Nwe is a 36-year-old woman from Burma. She lives with her family in Thingangkuun Township in Yangon Division. Nwe works as a seamstress at home while her husband works in a factory. In her free time, Nwe likes to play with her nephew who lives close by and also loves to watch movies at home. Nwe was diagnosed with a heart condition that involves a malformation of the mitral valve, the valve between the left atrium and left ventricle. This valve controls the flow of blood, but certain conditions may cause blood to flow backward or the valve to narrow. Currently, Nwe experiences tiredness especially when she walks for longer periods of time. If she feels tired, she also experiences heart palpitations. Sometimes, she also suffers from dizziness. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund a mitral valve replacement for Nwe. The treatment is scheduled to take place on March 24th and, once completed, will hopefully allow her to live more comfortably. Nwe shared, “I feel stressed about my condition. I am afraid to have surgery but there is no other option. I hope that after I have fully recovered from my surgery, I will be able to work as seamstress again.” Nwe’s husband is also worried for her and he has had to take time off from work to accompany her to all her appointments. He said, “I get paid daily for my work and if I do not work regularly then I have less income. Before, we were able to save some money from our work but since my wife was diagnosed with a heart problem and started to see the doctor for tests and medications, we can no longer save any money.”

Naw Khu is a 18-month-old baby girl from Burma who lives with her parents and grandparents. Her mother wants her to become a medic when she grows older so that she could help people in her village. About a month ago, Naw Khu started to have difficulty passing urine. Her parents took her to a hospital where she had the catheter inserted. Since then she has been living with the catheter on because whenever the catheter was removed she had difficulty. The family arrived at our partner hospital last week and Naw Khu received an ultrasound. The result revealed mass-like object which is pressing onto her bladder. Doctors now want Naw Khu to undergo a CT scan, a procedure in which x-ray images taken from several angles are combined to produce cross-sectional images of the body. This scan will hopefully help doctors diagnose her condition and formulate an appropriate treatment plan. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $414 to cover the cost of Naw Khu's CT scan and care, scheduled for December 9th. Naw Khu’s father said, “We do not have money and could not speak Burmese well, so it was very difficult for us to go Yangon. We were very sad because we don't have any money. I just cried. I want her to be healthy and I also want her to grow up healthy like other children.”

Rith is a 58-year-old chef from Cambodia. She enjoys looking after her grandchild and listening to the monks pray on the radio in her free time. One year ago, Rith developed a cataract in her right eye, causing her tearing, photophobia, and blurry vision. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, recognizing faces, and going anywhere outside. When Rith learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled there seeking treatment. On December 11th, doctors will perform a phacoemulsification cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in her right eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Now, she needs help to fund this $211 procedure. "I hope that I will be able to see so I can help look after my grandchild again," Rith shared.