Seven-year-old Debi is a student living in Ethiopia, with his parents and younger sister. Debi's childhood should be full of play and learning, but it has unfortunately been shaped by illness instead. For more than four years, Debi has lived with epilepsy, for which he takes medicine on a daily basis to control his seizures. Over the past year, a second problem has made life even more difficult. His tonsils repeatedly became badly infected, and at one point, his condition grew so severe, that he had to leave his KG 2 class. His education has been on hold ever since. His swollen tonsils keep him in constant discomfort. He has high fevers that return again and again, and he struggles to swallow his food, snores heavily, and is unable to sleep through the night. When the infection flares up, his parents have to rush him to the hospital, and he often stays there for days. The family is also under great strain for other reasons. Last year, Debi's father, a civil servant, was badly hurt in a car accident, and has only recently returned to work after a prolonged absence. His mother finished her studies last year, but has not been able to find a job. For Debi's parents, the cost of caring for him is overwhelming. Each flare-up brings another emergency trip to the hospital, and his seizure medicine is a cost they must meet every month. Our medical partner, Saglan Wajee General Hospital, is requesting $700 to fund a tonsillectomy for Debi, which is scheduled to take place on October 17th. Surgeons will remove his tonsils, hopefully relieving Debi of his symptoms, and helping him to live more comfortably. "We wish to see him strong again, sleeping through the night, and back at school with his friends. That would bring our family so much relief," said Debi's parents.

Pheareak is a 39-year-old grocery seller from Cambodia. He lives in Kandal Province with his elderly parents and four siblings. He is the third of five children. His older brother is a chef, his older sister sells vegetables, his younger brother works for a company, and his youngest sister stays at home. In his free time, he enjoys listening to music and watching the news on his phone In 2015, Pheareak was involved in a motor vehicle accident that caused a fracture of his left femur. He underwent several procedures to repair the fracture, including fixation and later revision surgery. Unfortunately, the fracture became complicated by an infection, requiring further treatment with the help of our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC). After recovering, he was able to walk well and continued with his daily life for several years. Two months ago, Pheareak began experiencing increasing pain in his left thigh and knee after trying to bend his knee. His left leg gradually became weaker, and he eventually lost the ability to walk. He now relies on a wheelchair and has limited movement in his left knee. A recent X-ray revealed another fracture of his left femur. Fortunately, CSC can help Pheareak. On September 1st, Pheareak will undergo a fracture repair procedure, which will stabilize and realign his left femur and give the bone a better chance to heal, helping him regain strength and mobility so he can walk and return to his normal daily activities. His family can contribute $1000, but needs help raising $500 more to fund his procedure and care. Pheareak said, “I hope this surgery will help my leg heal properly and allow me to walk again without pain. I want to regain my strength and return to my normal daily activities.”

Ricky is 51 years old and a forklift operator from the Philippines. He is the sole breadwinner for his family, earning through irregular employment. One of his children helps by working part-time as a package courier, while his youngest child is still in school. Four months ago, Ricky began to experience troubling symptoms, including difficulty passing stool, dizziness, frequent vomiting, and poor appetite. Ricky was diagnosed with gallstones and has been advised to undergo a cholecystectomy, the surgical removal of the gallbladder. If left untreated, his symptoms will continue to worsen and put her at risk for further health complications in the future. His medical condition causes severe pain that affects his ability to work, placing additional financial strain on his family. The family hopes he can receive surgery soon so he can recover, return to work, and continue providing for his loved ones. Ricky sought treatment through our medical partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines (WSFP). He is scheduled to undergo a cholecystectomy on July 13th. A portion of the procedure's cost is being covered by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and WSFP is raising the remaining $1,031 to cover the cost of Ricky's surgery and care. Ricky shared, "I hope to recover soon so I can work without pain and continue providing for my family. This surgery would give us hope and ease the burden we have been carrying."