Samon is a retired grandmother. She is 67 years old and has two daughters, three sons, and seven grandchildren. She lives with her husband and her youngest daughter, with both of them caring for Samon's aging husband. Now retired, Samon used to make and sell bottles of fish sauce in the local market. In her free time, she likes watching movies and going to the pagoda to pray. Around three years ago, Samon developed a cataract in her left eye, causing her itchiness, tearing, and blurry vision. A cataract is a clouding of the lens of the eye, so it is like looking through a frosty or fogged-up window. She has difficulty seeing things, including colors and faces, and is worried about falling when walking, so is not able to go places on her own. When Samon learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for one hour seeking treatment. On March 7th, doctors will perform a phacoemulsification cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in her left eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Now, she needs help to fund this $253 procedure. Samon shared, "I hope after surgery my eye can see better, and I can drive my motorbike to bring my grandchildren to school."

Joselito, a 59-year-old father from the Philippines, works as a taxi driver and earns minimum wage. His income is insufficient to provide for his family of five, prompting him to take on extra jobs to make ends meet. Twenty years ago, Joselito began to experience troubling symptoms, including severe pain on the left side of his stomach, which radiated to his back. Initially, he tried drinking a lot of water to ease the pain, and it subsided. When he consulted with a doctor he was asked to take an ultrasound, but could not due to financial constraints. At the onset of an extremely painful episode, Joselito was rushed to a nearby hospital and was diagnosed with gallstones. He was advised to undergo a cholecystectomy, the surgical removal of the gallbladder. He was informed that if left untreated, his symptoms would continue to worsen and put him at risk of further health complications in the future. Unable to cover the cost of the necessary surgery, he was prescribed pain medication instead. Fortunately, Joselito then sought treatment through our medical partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines (WSFP). He is scheduled to undergo a cholecystectomy on March 27th. A portion of the cost of the procedure is being supported by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and Jose is seeking support for the remaining $1,128. Joselito says, "Since I started to feel the symptoms attack more often, I had to reduce my work hours and this took a toll on the family's income and expenses. While my family worries about my health, I am worried that I will not be able to give them what they need because of my condition, so I deeply appreciate the assistance I am receiving for my medical care."

Peter is a farmer from Rukungiri district in southwestern Uganda. He is a father to four children who are all in school. Peter and his wife grow food crops for their family's consumption and sell the surplus to generate income. For three years, Peter has had a left inguinal hernia, causing swelling and pain. Doctors recommend that he undergo surgery and, fortunately, on April 3rd, Peter will undergo hernia repair surgery at our medical partner's care center. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $230 to fund Peter's surgery. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully allow him to live more comfortably and confidently. Peter says, “I hope for a complete recovery and will be able to resume farming in good health to sustain my family.