Reaksa is 14 years old and a 10th grader from Cambodia. She is the only child in her family and lives with her parents. Her father works as a chef in a restaurant, while her mother works as a cleaner. She enjoys studying Khmer literature, which is her favorite subject at school, and hopes to become a teacher in the future. In her free time, she likes drawing and listening to music. Her favorite foods are sour fish soup and fried vegetables. Around the age of 10, Reaksa's mother first noticed that her daughter’s back was becoming curved. Over the years, the curvature gradually worsened. She now has severe scoliosis, with her spine bending significantly toward the right side and associated kyphosis. Her condition has begun to affect her daily life. She has difficulty walking and sitting for long periods, and the discomfort she experiences while sitting makes it difficult for her to concentrate in class. Despite these challenges, she continues to attend school and work toward her dream of becoming a teacher. Until now, her family has not been able to afford the treatment she needs. Her family learned about our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC), through social media and sought treatment. On August 18th, she will undergo posterior spinal fusion (PSF) from T3 to L3, a surgical procedure that uses instrumentation to correct and stabilize the curved portion of her spine. She needs help of $1,500 to help cover the costs of her surgery, the implant, and post-operative care, including physiotherapy. The surgery aims to improve the alignment of her spine and prevent the severe curvature from progressing further. Reaksa's mother said, “I hope this surgery will help manage my daughter’s severe spinal deformity, improve her comfort and posture, and allow her to stay active and continue her studies and daily activities. I want her to feel more confident and comfortable as she grows.”

Chheanly is a 29-year-old military service member from Cambodia. He recently got married and lives in Kampong Thom Province with his wife, who works as a farmer. He is the third child of five siblings, and his older siblings are married and live in nearby villages. In his free time, he enjoys playing volleyball with his friends, but he is no longer able to participate because of his injury. In July 2025, Chheanly was involved in a motorcycle accident while transporting food down a mountain, resulting in multiple injuries, including a right clavicle fracture and a severe right brachial plexus injury affecting his entire arm. Since the accident, he has developed a right flail arm with complete weakness, pain, and stiffness. He is unable to move his right shoulder, elbow, wrist, or fingers, leaving the arm nonfunctional. This condition has significantly impacted his daily life, preventing him from performing many activities independently, affecting his ability to continue his military duties, and limiting his participation in activities he previously enjoyed, such as playing volleyball with his friends. When Chheanly learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, he traveled for four hours seeking treatment. On August 6th, surgeons at CSC will perform a joint arthrodesis procedure to fuse his right shoulder joint and to help stabilize his shoulder joint, reduce pain, and improve the position and function of his arm. This procedure will also prepare his arm for future treatments aimed at improving movement and independence. He can contribute $100, but needs help raising $511 more to fund his procedure and care. Chheanly said, “I hope this surgery will improve the stability of my shoulder, reduce my pain, and be the first step toward improving my arm function so I can become more independent and return to my daily life.”

Mohamed is a five-year-old boy from Mali. He lives with his parents and two older siblings. Mohamed's problems started when he began to experience swelling and discomfort in the roof of his mouth. Over time, the swelling worsened, prompting his family to visit our medical partner's care center, Hôpital du Mali. Doctors discovered a mass on the roof of Mohamed's mouth, which was investigated and found to be a nasopalatine duct cyst. These cysts are non-cancerous, but carry several risks if not removed. If the cyst is allowed to continue to grow, it could displace Mohamed's teeth and put pressure on his nasal passage, causing difficulty eating and breathing normally. Nasopalatine duct cysts can also become infected, causing further pain. Fortunately, Mohamed is scheduled to undergo cyst removal surgery on September 8th. Our medical partner, Muso, is requesting $1,120 to cover the total cost of Mohamed's procedure and care. Mohamed's parents shared, "Once the cyst is removed, we hope that Mohamed will be able to resume his daily activities free of the uncomfortable symptoms. We hope the swelling will be gone."