Romeo is a physically active father from the Philippines. Romeo currently lives with his wife since all their children already have their own families. They rely on Romeo's monthly pension which is just enough for their daily needs. Their children chip in for their expenses too but as a father, Romeo wants them to use the money for their own families instead of giving it to him and his wife. Romeo loves to play chess, jog, and play tennis. However, his symptoms now physically limit him. Last November, Romeo won a consolation prize of a sack of rice at a community raffle. When he lifted it, he felt pain but ignored it thinking about how happy his wife will be upon bringing home the prize. Since then, Romeo has dealt with inguinal hernia. This hernia causes him to feel weak and because of his condition, he cannot do physical activities like he used to. Fortunately, on February 16th, Romeo will undergo hernia repair surgery at our medical partner's care center, Our Lady of Peace Hospital. A portion of the cost of Romeo's treatment is being supported by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation. Our medical partner is raising the remaining $1,103 to cover the cost of his surgery and care. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully allow him to live more comfortably and confidently. Romeo shared: "My pension will never be enough to pay for a surgery to treat me. So thank you very much for helping me even though I am already old."

Si Yol is an active 71-year-old grandmother from Kandal province. She and her husband live with their daughter and grandchild. Her husband is a farmer, and her daughter sells groceries. Si Yol works part-time as an assistant of communes and likes to watch TV news in her spare time. About one year ago, Si Yol developed a cataract in her right eye, causing her itchiness, tearing, and blurry vision. A cataract is a clouding of the lens of the eye, so it is like looking through a frosty or fogged-up window. When Si Yol learned about our medical partner Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), she traveled for three hours seeking treatment. On December 7th, doctors will perform phacoemulsification cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in her right eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Si Yol needs help raising $253 to fully fund the procedure. She shared, "I hope that after the surgery, my eyesight will improve. I want to go out and recognize and see people and things easily. I also want to write and read well."

Heng is a 70-year-old grandmother from Cambodia with nine children and fifteen grandchildren. Heng's husband recently died, and she moved in with her youngest son. Together they care for an orphaned child from the village. Her son works in construction, while Heng's other children send small amounts of their income to Heng to help support her living expenses. In her free time, she likes to cook and go to the village pagoda to pray. Around three months ago, Heng developed a cataract in her left eye - a clouding of the lens of the eye that causes cloudy vision, as if looking through a frosty or fogged-up window. Heng now has blurry vision, headaches, and watery eyes. She has difficulty seeing things, including colors and faces, and is worried about falling when walking, so is not able to go places on her own. She is not able to safely go up and down the steps of her traditional village home. When Heng learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for one and a half hours seeking treatment. On March 11th, doctors will perform a small incision cataract surgery and implant an intraocular lens in her left eye. After recovery, hopefully, she will be able to see clearly. Now, Heng needs help to fund this $253 procedure. She shared: "I hope I can improve my vision so I can go places without feeling afraid and recognize faces in the village."