Heak is 60 years old and a hardworking rice farmer from Cambodia. She lives with her niece, who is a Grade 12 student. She is the seventh of ten siblings, all of whom are married. Her parents passed away during the Khmer Rouge era. Despite many hardships in life, she continues to support herself through rice farming. In her free time, she enjoys listening to music and helping with household chores. In 2024, Heak was involved in an overturned car accident while traveling in Thailand, resulting in a severe fracture of her left femur near the knee. Although she underwent surgery to stabilize the fracture, the bone failed to heal properly and developed into a nonunion, causing ongoing pain in her left knee and leg. Heak experiences persistent pain and stiffness in her left knee, making it difficult to walk without support. The condition limits her independence, affects her ability to work in the rice fields, and makes everyday activities challenging. Fortunately, Heak learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), and sought treatment. At CSC, surgeons can perform a total knee replacement to relieve Heak of her pain and allow her to walk easily. Treatment is scheduled for June 1st. Heak can contribute $100, but needs help raising $1,213 more for her procedure and care. Heak said, “I hope this treatment will help me walk without support again and live without pain. Being able to move independently would mean so much to me and allow me to return to my normal life.”

Kyaw Soe is a 27-year-old man from Burma. Driven by conflict and the need for job opportunities, he moved to Thailand in November 2025. He now lives with his wife and brother-in-law in an employer-provided dormitory in a refugee village in Mae Sot District, Tak Province, Thailand. All three of them work at the same factory. In June 2025, Kyaw Soe began to experience troubling symptoms, including snoring, difficulty breathing, and difficulty smelling. His nose appears to be blocked, causing discomfort on the right side of his face. Doctors want to perform a sinus endoscopic surgery to remove any blockages in the sinuses and improve airflow through the nose. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 for this procedure. The treatment is scheduled to take place on August 19th at our medical partner's care center, Mae Sot General Hospital. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully alleviate his symptoms. Kyaw Soe was grateful to learn about BCMF. He said, "I really want to receive the surgery and get rid of this condition as soon as possible. But if there is no support from you, I didn’t want to seek treatment anymore. It is too much for us. I don’t want to put such a burden on my wife. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your support."

Wadaje is an 18-year-old girl from Ethiopia. She is a college student who lives with her older sister. Two months ago, Wadaje started to experience an itchy infection on her right finger. The wound developed into a contracture, causing significant difficulty with movement. Following her initial treatment at a local small clinic, she developed a severe hand contracture that has left her hand stiff and difficult to use. This has significantly disrupted her studies and daily life. The resulting loss of independence is deeply distressing, as she now depends on her sister for almost everything, which creates a difficult situation for them both. When Wadaje learned about our medical partner, Saglan Wajee General Hospital, she traveled for one week seeking treatment. On June 3rd, surgeons will perform a contracture release surgery to gradually restore movement to the right finger. This will make it easier to handle schoolwork and help with household duties comfortably, while also decreasing the frequency and cost of hospital visits. Now, she needs help to fund this $500 procedure. Wadaje said, "I hope to regain the health and skills required to perform my academic and daily tasks with ease, which is vital for my success as a college student."