Choury is a shy, 18 year old girl living with her widowed mother in Kandal province in Cambodia. Her brothers are all married and live away from home, while her mother works as a rainy day rice farmer. In her free time, Choury enjoys playing tennis, swimming, cooking, listening to music, and meeting with her friends. Since Choury was about three months old, she has had problems with her mouth. For the past ten years, she has had frequent infections, accompanied by fevers, near her left ear, and stiffness near her temporomandibular joint - which connects the jaw to the skull. Because her father has passed away, her mother has not been able to afford any medical care for Choury. Choury is unable to open her mouth, which makes it difficult for her to eat and drink, and she always wears a mask due to her low self-esteem resulting from her face and frequent infections. Choury has been diagnosed with recurrent ankylosis and chronic osteitis. The ankylosis - and the constant inflammation in her jawbone - cause severely limited jaw function, as well as oral hygiene and nutritional problems. Fortunately, our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, can help. They plan to do surgery on December 6th at Kien Khleang Rehabilitation Centre. Her family needs help with the $469 cost of her surgery and hospitalization. After surgery, Choury hopes she will be able to open her mouth, to speak better, and to no longer feel ashamed of her appearance. Choury said: "I hope the doctors can help me open my mouth better, and look like other people my age. I am embarrassed at work and feel poorly. I have not been able to eat real food. This would make me very happy."

Patience is a primary school teacher from Uganda. Her husband also works as a teacher, and they have four children. Their oldest child is sixteen and in secondary class four, while their youngest is four and in the baby junior class at school. Patience shared that their combined income covers their children’s school fees but is limited in providing for their family’s needs. In addition to teaching, during her time off from the school year, Patience prepares and sells local sorghum porridge. Two years ago, Patience began to experience troubling symptoms, including swelling on her neck. While the swelling was initially painless, she started feeling neck pains as time went on. Currently, she experiences airway obstruction when she sleeps or raises her arms, and she can no longer carry heavy loads. Fortunately, Patience had a friend undergo thyroidectomy surgery at our medical partner’s care center, and they referred her for treatment. Patience’s condition was diagnosed as a non-toxic multinodular goiter. She needs to undergo surgery to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is helping Patience receive treatment. On January 3rd, she will undergo a thyroidectomy, during which surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. AMH is requesting $333 to fund this surgery. Patience shared: “I hope to get well and look normal again through surgery. I will resume teaching as soon as possible after complete recovery.”

Kosi is a small-scale farmer from Uganda. She currently lives with and cares for her aging mother after separating from her husband 20 years ago and losing her children in their early years of life. For over four years, Kosi has been experiencing lower abdominal pain and abnormal vaginal discharge. She has been diagnosed with multiple uterine fibroids. She needs to undergo a hysterectomy, a procedure in which surgeons will remove her uterus. On February 6th, she will undergo a hysterectomy at our medical partner's care center. Once recovered, Kosi will be able to resume her daily activities free of pain. Kosi needs help raising $319 to fund her procedure. Kosi says, “I seek medical assistance so that I may be able to live a good life once again. I will continue with farming to help me take care of myself and my mother.”