Nan Maw is a 24-year-old woman from Burma. She lives with her friends in Bangkok in an apartment rented by their employer. She works as a waitress, while her brother and mother still live in their village in Karen State, Burma. When Nan Maw was healthy and working full-time, she would send half of her salary home to support her mother. She dreams of building a concrete house back home for her family. Nan Maw 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. Due to her condition, she can only engage in part-time work as she gets tired too easily. Nan Maw is scheduled to undergo heart surgery on August 31st at our medical partner's care center, Kasemrad Prachachuen Hospital, to correct her atrial septal defect and improve her quality of life. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to help cover the cost of Nan Maw's procedure and care. Nan Maw said, “I would like to thank your organization, BCMF, and your donors for your help. If you do not help me, I would have had to give up on my treatment because I know that I could not afford it by myself. I am very happy and thankful to all the donors. You have helped me feel that I can dream again. Before I developed these symptoms, I dreamed of working hard, saving money, building a house back home, and opening my own restaurant. Since I first noticed my symptoms, it felt like my dreams were lost. But now, I can dream again.”

Evelyn is a 10-year-old smart and friendly young girl who lives in Quibdó, Colombia with her family. Her joy and curiosity shine through every day at school, where she interacts with her classmates with enthusiasm and warmth. When she grows up, Evelyn wishes to become a great veterinarian. Since birth, Evelyn has had an umbilical hernia, a condition in which a small portion of abdominal tissue protrudes through the navel. The condition has been causing her discomfort and tenderness in the navel area, especially when performing activities like jumping, playing and enjoying her childhood. Surgery has been recommended to correct the hernia, and prevent possible future complications. Fortunately, Evelyn is scheduled for repair surgery on August 20th. Our medical partner, Clínica Noel, is requesting $1,005 to fund Evelyn's surgery. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully allow her to live a healthier life. Evelyn’s mother says, "I would like to express my deepest gratitude for your support in my daughter’s surgery. Your generosity, solidarity, and big hearts are a true beacon of hope during this very important time for our family. Thanks to your help, we will be one step closer to giving my daughter the opportunity to receive the treatment she needs. We will never forget this noble gesture. May God bless you abundantly, grant you health, peace, and prosperity, and multiply all the good you have sown in our lives. With all our love, respect, and eternal gratitude."

Ester is a 13-year-old student from Burma. She lives with her parents, her younger brother, and two younger sisters in a village in Karen State, Burma. Ester and her three younger siblings go to school while their parents are small-scale farmers. They also raise chickens and pigs, and they forage for vegetables in the forest for their own consumption. They also have a small garden where they grow betel nut trees, and they sell some of the betel nuts to earn a small income. Sometimes, Ester’s father also finds work as an agricultural day laborer. In her free time, Ester loves to help her mother with household chores and also play with her friends at school. She wants to become a teacher when she grows up. Ester 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. Ester is scheduled to undergo heart surgery on July 7th to correct her condition and improve her quality of life. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to help cover the cost of Ester's procedure and care. Ester's mother shared, "I would like to thank BCMF and your donors for your kindness and willingness to support my daughter. Without you, my daughter would not receive treatment as the cost is too high for us, and we cannot borrow such a large amount of money from our neighbours. On behalf of our family and our daughter, thank you to your donors and everyone willing to help my daughter.”