Alice is a 36-year-old woman from the Rukingiri district in southwestern Uganda. She is an outspoken, social, and patient lady who has endured a painful condition for ten years without giving up on seeking treatment. Alice attended school through seventh grade but couldn't continue her education due to a lack of funding. Her four children all currently attend school. Alice engages in small-scale farming and grows beans, millet, and maize. Her husband works as a casual laborer on other people's farms to sustain his family. For the past ten years, Alice has experienced persistent pain on the left side of her abdomen. She described the pain as a sharp sensation that penetrates deep into her stomach and radiates to her back. In addition to the abdominal pain, she also suffers from a lower backache and bleeding in a sensitive area. Upon examination, she was diagnosed with a left ovarian cystic mass and was advised to undergo a cystectomy for treatment. However, she cannot currently afford the surgery. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), can help. On July 5th, Alice will undergo a ovarian cystectomy at AMH's care center. AMH is requesting $220 to cover the cost of Alice's treatment. Alice said, “I hope to get healed once I am given your support to undergo surgery.”

Zin is a 17-year-old student who lives with her parents and older brother. She is in eighth grade but stopped her schooling six months ago due to her deteriorating health. Her father is a carpenter, and her mother is a homemaker. Her older brother works at a furniture factory. Zin enjoys dancing in her free time. In June 2022, Zin started to experience persistent coughing. She also occasionally felt tired, which worsened when she laid down. Due to this symptom, she had difficulty sleeping at night. She received medications at a clinic, but they only helped her temporarily. In April 2023, both of Zin's legs became swollen, so they sought medical care. The cardiologist performed an electrocardiogram, echocardiogram, and chest X-ray, and diagnosed Zin with mitral valve regurgitation and tricuspid valve regurgitation due to rheumatic heart disease. This means that the valves of her heart are not properly closing. On July 21st, doctors with our medical partner Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF) will perform heart surgery on Zin, replacing her mitral and tricuspid valves. BCMF is requesting $1,500 to fund the procedure. Her father shared, “I am thankful I got in contact with you. It is a blessing to receive help from you. I wish you the best. I am also happy for my daughter because she is so lucky to receive such support. It is impossible for us to pay for her treatment without your help.”

Sok is a 52-year-old teacher from Cambodia. Her husband works as a rice farmer in Prey Veng province, and their son works nearby in construction. Sok teaches Cambodian history and culture to elementary school students. In her free time, she likes cooking for her family and chatting with friends in her village. In April 2022, Sok was in a motorbike accident that caused a fracture in her left patella (kneecap). She went to a nearby hospital, where doctors fixated hardware to heal her fracture. Now, the bone is united, and the hardware is uncomfortable and needs removal. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), can help. On May 3rd, Sok will undergo a hardware removal procedure to help her walk easily again. CSC is requesting $304 to fund her surgery. Sok contributed $75 to her care. When asked about her hopes for the future, Sok said: "After surgery, I hope I can feel like before the accident."