Say is a 31-year-old woman who has lived with her family in a refugee camp for more than 10 years after fleeing the conflict in Burma. She is a homemaker who lives with her husband, elderly father, and three young children who are all attending school. The income for Say’s family comes from cash cards provided by an organisation in the refugee camp. Say’s husband works as a delivery driver outside the camp but he has been unable to work since December 2023 because Say’s father and eldest son have health issues that require support. Their monthly income is not enough to cover their living expenses and they sometimes need to borrow food before their cash card is refilled. Basic health care is provided by the International Rescue Committee (IRC) in the refugee camp free of charge, but not advanced care like Say needs. In 2022, Say began having pain, discomfort, and pressure in her abdomen. She was diagnosed with an ovarian cyst and has been advised to undergo a total abdominal hysterectomy which will remove her uterus and cervix. If left untreated, Say's symptoms will continue to worsen and put her at risk for further health complications. Say is scheduled to undergo a hysterectomy on February 22nd. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to cover the cost of her procedure and care. “I will look for a job as a nursery teacher in the camp, I used to do this before I had to stop. Thank you so much to the donors who are helping us pay for my surgery and thank you to BCMF. May you all be healthy, and God bless you,” shared Say.

Tway is a 20-year-old man from Thailand. He lives with his cousin, his cousin’s wife and two nephews in a village in Tak Province, Thailand. Since his parents passed away, he has lived with various relatives in Burma and in Thailand. Tway has lived with his cousin for the past year. His cousin’s family grows paddy and vegetables for them to eat, while his nephews go to school. He helps his cousin with farming, but he does not get paid. In his free time, Tway likes to hunt birds and fish. When he recovers, he wants to find work so he can be independent. Currently, Tway has a colostomy. Since he has been receiving colostomy bags from the mobile health team, he feels more confident to go out in public and be around other people. Doctors want Tway to undergo an MRI. This scan will hopefully help doctors diagnose his condition and formulate an appropriate treatment plan. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $814 to cover the cost of Tway's MRI and care, scheduled for February 6th. Tway said, “People in Burma treated me different than the people from Thailand because of my condition. I want to get treatment and be treated the same as other people.”

Songheng works in a textile factory and lives with his parents, who are rice farmers, in Kandal province. He has a brother who lives in the family home and a married sister who lives nearby. When not working, Songheng enjoys listening to music with friends. Songheng operates machinery in a textile factory, stitching together fabrics that eventually find their way into clothing sold around the globe. On January 11th, his hand slipped while cutting through a thick piece of fabric with a mechanical saw. The sharp blade tore through his left arm, severing the radial nerves in his wrist. He was taken to a local hospital for surgical repair, but doctors told him they were unable to suture the radial nerves in his hand that are crucial for movement and sensation. Songheng is unable to use his left hand and feels constant burning in his thumb due to the damage to his nerves. He cannot work and is worried that he is unable to contribute to the family finances. Without proper treatment, he might never fully regain function in his hand. The hospital directed him to our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre. Skilled surgeons at CSC have achieved positive results for patients in removing damaged nerve or tendon sections, reconnecting healthy nerve ends, or implanting a piece of nerve/tendon from another part of the body. These procedures can repair the damage, and attempt to restore as much function as possible. With limited finances, Songheng needs help with the $572 cost of the procedure, which will cover medications, surgery, post-operative care, and physiotherapy. His surgery is scheduled for February 16th. Songheng said: "I am hopeful the doctors can fix my hand so I can work again and have no pain."