Chantha is a 37-year-old factory worker from Cambodia. He is married and lives in Kampong Chhnang Province with his wife, who works in a garment factory. Together, they are raising two children; their eldest is in Grade 6, and their youngest is 4 years old. In his free time, Chantha enjoys drinking coffee and chatting with his friends in the village. About three years ago, Chantha developed tuberculosis of his right ankle, which caused swelling, redness, and severe pain. Although he completed a full course of tuberculosis treatment and the infection was cured, it left his right ankle joint permanently damaged. Since then, he has continued to suffer from pain, stiffness, and difficulty walking. He now relies on crutches to get around, making it difficult to work, care for his family, and carry out everyday activities. When Chantha learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, he traveled for three hours seeking treatment. On July 14th, surgeons at CSC will perform a joint arthrodesis procedure to fuse his right ankle joint and to relieve his pain, improve the stability of his ankle, and help him stand and walk more comfortably so he can return to his daily life with greater independence. Chantha can contribute $50, but needs help raising $561 more to fund his procedure and care. Chantha said, “My greatest wish is to wake up one day without this ankle pain. I hope this surgery will help me move freely again and return to the activities I have missed.”

Kidus is a seven-year-old boy from Ethiopia. He is in the first grade, and lives with his parents and sister. His father works as a taxi driver, and his mother is a dedicated homemaker who prioritizes her children's care above all else. Two years ago, Kidus started to experience throat pain, appetite loss and disrupted sleep. He was diagnosed with chronic tonsillitis, which has led to frequent medical appointments, impacting his school attendance. Due to this Kidus is finding it difficult to keep up with his studies. If not treated, his symptoms will persist and possibly intensify over time. Our medical partner, Saglan Wajee General Hospital, is requesting $700 to fund a tonsillectomy for Kidus, which is scheduled to take place on June 6th. Surgeons will remove his tonsils, hopefully relieving Kidus of his symptoms and helping him live more comfortably. Hopeful for Kidus's improved sleep, and a better focus on his education after treatment, his parents say: "Beyond the financial burden, his illness has deeply affected our family's well-being. We are incredibly hopeful for this next chapter, as the upcoming surgery promises a fresh start for our son and our family."

Chantha is a 15-year-old girl from Cambodia. She lives in Kampong Chhnang Province with her parents, who work as rice farmers and factory workers. She is the eldest of two children and is in the ninth grade. She enjoys playing football with her friends, loves studying Khmer literature, and hopes to become a police officer in the future. When she was 6 years old, Chantha had an ear infection. This infection caused the tympanic membrane, or the eardrum, in her right ear to perforate. For this reason, Chantha experiences right ear pain, repeated ear discharge, ringing in the ear (tinnitus), and hearing loss. Her symptoms became much worse after water entered her ear during the Khmer New Year 2026. The chronic ear infection and hearing loss make it difficult for her to hear clearly in daily life and at school. The repeated pain and discharge also affect her comfort and confidence. Chantha traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On July 14th, she will undergo a myringoplasty procedure in her right ear. During this procedure, surgeons will close the perforation. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $363 to fund this procedure. This covers medications, supplies, and inpatient care. Chantha said, “I’m happy to finally have the opportunity for surgery. I hope my ear will heal well, my hearing will improve, and I can leave this problem behind and move forward with confidence.”