Sovannareach is a six-year-old first-grade student from Prey Veng Province in Cambodia. He lives with his grandmother, who is a rice farmer, while his mother works as a factory worker to support him. His parents divorced five years ago, and he has remained close to his family. Sovannareach enjoys reading and writing Khmer, and he hopes to become a doctor when he grows up. In his free time, he likes playing football with his friends in the village. His favorite meals are lemongrass sour soup and eggs. Sovannareach was born with scoliosis, a condition in which the spine curves abnormally to one side, often resembling a “C” or “S” shape. As he has grown, his spinal curve has gradually worsened, bending toward the right side. The condition causes him pain and makes it difficult for him to sit comfortably for long periods. As a result, he sometimes struggles to concentrate in class and worries about being teased by his classmates because of his appearance. He also has difficulty walking, which affects his daily activities. In the past, Sovannareach had never received hospital treatment because his family could not afford it. However, a relative told his family about our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC). They traveled approximately four hours to CSC for a consultation and to seek specialized care. On August 11th, surgeons at CSC plan to implant a metal “growing rod” into his spine to help control the curvature while allowing his spine to continue growing. CSC is requesting $1,500 to cover the costs of his surgery, the implant, and post-operative care, including physiotherapy. Sovannareach's grandmother said, “I hope this treatment will help control my grandson’s spinal curvature as he grows and keep his spine stable. I want him to continue walking, playing, going to school, and enjoying his childhood without his condition limiting his daily life.”

Srey Pich is a is cheerful and active girl from Cambodia. She lives in Kompot Province with her parents, who are both rice farmers. She is the only child in the family. In her free time, she enjoys playing with her toys. Srey Pich was born with congenital pseudarthrosis of the right tibia caused by neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1). The condition caused her right lower leg to bow and fracture easily. Although she underwent reconstructive surgeries in 2024 and 2025, she later fell and re-injured her right leg. The condition causes pain, deformity, and difficulty walking. It limits her ability to run, play, and participate in childhood activities, and she requires ongoing orthopedic treatment to protect her leg and maintain bone healing. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, can help. On July 16th, Srey Pich will undergo a fracture repair procedure, which will cost $600. This treatment will help stabilize her right leg, promote bone healing, improve her ability to walk safely, and allow her to continue growing and playing with greater confidence. Srey Pich's mother said, “Since she was born, we have worried about her leg and whether she would ever be able to walk normally. Seeing her take her first independent steps after surgery gave us so much hope. We pray this treatment will continue to strengthen her leg so she can keep walking, running, and enjoying her childhood like other children.”

Fatin is a nine-year-old student from Cambodia. She is a hardworking Grade 4 student from Kompong Cham Province who enjoys studying mathematics. She lives with her mother, who is a rice farmer, and her two siblings. Her father passed away five years ago. Her oldest sister is a university student, and her older brother is in the 9th grade. In her free time, she helps her mother with daily work and completes her homework. She dreams of becoming a nurse in the future and enjoys eating chicken soup. Fatin was born with polydactyly of both feet. This means that she has extra toes on both feet. This condition makes it difficult for her to wear shoes comfortably and has caused her to be teased by other children, affecting her confidence. Fortunately, on April 21st, surgeons will perform a polydactyly repair procedure to remove the extra toe. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $379 to fund this procedure. After surgery, she will be able to wear shoes comfortably, walk more easily, and feel more confident in her daily life. Fatin's sister said, “After the surgery, I hope that my sister will no longer have difficulty wearing shoes and will feel more confident.”