Nan Maw is a 24-year-old woman from Burma. She lives with her friends in Bangkok in an apartment rented by their employer. She works as a waitress, while her brother and mother still live in their village in Karen State, Burma. When Nan Maw was healthy and working full-time, she would send half of her salary home to support her mother. She dreams of building a concrete house back home for her family. Nan Maw was born with an atrial septal defect (ASD), a condition in which a hole exists between the two upper chambers of the heart. Sometimes ASDs may close on their own during development, but sometimes this condition requires surgery to repair the hole and prevent long-term damage to the heart and lungs. Due to her condition, she can only engage in part-time work as she gets tired too easily. Nan Maw is scheduled to undergo heart surgery on August 31st at our medical partner's care center, Kasemrad Prachachuen Hospital, to correct her atrial septal defect and improve her quality of life. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to help cover the cost of Nan Maw's procedure and care. Nan Maw said, “I would like to thank your organization, BCMF, and your donors for your help. If you do not help me, I would have had to give up on my treatment because I know that I could not afford it by myself. I am very happy and thankful to all the donors. You have helped me feel that I can dream again. Before I developed these symptoms, I dreamed of working hard, saving money, building a house back home, and opening my own restaurant. Since I first noticed my symptoms, it felt like my dreams were lost. But now, I can dream again.”

Anamiel is a cheerful and playful 14-month-old boy from Ethiopia. He loves playing football, spending time with other children, and watching animated movies. His lively personality and curiosity bring joy to his family. He lives with his parents, who work hard to support their family. His mother is a homemaker, while his father works as a driver. Anamiel was born with hypospadias, a condition that causes urinary dysfunction. Without treatment, he will continue to experience uncomfortable symptoms and will be at risk of future complications. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, can help. Anamiel is scheduled to undergo corrective surgery on October 20th. He and his family need help raising $1,293 to cover the cost of his procedure and care. Anamiel’s mother shared, “I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude for the wonderful care and support you have provided to my child. Thank you for making such a positive difference in our lives. May God richly bless you all for your kindness, generosity, and dedication to helping children and their families.”

Vathanak is nine years old and a fifth-grader from Cambodia. He is the youngest of three siblings and lives with his parents and older brothers in Phnom Penh. His father works for a private company, while his mother takes care of the household. He enjoys math, watching big-bike and sports-car videos, and eating soups with lots of vegetables. He hopes to become a businessman when he grows up. For the past six years, Vathanak has been experiencing a blocked nose, difficulty breathing, loud snoring, frequent coughing and sneezing, recurrent fever, and repeated episodes of pharyngitis. His frequent throat infections and breathing difficulties affect his sleep and overall comfort, causing him to become ill repeatedly. Vathanak was recently diagnosed with enlarged tonsils and adenoids, which, if not treated, will cause his symptoms to persist and possibly intensify over time. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $345 to fund a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy for Vathanak, which is scheduled to take place on September 7th. Surgeons will remove his tonsils and adenoids, hopefully relieving Vathanak of his symptoms and helping him live much more comfortably. Vathanak's mother said, “My biggest hope is that my son will be able to breathe and sleep better after the surgery. I want him to have fewer throat infections, feel healthier, and enjoy going to school and playing with his friends without being troubled by these symptoms.”