Cheata is an 11-year-old Grade 6 student from Cambodia. She is the third of five children and lives with her parents, who are rice farmers. All of her siblings are still students. She enjoys mathematics at school, likes drawing pictures in her free time, and loves eating caramelized pork and eggs. Cheata has had a mass at the back of her right thigh for about three years. She has multiple osteochondromas, with bony growths around her right femur, including areas near the front-inner and back-outer parts of the lower thigh bone. The growths have gradually increased in size and cause mild pain and discomfort around her right knee. She sometimes feels a grinding or snapping sensation when squatting, which can make knee movement uncomfortable. Cheata traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On September 15th, surgeons at Children's Surgical Centre (CSC) will remove the mass. Now, Cheata needs help to raise $344 to fund this procedure. Cheata's mother said, “I hope removing these growths will help my daughter feel less pain and move her right leg more comfortably. I am also relieved that she can receive treatment now, and I hope she will be able to squat, walk, and enjoy her daily activities without the discomfort she has been experiencing.”

Som is a 58-year-old homemaker from Cambodia. She lives in Kampong Thom Province with her husband and her second child, who is a rice farmer. She has four married children who live nearby with their own families. She enjoys going to the pagoda and listening to monks pray in her free time. About two months ago, Som noticed a lump on the left side of her neck. Although it was not painful, it gradually became more noticeable and caused a feeling of fullness, especially when swallowing. Som visited our medical partner's care center, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), where she was diagnosed with a left cystic thyroid goiter. The lump causes discomfort and tightness in her neck when swallowing, making her anxious about her health and concerned that it may continue to grow. On July 15th, surgeons will remove the mass. Som's family can contribute $100, but needs help raising $244 more to fund her procedure and care. Som said, “I have been worried since I noticed the lump on my neck. I hope after the surgery, I will feel comfortable again and no longer be concerned every time I swallow.”

Maurine is a 36-year-old widowed mother of two children. In 2022, she experienced a sudden and unexpected change that would alter her life. Without warning, she lost the ability to hear. At first, Maurine struggled to understand what was happening. Simple conversations became difficult, and communicating with her children was no longer easy. She could not hear when they spoke to her, and responding to their needs became increasingly challenging. In December 2022, she went to AIC Kijabe Hospital for a medical review. After assessment, the doctors recommended hearing aids to help her regain the ability to hear and communicate. A well-wisher paid for one hearing aid, which made communication easier, including with her children. Sadly, in 2025, the hearing aid stopped working. Gradually, Maurine began withdrawing from those close to her. She works as a house help, but her hearing loss also began to affect her ability to earn a living. In January this year, she returned to the hospital, where she was advised to obtain new hearing aids, but the cost was far beyond what she could afford. Still hoping for a solution, she returned to hospital in August, hoping she would find help. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping her find treatment. On Sept 9th, Maurine will be fitted with hearing aids. For Maurine, this would mean much more than the ability to hear sounds again. It would mean being able to communicate with her children. It would mean understanding her employer, and it would mean reconnecting with family and friends, regaining her confidence, and no longer living in isolation. Now, Maurine needs help to fund this $1,171 procedure. She says: “I wish to hear again, so I can communicate more confidently with my family and friends."