Curtis is a second grade student from Kenya. Curtis is accompanied by his grandmother at the hospital. He is jovial and inquisitive. Curtis is the only child in his family and is being raised by his grandmother. His mother left him with his grandmother when he was 3 years to work in the Middle East. His father works at a timber yard splitting wood earning an inconsistent income. Curtis was diagnosed with cryptorchidism, a condition in which one or both of the testicles remains undescended. If left untreated, Curtis has an increased risk of developing hernias, testicular cancer, and fertility problems in the future. Curtis will be receiving assistance from our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH). Fortunately, he is scheduled to undergo corrective surgery on January 5th. AMH is requesting $646 to cover the total cost of his procedure and care. Curtis' grandmother says: “He needs treatment to be healthy in the future.”

Sok Kha is a 54-year-old widow who lives alone in Kratie province. She has one daughter who works in Kampong Som province. She grows bananas and mangoes to support her simple lifestyle, visits with neighbors, and enjoys cleaning and arranging her home. This January, Sok Kha injured her wrist in a motorbike accident. Since she was unable to afford care at the local hospital, she visited a traditional Cambodian healer where she received herbs and a splint. A month later, her hand was still red and swollen and she had a pressure injury on her wrist caused by the splint, making it difficult for her to use her hand. Surgeons at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, are able to treat her injury and on February 22nd, Sok Kha will undergo a fracture repair procedure, which costs $483. The procedure will repair the displaced bone, eliminate the infection, and make it possible for her to use her hand and perform daily tasks again. She said: "After surgery, I hope I will be able to work in my orchard and have no more pain or infection."

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."