Rith is an 18-year-old high school student from Takeo Province, Cambodia. He lives with his parents and two younger siblings. His father works as a construction worker, and his mother works in a footwear factory. He is currently in 9th grade and hopes to become an army officer in the future. In his free time, he enjoys playing volleyball with his friends in the village. Three months ago, Rith was involved in a motor vehicle accident that caused paralysis of his right arm. He has been diagnosed with a brachial plexus injury — damage to the nerve network that transmits signals from the spine to the shoulder, arm, and hand. As a result, he experiences shoulder droop, pain, numbness and is unable to lift his right arm, making it difficult to perform daily activities and basic self-care. Fortunately, on May 7th, Rith will undergo brachial plexus repair surgery with the help of our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre. His family can contribute $75, but they need help raising an additional $662 to fund his procedure and care. The surgery will allow him to regain movement and independence in his daily life. Rith said, “I hope the surgery will reduce my pain and help me regain movement in my hand and shoulder so I can return to my normal daily activities.”

Lowena is a dedicated community health worker from the Philippines. She assists with maternal care and child health services in her community. She works three times a week in the field and will soon help with a measles vaccination program for children. Her son, Randy, drives a school bus, and together they provide for the family. Lowena enjoys singing in her free time and considers her fieldwork her exercise, as it keeps her active through frequent walking. Forty-four years ago, Lowena began to experience troubling symptoms, including pain, significant discomfort, and occasional bleeding. She was diagnosed with internal hemorrhoids. She needs surgery to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. For a long time, Lowena postponed her own treatment to care for her sick grandchild, but after seeing the child recover and learning about hospital support, she decided it was time to prioritize her health. Fortunately, our medical partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines (WSFP), is helping Lowena receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a hemorrhoidectomy on May 5th at WSFP's care center. During this procedure, surgeons will remove her hemorrhoids. A portion of the cost of her treatment is being supported by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and WSFP is requesting the remaining $1,257 to cover the cost of Lowena's procedure and care. "Having this surgery is a huge blessing, especially for people like me who cannot afford treatment. I hope Watsi continues helping more people, because helping others brings happiness," Shared Lowena.

Both is a three-year-old kindergarten student from Cambodia. He lives with his parents in Kampong Cham Province and is the only child in the family. His father works as a car repairman, and his mother is a grocery seller. He enjoys reading and writing Khmer, playing with toy cars and balls, and eating fish sour soup. When he grows up, he hopes to become a doctor. For the past year, Both has been experiencing difficulty breathing, loud snoring during sleep, and difficulty eating. The condition affects his breathing, sleep, and eating. His frequent symptoms cause discomfort and may affect his overall health and daily activities. Both was recently diagnosed with enlarged tonsils and adenoids, which, if not treated, will cause his 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 Both, which is scheduled to take place on June 11th. Surgeons will remove his tonsils and adenoids, hopefully relieving Both of his symptoms and helping him live much more comfortably. Both's mother stated, “After the surgery, I hope my child will be able to breathe normally, sleep better without snoring, and eat comfortably. I hope his health and quality of life will improve.”