Reaksa is 14 years old and a 10th grader from Cambodia. She is the only child in her family and lives with her parents. Her father works as a chef in a restaurant, while her mother works as a cleaner. She enjoys studying Khmer literature, which is her favorite subject at school, and hopes to become a teacher in the future. In her free time, she likes drawing and listening to music. Her favorite foods are sour fish soup and fried vegetables. Around the age of 10, Reaksa's mother first noticed that her daughter’s back was becoming curved. Over the years, the curvature gradually worsened. She now has severe scoliosis, with her spine bending significantly toward the right side and associated kyphosis. Her condition has begun to affect her daily life. She has difficulty walking and sitting for long periods, and the discomfort she experiences while sitting makes it difficult for her to concentrate in class. Despite these challenges, she continues to attend school and work toward her dream of becoming a teacher. Until now, her family has not been able to afford the treatment she needs. Her family learned about our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC), through social media and sought treatment. On August 18th, she will undergo posterior spinal fusion (PSF) from T3 to L3, a surgical procedure that uses instrumentation to correct and stabilize the curved portion of her spine. She needs help of $1,500 to help cover the costs of her surgery, the implant, and post-operative care, including physiotherapy. The surgery aims to improve the alignment of her spine and prevent the severe curvature from progressing further. Reaksa's mother said, “I hope this surgery will help manage my daughter’s severe spinal deformity, improve her comfort and posture, and allow her to stay active and continue her studies and daily activities. I want her to feel more confident and comfortable as she grows.”

Segundo is a 59-year old man from the Philippines who works as a driver. His wife is unemployed, and they occasionally receive help with household expenses from their child, who runs a small business. Segundo has been living with thyroid concerns for the last year. Still, he pushes through to enjoy singing during special occasions and family gatherings. Segundo remains hopeful about his recovery and shared that undergoing free surgery would ease his family's financial stress and keep them from having to borrow money to pay for his treatment. A year ago, Segundo began to experience troubling symptoms, including periodic palpitations and a throbbing sensation in his eyes. He was diagnosed with multinodular non-toxic goiter and needs surgery to heal. A recent ultrasound showed that the number and size of his thyroid nodules had increased, prompting concern from his family and a desire to have surgery before his condition worsens. Fortunately, our medical partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines (WSFP), is helping Segundo receive treatment. On August 29th, he will undergo a thyroidectomy at Our Lady of Peace Hospital. During this procedure, surgeons will remove all or part of his thyroid gland. Part of his treatment cost is covered by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and our medical partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines, is raising the remaining $935 to cover the cost of Segundo's procedure and care. Segundo said, "I am deeply grateful for this opportunity to receive free surgery. I look forward to getting better and continuing to enjoy singing and spending time with my family without worrying about my health."

Gay is a 37-year-old man from Burma. He lives with extended family in a refugee camp in Tak Province, Thailand. Gay used to work at a shop loading and unloading supplies, but now he is unemployed. On June 12th, 2026, while he was standing suddenly, he heard a crack from his lower back close to his hip. The next day, he woke up with pain, stiffness, and leg weakness. He could only walk two or three steps before he could no longer stand. He is unable to walk or stand, and experiences persistent lower back pain, affecting his sleep. Gay was diagnosed with spinal cord compression with cauda equina syndrome, a neurosurgical emergency that occurs when the nerve roots at the very base of your lower spine are crushed or heavily squeezed. If left untreated, this compression can cause permanent neurological damage. With the help of our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, Gay will undergo surgery on June 25th. He needs help raising $1,500 to fund his treatment and care. This procedure will help Gay to be able to walk and be free from pain so that he can return to his work and earn an income. Gay said, “I could not sleep at night due to the pain, and I worried and thought about where to borrow money from, which made me very stressed. The amount of money that is required is such a burden for me, and I can never borrow that much money from anyone."