Philip is a five-year-old boy living in Cambodia with his family, which includes an older sister and a younger brother. His mother is a homemaker, while his father is a sculptor. Currently, Philip is in kindergarten, and his mother shares that he aspires to become a police officer in the future. Philip presented to our medical partner with short stature, deformity in both legs, and learning difficulties. Surgeons diagnosed him with achondroplasia, a condition characterized by disproportionate short stature, and various skeletal abnormalities, including worsening genu varum, or bowed legs. Philip has difficulty walking, and experiences discomfort, due to the deformities in his legs. Philip was brought to our medical partner's care center experiencing challenges with his legs and having learning difficulties. The surgeons identified that he has achondroplasia, a condition that affects his growth and leads to differences in his bone structure, including increasingly bowed legs. These leg issues make it hard for Philip to walk comfortably and cause him discomfort. Fortunately, our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC), can help. On August 27th, surgeons at Kien Khleang National Rehabilitation Centre will perform a procedure that aims to correct the alignment of his bowed legs, and improve his ability to walk. Philip's family is seeking assistance to fund the $521 procedure and post-op care. Philip's mother says, "I hope this procedure will help Philip walk more comfortably, allowing him to make his way to school and around the village with greater ease."

Daw Khin is a 64 year-old woman from Burma. She lives with her husband and her daughter in Yangon, Burma. She is a homemaker and her husband is retired. Daw Khin and her husband rely on their daughter for their daily needs. Daw Khin was born with a heart condition called patent ductus arteriosis (PDA). PDA is a persistent opening between two major blood vessels leading from the heart. When a baby is growing in the womb the opening is necessary to provide adequate blood and oxygen, but this typically closes after birth. When it remains open, it can weaken the heart and cause other complications. because of this condition, Daw Khin experiences shortness of breath, palpitations, and chest pain. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund a surgery that will close off the patent ductus arteriosis for Daw Khin. The treatment is scheduled to take place at Pun Hlaing Hospital on May 18th and, once completed, will hopefully allow her to live more comfortably. Daw Khin said, “I am very thankful to BCMF for helping my surgery. I wish the operation would be successful and I want to recover soon. When I am healthy again, I would like to go to the monastery daily.”

Sokchum is a 38-year-old coffee cart merchant from Siem Reap Province in Cambodia. He lives by himself and has three siblings who live with their single mother in another rural province a few hours away. To support himself and his family, Sokchum rents a small cart space to sell coffee. In his free time, Sokchum enjoys watching boxing and soccer on TV with his friends. About eleven years ago, Sokchum had an ear infection. This infection caused a cholesteatoma, an abnormal skin growth, to develop in the middle ear behind the ear drum. For this reason, Sokchum has been experiencing some concerning symptoms including difficulty in hearing, pain, and ear discharge. It has become increasingly difficult for him to communicate with his customers, family, and friends. Sokchum traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On June 6th, he will undergo a mastoidectomy procedure in his left ear. During this procedure, ENT surgeons will remove the cholesteatoma. Sokchum is able to contribute $100 towards the cost of his treatment and need help raising $826 more to fund the procedure. This will cover the cost of medications, supplies, and inpatient care. Sokchum says: "I hope that after surgery I will be able to hear more clearly so I can improve communication with my customers."