Kanhchana is an eight-year-old Grade 4 student from Cambodia. She is the only child in her family. Her father is a rice farmer, while her mother works in a garment factory. She enjoys mathematics at school and likes playing with toys alongside her cousins. Her favorite meal is fried pork with ginger. When Kanhchana was three years old, she suffered a hot-water burn to her left hand. After being treated at a private clinic, the burn healed with scarring that caused her fingers to contract. She later had contracture release and skin grafting, but tightness remains between several fingers, particularly between the third and fourth fingers. Burn scars have caused contractures affecting the second through fifth fingers of her left hand. The tight webspace between her middle and ring fingers limits how comfortably she can use her hand. Her mother is also concerned that her daughter may become self-conscious about the appearance of her hand as she gets older. When Kanhchana's family learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, they traveled for three hours seeking treatment. On September 15th, surgeons at CSC will perform a burn contracture release surgery to loosen the tight area between her third and fourth fingers, helping her use and move her left hand more comfortably. Now, she needs help to fund this $652 procedure. Kanhchana's mother said, “I hope this surgery will help improve my daughter’s hand and make it easier for her to use her fingers. I also worry that she may feel shy about her hand as she grows older, so I hope the treatment will help her feel more comfortable and confident.”

Yohane is a 36-year-old father of two from Malawi. He does casual work in town, while his wife takes care of their home and family. About 11 years ago, Yohane began experiencing on-and-off swelling in his inguinal region. At first, he ignored it, thinking it was nothing serious, but it did not go away. Yohane sought medical attention from a hospital, where he was diagnosed with an inguinal hernia, a condition that occurs when abdominal tissue protrudes through a weak spot in the lower abdominal muscles, causing a bulge in the groin area. If left untreated, inguinal hernias can lead to complications, such as strangulation, which cuts off the blood flow to the intestine, and can be life-threatening. He was scheduled for surgery at the public hospital, but the surgery date kept being postponed. Recently, the pain got much more intense, accompanied by much discomfort. Yohane learnt about our medical partner's care facility, Partners in Hope Medical Center, and went there to seek treatment. He has been scheduled for surgery on July 1st, and is seeking to raise $575 for the procedure. Yohana hopes to resume work after recovery, so he can continue supporting his family, including his parents back in the village. He says: "I have been hearing about the surgical support program at PiH, but I didn't believe it. Today, I am grateful about this program that has saved Malawians like me. Kindly help me to regain my health, and to continue supporting my family after recovery."

Kyaw is a 59-year-old man from Burma. He lives with his wife and two daughters in a refugee camp in Thailand. He works as a daily agricultural laborer outside of the camp, and his eldest daughter also earns an income through daily labor. His wife cares for the family, and his youngest daughter attends school in the camp. Kyaw was diagnosed with right eye glaucoma, an eye condition that damages the optic nerve. This can lead to vision loss or blindness. Kyaw continues to experience severe pain in his right eye and blurred vision. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to help fund lens replacement surgery for Kyaw. On September 2nd, doctors will perform a lens replacement, during which they will remove Kyaw's natural lenses and replace them with an intraocular lens implant. After recovery, he will be able to see clearly. Now, he needs help to fund this $1,500 procedure. “I don’t have a regular job in the camp, so I don’t have a regular income. I didn’t expect this to happen to me, and I am really worried about my treatment cost. There is nobody to help me, and I don’t know what to do anymore,” said Kyaw.