Taing is a 60-year-old farmer who is married with one daughter, four sons, and six grandchildren. Taing lives with her husband and their daughter, who is a farmer. Taing shared that she likes to listen to the monks pray on the radio. Five years ago, Taing developed a pterygium in her right eye. Pterygiums are non-cancerous growths of the conjunctiva, a mucous layer that lubricates the eye. They occur when the conjunctiva is exposed to excessive sun damage, and the cells grow abnormally over the pupil. As a result, Taing experiences tearing, burning, blurry vision, and discomfort with her appearance. She also has difficulty seeing things clearly, recognizing faces, working, and going outside. When Taing learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), she traveled for two and a half hours seeking treatment. On January 4th, Taing will undergo surgery to remove the abnormal conjunctiva from the cornea surface and replace it with a conjunctival graft. CSC is requesting $216 for the total cost of Taing's procedure, which includes medications, supplies, and inpatient care for two days. Taing says, "I hope I don't have to worry about my eye anymore, and I will be able to feel comfortable and see well."

Nyo is a 58-year-old woman. She and her husband are agricultural day laborers, but Nyo had to stop working two years ago due to poor vision. Since COVID-19 led to lockdowns in April 2020, her husband only receives work from his employer when there is a worker shortage so their income has been very limited. Nyo shared that she likes to meditate with prayer beads and listen to the news about her homeland Myanmar and music on the radio. Nyo is experiencing a cataract in her right eye. She can only see shadows, and the vision in her right eye is worsening. As a result, she cannot do household chores, and her husband has to help her to eat and guide her to the bathroom. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF), is helping Nyo receive treatment. On January 4th, doctors will perform a lens replacement, during which they will remove Nyo’s natural lens and replace it with an intraocular lens implant. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. BCMF is requesting $1,500 to fund Nyo’s procedure. Nyo shared, “If I can’t work or I can’t see, I will have to beg to eat because my husband cannot work. My husband and I were so happy to learn that an organization will help pay for the cost of my treatment. We are thankful to the donors and BCMF.” Nyo added, “When I have money, I want to open a small dry foods shop in my house. This way, when my husband and I are no longer able to continue to work as day laborers because of our age, we can chose a way to earn extra money while staying at home.”

Margaret's smile lights up the room. She is a 41-year-old small scale farmer who is married and has one child. Her husband worked as a taxi driver, but, unfortunately, he lost his job due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Three years ago, Margaret began experiencing troubling symptoms including difficulty swallowing, throat soreness and voice changes. Over time, her symptoms worsened, so she visited a local hospital for further evaluation. She was diagnosed with a multinodular goiter, or an abnormal enlargement of the thyroid gland. A thyroidectomy was recommended to treat her condition. If left untreated, the goiter will continue to grow, which could lead to troubling complications like difficulty breathing, heart problems, thyrotoxicosis, or trachea obstruction. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is helping Margaret receive treatment. On December 28th, she will undergo a thyroidectomy at AMH's care center, where surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. Now, she and her family need help raising $657 to fund her procedure and care. Margaret shared, "this problem has affected my daily work and life for a long time, and now I worry I am becoming a bother even to my husband. I am therefore kindly asking for assistance to have this surgery so that I can regain my health."