Mu is a 62-year-old woman from Thailand. She lives with her family in a village in Tha Song Yang District, Tak Province. She works as a day laborer and housekeeper. She also collects and sells recyclable materials for additional income to support her daily needs. In September 2023, Mu accidentally fell down the stairs and fractured her hip, making it difficult for her to walk and move her legs. She is in constant pain, affecting her ability to sleep and perform her daily tasks. Fortunately, Mu learned about our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF). At BCMF's care center, surgeons can perform a total hip replacement to relieve Mu of her pain and allow her to walk easily. Treatment is scheduled for March 1st and Mu needs help raising $1,500 to pay for this procedure. “I felt sad and depressed when I realized I needed surgery because I couldn’t afford to pay for it,” said Mu. “I am also concerned about my ability to take care of myself. I was thrilled and felt grateful to all the donors and BCMF when I learned they would help pay for my treatment. I want to take care of myself without anyone’s help. I don’t want to put anyone under unnecessary pressure. Along with that, I want to walk like I used to again.”

Voeun is a 63-year-old mother of five from a rural area of Cambodia. She lives with her husband, three of her children, and one grandchild. Her other two children already moved out of home, and they help support the family by working as truck drivers. Prior to her accident, Voeun worked alongside her husband, farming corn and potatoes. She loves playing with her grandchild and cooking for her family. In March this year, Voeun fell from the stairs in her home and broke her left hip. Since then, she has been experiencing chronic pain, unable to walk, sit, or sleep comfortably. She was seen by a traditional healer in her village, but her condition did not improve. Voeun traveled five hours to seek treatment at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC) in Phnom Penh. On April 26th, she will undergo a hemi-arthroplasty surgical procedure, to address her fractured femoral head and repair her hip joint. Surgery and physiotherapy will alleviate pain and help Voeun walk again. Voeun is able to contribute $100 towards the cost of her treatment and needs help raising $544 more to fund the procedure. Voeun says, "I hope that after treatment, I will return to work, support my family, and help in taking care of my grandchild."

Aye is a 33-year-old mother from Burma. She lives with her husband, mother, son, and three nephews. Aye and her mother take care of the household, while her husband works as a taxi driver and her son and nephews attend school. Her family also manages a small piece of land where they grow rice and raise livestock for their consumption and to provide additional income. In her leisure time, Aye enjoys staying updated with the news and watching movies on her phone. Aye was born with an atrial septal defect (ASD), a condition in which a hole exists between the two upper chambers of the heart. Sometimes, ASDs may close on their own during development, but sometimes, this condition requires surgery to repair the hole and prevent long-term damage to the heart and lungs. Aye is scheduled to undergo heart surgery on April 9th to correct the atrial septal defect and improve her quality of life. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to cover the cost of Aye's procedure and care. Aye said, "After I have recovered, I want to support my son to finish his education. I enjoy the routine of bringing him to school and picking him up afterward. Additionally, I have a plan to open a grocery store at home. Cooking is a passion of mine, and I love discovering new recipes online and bringing them to life in my kitchen."