Darika is 11 years old, and lives in Phnom Penh City, Cambodia with her parents and her two younger brothers. She attends grade seven in public school, and her favorite subject is Khmer literature. When she grows up, she would like to be a doctor. At home, she enjoys writing stories and reading books to her brothers. Darika has genou valgum or knock knees. It is a knee misalignment that turns her knees inward. Additionally, her left leg is shorter than her right leg. This causes her to limp, and if she walks for too long, her legs become painful. She shared that she feels embarrassed by how her legs look, and doesn't want other children to make fun of her. Darika needs to under go a procedure using metal plates to realign her legs, while lengthening the bones in her left leg. With the aid of our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, Darika is now scheduled for surgery at Kien Khleang National Rehabilitation Centre, on December 12th. Darika and her family need your help to pay for this procedure, which will cost $469. The surgery, and physical therapy afterwards, will enable Darika to walk without pain. Darika's mother said: "I hope my daughter's legs will be straight, and she will be able to be like other children, and not be in pain anymore."

Heng is a 16-year-old student from Cambodia in the 11th grade. His father is a roof builder and his mother stays at home. He has two older sisters who live at home, but have finished school and work outside of the home. In his free time, Heng enjoys reading books, exercising, fishing, and listening to music. At school, he likes math and would like to go into Information Technology. In June 2022, Heng was in a motorcycle collision where he fractured his right shoulder, femur, and hand, as well as both clavicles and several facial bones. His family took him to a local government hospital for surgery, but five months later, he still cannot move his right shoulder, elbow, wrist, or fingers. He has been diagnosed with a brachial plexus injury on his right side. The brachial plexus is a nerve network that transmits signals from the spine to the shoulder, arm, and hand. Injuries to this nerve network can result in loss of function and sensation. Heng has difficulty with daily tasks, feels poorly, and has stopped going to school due to his injury. Fortunately, our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), is helping Heng receive treatment. He traveled to CSC's care center, the only center in Cambodia where the required treatment is available. On November 14th, he will undergo a brachial plexus repair surgery. After recovery, he hopes to move his shoulder and use his hand. Now, he needs help raising $709 to fund his procedure and care. Heng's mother shared, "we hope Heng will recover and use his shoulder and arm again after surgery."

Heng is a 72-year-old retired rice farmer from Cambodia. He and his wife have three sons, three daughters, and seven grandchildren. Nowadays, they stay home, and he enjoys listening to the news and the monks praying on the radio when he has free time. Five years ago, Heng developed a pterygium in his right eye, causing him itchiness, tearing, and blurry vision. Pterygiums are non-cancerous growths of the conjunctiva, a mucous layer that lubricates the eye. The growths occur when the conjunctiva is exposed to excessive sun damage, and the cells grow abnormally over the pupil. As a result of this condition, Heng has difficulty seeing things clearly, recognizing faces, working, and going outside. When Heng learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), he traveled for two and a half hours seeking treatment. On October 24th, Heng will undergo surgery to remove the abnormal conjunctiva from the cornea surface and replace it with a conjunctival graft to prevent recurrence. CSC is requesting $225 for the total cost of this procedure, which includes his medications, supplies, and inpatient care for two days. Heng shared, "After surgery, I hope my eye feels better, and I can feel happy to travel and no longer experience irritation."