Meet Koemseng, an 11-year-old boy from Kampong Chhnang province, Cambodia. His parents work as construction workers and his younger brother is in kindergarten. Koemseng is currently in 5th grade and enjoys his Khmer history class. At home, he likes to eat fried fish and eggs with rice and plays with his little brother. When Koemseng was six years old, he had a fever and received an injection in his left thigh at a local clinic. This caused quadriceps contracture, where the muscle became abnormally tight and shortened in his left leg. This condition left him unable to fully flex his left knee and caused an unusual walking pattern. A local hospital suggested that Koemseng's parents visit our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), to seek help. Koemseng and his parents traveled for two and a half hours for diagnosis and treatment. On July 17th, Koemseng will undergo surgery on his left leg which will help lengthen and release the tight muscle, allowing the knee to bend more freely and improving overall leg function. Koemseng's family is able to contribute $100 but needs help to raise $472 more to fund this procedure. Koemseng's father hopes that Koemseng can walk better and return to school to see his friends as soon as possible.

Mich is a grandmother from Kampong Cham province in Cambodia. She is 63 years old, and she and her husband have two daughters, two sons, and one grandchild. Her husband was a rice farmer, but he can no longer work in the fields, so their children support them financially. Mich occasionally makes Khmer cakes to sell from a mobile cart in their village for supplemental income. At home, she enjoys listening to Buddhist monks pray on the radio. About three years ago, Mich developed a cataract in her right 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. Mich often spends time alone at home because she is unable to go outside in the bright sun. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, including colors and faces, and is worried about falling when walking, so she is not able to go places on her own. When Mich learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for three hours seeking treatment. On August 9th, doctors will perform a small incision cataract surgery, and an intraocular lens implant in her right eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly and regain her independence. Mich's family is able to contribute $100 for her medical care but needs help to raise $153 more for the procedure. Mich said: "After surgery, I hope to see better, go outside, and cook for my grandchild."

Ustinah is a 50-year-old farmer and a mother of five children. Born in a family of 16, she has 2 brothers and 13 sisters. Just before joining primary school class seven, her mother had a serious fracture of her leg. Ustinah remained at home nursing her. By the time she recovered, her classmates had moved on to higher levels, discouraging Ustinah from continuing with her studies. Ustinah and her husband grow food crops like beans, maize, and potatoes for home consumption and sell off the surplus to generate an income for the family. Five years ago, Ustinah began to experience troubling symptoms, including an anterior neck swelling accompanied by shortness of breath, difficulty breathing and swallowing, numbness, and inability to tilt her neck sideways. She was examined and requested to do a scan and run some thyroid tests. She was diagnosed with a bilateral goiter. The thyroid is the gland located in front of your neck and produces thyroid hormones. These hormones are responsible for functions such as metabolism, growth and other bodily functions. She needs surgery to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Ustinah receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on October 8th, where surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. This procedure will cost $252, and she and her family need help raising money. Usitnah says, “At times at night, I am unable to breathe. I stay awake until morning, and this has made things difficult for me and affected my health. I believe that with your support, I will be able to undergo my surgery and will get better.”