Lim is a three-year-old boy from Cambodia. He is an only child from Svay Rieng Province and lives with his grandmother, who is a rice farmer. Due to financial difficulties, his parents work away from home; his mother in a garment factory and his father as an air conditioning repairer. He enjoys playing with toy cars with his cousin and friends in the village, and loves eating fried eggs and caramelized pork. When he was one year old, shortly after he began walking, Lim slipped and fell, causing a fracture of his left shinbone. His grandmother initially took him to a traditional healer, but his condition did not improve. She later took him to a hospital in Phnom Penh, where an X-ray confirmed the fracture. However, the surgery kept being postponed until October. As his condition worsened, his grandmother brought him to our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), after hearing about the hospital from a neighbor. The condition has made it difficult for Lim to stand and walk normally, preventing him from playing with other children and reaching normal developmental milestones for his age. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, can help. On July 1st, Lim will undergo a fracture repair procedure, which will cost $600. The surgery will stabilize and straighten his left leg, allowing the bone to heal properly. It is expected to improve his ability to walk, support normal growth of his leg, and give him the opportunity to start school and play with other children. His grandmother said, “After the surgery, I hope that my grandson will be able to walk normally, go to school, and play with his friends like other children. Thank you to everyone who will help him.”

Sovannary is a 7-year-old student from Cambodia. She lives in a small community in Kandal province with her parents and two siblings. She is the middle child in the family. Her older sister is studying in Grade 7, and her younger brother is 4 years old. Her father works as a truck driver, often spending long hours away from home to earn income for the family, while her mother stays at home to care for the children and manage household chores. Sovannary is currently studying in Grade 2, enjoys learning mathematics, and dreams of becoming a police officer when she grows up. In her free time, she enjoys playing with toys with her brother. Her favorite foods are Tom Yum soup and grilled pork. For the past two years, Sovannary has been experiencing a sore throat, difficulty breathing and swallowing, and loud snoring at night. These symptoms make it hard for her to eat comfortably and sleep peacefully. Because she does not rest well at night, she often feels tired during the day and has difficulty concentrating at school. Sovannary was recently diagnosed with enlarged tonsils and adenoids, which, if not treated, will cause her 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 Sovannary, which is scheduled to take place on March 2nd. Surgeons will remove her tonsils and adenoids, hopefully relieving Sovannary of her symptoms and helping her live much more comfortably. Her mother said, “When I hear her struggling to breathe and snoring loudly at night, I cannot sleep because I worry about her. I truly hope this treatment will help her breathe easily, sleep well, and live happily like other children her age.”

Punleu is a 17-year-old Grade 11 student from Cambodia. He lives in Kampot Province with his parents and younger brother, who is in Grade 8. His father works as a construction contractor, and his mother stays at home to manage household duties and take care of their orange farm. Punleu enjoys studying Khmer literature. In his free time, he likes listening to music and playing volleyball with his friends in the village. He hopes to become an agricultural specialist in the future. In December 2024, Punleu was in in a motor vehicle accident that caused a fracture in his right lower leg. He was treated at a provincial hospital where he underwent ORIF surgery with plate and screw fixation of the leg. Since the surgery, he has been experiencing pain when walking long distances and stiffness in his right leg during cold weather, which affects his daily activities and mobility. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, can help. On May 18th, Punleu will undergo a hardware removal procedure to reduce pain and stiffness and improve his walking ability and overall comfort. Punleu's family is contributing to his surgery, but they need to raise an additional $303 for the procedure. Punleu says, “After the surgery, I hope I will be able to walk better without pain, regain my strength and confidence, and return to my normal daily life, studies, and activities without any limitation.”