Ay Rin is eight years old and a third-grader from Cambodia. She lives in Kampot Province with her parents and her older brother, who is in Grade 7. Her father works as a construction worker, and her mother is a rice farmer. She enjoys playing with her friends in the village, her favorite subject is mathematics, and she dreams of becoming a doctor one day. For the past four months, Ay Rin has been experiencing frequent sore throats, difficulty swallowing, trouble breathing, loud snoring, and pauses in breathing while sleeping. Her frequent throat infections and breathing difficulties make it hard for her to eat, sleep, and concentrate at school. The repeated illness also causes her to miss classes and prevents her from fully enjoying time with her friends. Ay Rin was recently diagnosed with enlarged tonsils and adenoids, which, if not treated, will cause her symptoms to persist and possibly intensify over time. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $345 to fund a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy for Ay Rin, which is scheduled to take place on August 4th. Surgeons will remove her tonsils and adenoids, hopefully relieving Ay Rin of her symptoms and helping her live much more comfortably. Ay Rin's grandmother said, “I hope this surgery will stop her frequent throat infections so she can breathe, sleep, and eat comfortably again. I want her to return to school healthy and enjoy being a child without getting sick so often.”

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.”

Chantha is a 15-year-old girl from Cambodia. She lives in Kampong Chhnang Province with her parents, who work as rice farmers and factory workers. She is the eldest of two children and is in the ninth grade. She enjoys playing football with her friends, loves studying Khmer literature, and hopes to become a police officer in the future. When she was 6 years old, Chantha had an ear infection. This infection caused the tympanic membrane, or the eardrum, in her right ear to perforate. For this reason, Chantha experiences right ear pain, repeated ear discharge, ringing in the ear (tinnitus), and hearing loss. Her symptoms became much worse after water entered her ear during the Khmer New Year 2026. The chronic ear infection and hearing loss make it difficult for her to hear clearly in daily life and at school. The repeated pain and discharge also affect her comfort and confidence. Chantha traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On July 14th, she will undergo a myringoplasty procedure in her right ear. During this procedure, surgeons will close the perforation. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $363 to fund this procedure. This covers medications, supplies, and inpatient care. Chantha said, “I’m happy to finally have the opportunity for surgery. I hope my ear will heal well, my hearing will improve, and I can leave this problem behind and move forward with confidence.”