Sopheara is a nine-year-old student from Cambodia. He is the only child in his family and lives with his parents, who are rice farmers. He enjoys reading and writing Khmer and likes making toy cars in his free time. His favorite foods are fried pork and chicken. He wishes to be an architect when he grows up. Sopheara was born with unilateral incomplete cleft lip and cleft palate. He underwent surgery for the condition, but there is still a gap in his gums that affects his eating, speaking, and symmetry of his face. Sopheara needs surgery to close the gap. Fortunately, Sopheara visited our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), for further treatment. There, surgeons will perform an alveolar bone graft procedure on September 8th. CSC is requesting $665 to fund Sopheara's treatment and care. After treatment, the alveolar bone graft (ABG) will help fill the gap in his gum and support the development and stability of his upper jaw. It may also make eating and speaking more comfortable and improve the appearance and symmetry of his smile as he continues to grow. Sopheara's mother said, “I am happy that my son can receive this surgery. I hope the bone graft will help repair his gum and support his teeth as he grows. I want him to have a healthy smile and feel confident when he goes to school and meets other people.”

Rodas is a four-year-old girl from Ethiopia. She lives in a loving home with her older sister, her stay-at-home mother who cares for her daily, and her father, who works tirelessly as an electrician to provide for the family. Despite their strong bond and dedication, her condition creates a heavy, continuous strain on their household. Three years ago, Rodas started to experience snoring, mouth breathing, struggling to swallow, and loss of appetite. Nights are especially grueling. Her swollen tonsils make breathing and sleeping difficult, leaving her parents awake for hours trying to soothe her pain, bring down fevers, and administer medication. This ongoing health struggle deeply affects her day-to-day life. Frequent sickness forces her to miss school, making it hard to keep up with her classmates or enjoy regular childhood activities. Rodas was recently diagnosed with enlarged tonsils, which, if not treated, will cause her symptoms to persist and possibly intensify over time. Our medical partner, Saglan Wajee General Hospital, is requesting $700 to fund a tonsillectomy for Rodas, which is scheduled to take place on July 20th. Surgeons will remove her tonsils, hopefully relieving Rodas of her symptoms and helping her live more comfortably. "We just want these painful nights to end. We want our little girl to sleep peacefully, play with her friends, and grow up healthy. Healing her will bring our family the peace we so desperately need," said Rodas's parents.

Sreynit is a 13-year-old student from Cambodia. She lives in Kandal Province with her parents and two younger siblings. Her father works as a Forestry Administration officer, while her mother is a housewife. She enjoys studying Khmer literature and hopes to become a nurse when she grows up. When Sreynit was three months old, she suffered a head injury after a wooden part of her hammock broke and struck her head. She was treated at a local hospital for more than two months and was diagnosed with a brain hematoma. Since then, she has had weakness on the left side of her body, including a contracted left wrist. The weakness has affected her left arm and leg. Her left wrist remains held in a flexed and outward-deviated position, with limited movement and difficulty holding objects. She also has mild muscle atrophy and has difficulty balancing on her left leg, which can affect her mobility and everyday activities. When Sreynit's family learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), they traveled for two hours seeking treatment. On September 16th, surgeons at CSC will perform a joint arthrodesis procedure to fuse her wrist and left thumb MCP joint and to help provide greater stability to her wrist and thumb and improve the position of her left hand. This may give her a more useful grip and make it easier to use her hand during everyday activities and become more independent. Now, Sreynit needs help to fund this $611 procedure. Sreynit's mother said, “I hope the surgery will make my daughter’s left wrist and thumb more stable and help her use her hand more easily. She has had difficulty using this hand for many years, and I hope the treatment will make everyday activities easier for her and help her become more independent.”