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.”

Sokhom is a 49-year-old mother of four from Cambodia. She lives in a rural area around two hours from the nearest specialist clinic. Sokhom and her husband are rice farmers. They have one child, in the 6th grade, living at home with them, while the three older children live near a factory where they work. In her free time, Sokhom studies Buddhist books and farms vegetables at her house. Years ago, Sokhom had an ear infection that caused her right eardrum to perforate. For this reason, Sokhom experiences pain and frequent discharge in her ear. She has difficulty hearing and frequently feels feverish and unwell. Sokhom traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On February 27th, she will undergo a myringoplasty procedure in her right ear. During this procedure, surgeons will close the perforation in her ear drum. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $487 to fund this procedure. This covers medications, supplies, and inpatient care. She shared, "I hope I can stop this problem and make my hearing better so I can feel healthy and take care of my family."

Veasna is a happy 4-year-old who loves soccer, cars, and watching cartoons on his mom's phone! His parents work in clothing factories supplying major global retailers, and while they are at work, Veasna's grandparents and family neighbors help care for him. About two years ago, Veasna burned his left hand in an accident. Since then, burn scar contractures have developed, tightening the skin around the fingers. When Veasna's parents learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), they traveled for two hours seeking treatment. On February 6th, surgeons at CSC will perform a burn contracture release surgery to improve the functioning of Veasna's hand by releasing the scar tissue on three of his fingers. CSC is requesting $495 to fund this procedure and Veasna's family contributed $100 to his care. Veasna shared, "I hope I can use my hand more easily and play with my toys."