John is a hawker (the local name for a street vendor) from Kenya. He has six children all under the age of 18 years. His wife helps at home and John is the family's sole breadwinner. Lately, due to his condition, John has been unable to work. He has no alternate source of income, and shared that he is struggling to raise his family. John first started experiencing a loss of appetite and stomach pain in April 2022. He visited a local health center and was treated for stomach aches, but his condition did not improve. He later started having episodes of diarrhea and has lost a significant amount of weight. He also has been experiencing bleeding that has caused him anemia. As a result, he has had several blood transfusions and hospital admissions. Recently, a biopsy at Kijabe Hospital revealed that John has colorectal cancer. Colorectal cancer is a disease in which cells in the colon grow out of control. At the current stage, his doctors feel the cancer can be stopped surgically from spreading. However, the procedure has to be done as soon as possible because it is urgent. He is now scheduled to undergo surgery and needs support. Unfortunately, John does not have medical coverage and cannot afford the surgery. He is requesting financial assistance to support the $1,074 needed for his medical care. John says, “I cannot eat, and I have lost a lot of weight. I have had several blood transfusions because of bleeding. I need this surgery to help fight the cancer.”

Veung is a 64-year-old doting grandmother. She is a retired rice farmer from Kandal province, and her husband is a retired security guard. They have one son, two daughters, and six grandchildren, and they live with their youngest daughter, who is a garment worker and supports their living. Veung enjoys going to the local pagoda on holy days with her husband and helps her children by caring for the grandchildren while her children are working. Several years ago, Veung developed a cataract in her left eye, causing her itchiness, tearing, and blurry vision. Farming has been a way of life for her since she was young, and she has spent most of her life outdoors. Now, she has difficulty seeing things clearly, including colors and faces, and is worried about falling when walking, so she cannot go places on her own. When Veung learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), she traveled for three hours seeking treatment. On May 5th, doctors will perform cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in her left eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Now, she needs help to fund this $253 procedure. Veung said: "After surgery, I hope I can see better, go outside with my husband, and not be afraid I will fall. I can help my daughter to take care of my grandchildren."

Hok is a 27-year-old mother of two from Cambodia who lives in a rural province with her husband and sons. Her husband is a fisherman, and Hok stays home to care for their young children. She loves music, especially traditional Cambodian songs, and enjoys sewing clothing for herself and her children. Hok has had a recurring ear infection since she was five years old. The infection has caused a cholesteatoma- an abnormal skin growth- to develop in the middle ear behind her eardrum, leading to ear discharge, hearing loss, and tinnitus. Hok has difficulty hearing and is sometimes embarrassed to go out because of the pus from her ear. Hok traveled to our medical partners at the Children's Surgical Centre to receive treatment. On March 6th, she will undergo a mastoidectomy procedure in her left ear during which ENT surgeons will remove the cholesteatoma. CSC is requesting $926 to cover the procedure, medications, supplies, and inpatient care. Hok said, "I'm tired of having this my whole life. I want surgery to help my hearing and I want to be able to sleep without the ringing noise."