Gay is a 37-year-old man from Burma. He lives with extended family in a refugee camp in Tak Province, Thailand. Gay used to work at a shop loading and unloading supplies, but now he is unemployed. On June 12th, 2026, while he was standing suddenly, he heard a crack from his lower back close to his hip. The next day, he woke up with pain, stiffness, and leg weakness. He could only walk two or three steps before he could no longer stand. He is unable to walk or stand, and experiences persistent lower back pain, affecting his sleep. Gay was diagnosed with spinal cord compression with cauda equina syndrome, a neurosurgical emergency that occurs when the nerve roots at the very base of your lower spine are crushed or heavily squeezed. If left untreated, this compression can cause permanent neurological damage. With the help of our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, Gay will undergo surgery on June 25th. He needs help raising $1,500 to fund his treatment and care. This procedure will help Gay to be able to walk and be free from pain so that he can return to his work and earn an income. Gay said, “I could not sleep at night due to the pain, and I worried and thought about where to borrow money from, which made me very stressed. The amount of money that is required is such a burden for me, and I can never borrow that much money from anyone."

Rith is an 18-year-old high school student from Takeo Province, Cambodia. He lives with his parents and two younger siblings. His father works as a construction worker, and his mother works in a footwear factory. He is currently in 9th grade and hopes to become an army officer in the future. In his free time, he enjoys playing volleyball with his friends in the village. Three months ago, Rith was involved in a motor vehicle accident that caused paralysis of his right arm. He has been diagnosed with a brachial plexus injury — damage to the nerve network that transmits signals from the spine to the shoulder, arm, and hand. As a result, he experiences shoulder droop, pain, numbness and is unable to lift his right arm, making it difficult to perform daily activities and basic self-care. Fortunately, on May 7th, Rith will undergo brachial plexus repair surgery with the help of our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre. His family can contribute $75, but they need help raising an additional $662 to fund his procedure and care. The surgery will allow him to regain movement and independence in his daily life. Rith said, “I hope the surgery will reduce my pain and help me regain movement in my hand and shoulder so I can return to my normal daily activities.”

Elizabeth is a four-year-old girl from the Serengeti District in the Mara Region of Tanzania. She is the youngest of three children, but sadly, her older sister passed away due to severe anemia. Elizabeth was raised by both her parents until recently, when her mother entrusted her care to her aunt. Her aunt, who now accompanies Elizabeth for treatment, is a small-scale farmer who grows maize for their household consumption and to provide income. Elizabeth was diagnosed with clubfoot, a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. The tissues connecting the muscle to the bones are shorter than usual, and this causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. For Elizabeth, this condition has made walking difficult and affected her balance and stability. In January 2026, Elizabeth's family traveled to Kenya for treatment, where she underwent several rounds of casting to address her condition. Sadly, her condition relapsed, leaving the family discouraged and unsure where to seek further help. Fortunately, in July 2026, their hope was restored when Kafika House, our medical partner's care center, had community partners visit the Serengeti and informed Elizabeth's family that effective treatment for relapsed clubfoot was available. They immediately traveled to Kafika House to begin her journey toward recovery. Elizabeth will now undergo a new series of corrective casts to realign her foot, followed by an Achilles tendon lengthening procedure. Surgeons will begin Elizabeth's clubfoot treatment at Kafika House on July 14th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,171 to fund Elizabeth's clubfoot repair. After treatment, Elizabeth will have the opportunity to walk comfortably, play confidently, and enjoy a brighter, more independent future. Elizabeth's aunt said, "When her first treatment failed, we feared Elizabeth would struggle for the rest of her life. Today, we have renewed hope. We are grateful that she has another chance to receive the care she needs and dream of seeing her walk confidently like other children."