Hnin is a 65-year-old woman who lives with her two daughters and two granddaughters in Mae Sot District, Tak Province, Thailand. The family is originally from Bago Division in Burma. Hnin is retired, while one of her daughters works in a garment factory, and the other is a homemaker; her granddaughters are both students. The family income is not always enough to cover the cost of their daily expenses, so they sometimes need to borrow money from their neighbors, or the working daughter takes an advance on her paycheck from the factory where she works. The family lives with another couple that helps in paying rent, but they do not share any other resources. Due to Hnin’s health condition, they have had to borrow money for treatment and transportation costs. In 2010, Hnin was in a motorbike accident where she injured both knees. She went to a local clinic, but they did not perform an x-ray or examination, they only gave her medication for the pain. After the accident, Hnin’s knees would occasionally cause her pain, which she would treat with pain medication and traditional Burmese medicine. In January 2023, Hnin’s knee pain became worse, and her knees swelled, so she went to Mae Tao Clinic (MTC) in Mae Sot where she was given pain medication, and referred to physiotherapy. However, the physiotherapy and follow-up appointments at MTC did not help much. The pain in her knees was worsening, so she stopped going but continued treating the pain with medication and traditional medicine. In January 2026, Hnin began having shaky legs when standing, and her knees were increasingly stiff, so she went to Mae Sot Hospital (MSH) in Mae Sot on 2nd February 2026. There she underwent an x-ray and was told that she had osteoarthritis in her knees which has progressed to last stage, and only surgery would help. She was given medication, a cane, and a follow-up appointment with an orthopaedic surgeon. When she attended her appointment, she underwent another x-ray, and the doctor explained about her severe osteoarthritis and advised surgery. As she can only undergo surgery one knee at a time, the doctor advised her to have surgery on her right knee, since it was causing her the most pain. Presently, Hnin spends much of her time lying down or sitting and cannot help with most housework. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is helping Hnin receive treatment. On March 12th, she will undergo surgery to relieve pain and improve her mobility. Now, Hnin's family needs help to fund this $1,500 procedure. She says, "After treatment and recovery, I look forward to going to the monastery to meditate again, as I used to do this before my knees caused me so much trouble. Thank you for your support for my treatment”.

Vantha is a 64-year-old woman from Cambodia. She enjoys doing household chores, feeding her pets, and growing vegetables around her home. Vantha lives with her husband, who is blind, and her children, who work in garment factories. She has four children, but sadly, two of them died in a traffic accident. On January 3rd, Vantha slipped and fell on a wet floor, causing her to fracture her right wrist. She experiences severe pain, especially when using her hand. This makes it difficult for her to perform daily activities, such as cooking, carrying objects, and doing other household tasks. After the injury, Vantha's family took her to a traditional Khmer practitioner for treatment. However, despite taking pain medication, she continues to experience severe pain. Since her condition did not improve, Vantha decided to go to Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC) for further evaluation and management. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, can help. On February 18th, Vantha will undergo a fracture repair procedure. CSC is requesting $600 to cover the cost of her treatment. The surgery will significantly relieve Vantha's pain, restore movement in her wrist, and allow her to use her hand normally. This will help her perform daily activities more comfortably and independently. Vantha said, “I want to be free from pain and able to move my wrist easily again. I hope after the surgery, I can live more comfortably and not worry about the pain every time I use my hand.”

Angel is a six-year-old girl from Tanzania. She lives with her parents in a large family of seven children. Her father, a traditional man, works as a livestock keeper, which is the family’s main source of income. Despite the responsibilities of caring for many children, Angel’s parents remain deeply committed to her well-being. Angel was diagnosed with a windswept deformity. The deformity has affected both her legs, with her right leg bowed outward and her left leg bowed inward. Several factors could cause this condition, such as growth disorders, vitamin deficiencies, or excessive fluoride found in contaminated drinking water. As a result, Angel has difficulty walking, which may cause long-term joint damage. The condition makes Angel's movement difficult and limits her ability to play freely with other children her age or even attend school. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $810 to fund treatment for Angel. The procedure is scheduled to take place on March 13th at our medical partner's care center, Kafika House. Treatment will hopefully restore Angel's mobility, allow her to participate in a variety of activities, and greatly decrease her risk of future complications. Angel's father says, "We want Angel to walk to school on her own and have the same future as other children."