our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is seeking assistance in raising $1,171. This will allow her to reconnect with her family, regain her independence, and improve her quality of life. Deborah says, "I can't help my son with his homework, and it breaks my heart to feel left out of my children's lives."