Seav is six years old and a second-grade student from Cambodia. She is the middle child of three siblings and lives with her parents, who are rice farmers in Prey Veng Province. Her older brother is in Grade 8, while her younger sister is three years old. She enjoys reading and writing Khmer and likes playing with toys with her cousins and sister. Her favorite foods are caramelized pork and eggs. When she was nine months old, Seav suffered a hot-water burn to her right hand. After the burn healed, scar tissue gradually formed and caused contractures in her right middle and ring fingers, along with a shortened web space. The tight scars restrict movement in her right middle and ring fingers and make it difficult for her to use her right hand for writing. This can make schoolwork and other activities that require hand movement more challenging. When Seav's family learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, they traveled for three hours seeking treatment. On September 23rd, surgeons at CSC will perform a burn contracture release surgery to improve movement in her right hand, making it easier for her to write and use her hand during school and daily activities. Now, she needs help to fund this $652 procedure. Seav's mother said, “Her hand has been tight since she was very young, and now it is making writing more difficult for her at school. I hope the surgery will help her move her fingers more freely so she can write, learn, and use her hand with greater ease.”

Dah is a 52-year-old woman from Burma. She lives with her husband, two daughters, and a son in the village in Karen State, Burma. Dah and her husband work as agricultural day laborers. Currently, Dah experiences back pain while sitting for long periods. She was diagnosed with gallstones and has been advised to undergo a cholecystectomy, the surgical removal of the gallbladder. If left untreated, Dah's symptoms will continue to worsen and put her at risk for further health complications in the future. After seeking treatment through our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF), Dah is scheduled to undergo her cholecystectomy on June 25th. BCMF is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of Dah's procedure and care. Dah said, “We do not have work every day. If there is work available but I have back and stomach pain, I cannot work, so we do not have income for the day that I did not get to work. I wish I could get the surgery and be free from this pain, but I do not have the money. Thank you so much for helping me. Without your help, I had decided that I would just stay with the stone inside me for the rest of my life.”

Char is a 55-year-old man from Burma who lives with his wife, two daughters, and two sons. His oldest two children work as small-scale farmers alongside Char and his wife, while his two youngest are students. Char's family also raises buffalo, pigs, and chickens for their consumption and to sell for income every four or five months. Char shared that the money they earn from selling their livestock, as well as the crops they grow for themselves, is just enough to cover their daily needs and to pay for basic health care. Char has a right inguinal hernia with bowel obstruction that is causing him to experience a lot of pain, difficulty walking and moving, and a reduced appetite. He needs to undergo surgery to heal from his condition. Fortunately, our medical partner can help him undergo hernia repair surgery on May 12th, which, once completed, will allow him to live more comfortably. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,468 to fund Char's surgery. Char shared about how upsetting this condition has been for him and his family, stating: "I cannot help my family take care of our rice fields, [vegetable] garden, or buffaloes," he said. "After I recover, I want to go home to take care of our rice fields and look after my buffalo. I will also go to the forest to forage for vegetables and hunt."