Yan is a retired rice farmer from Cambodia. He has two sons and two daughters. His wife passed away eight years ago from stomach cancer, and Yan lives with his youngest son. Although Yan has retired, he still enjoys spending time in the rice fields and listening to monks pray on the radio. About two years ago, Yan developed a cataract in his left eye, causing him itchiness, tearing, and blurry vision. Consequently, he has difficulty seeing things clearly, including colors and faces, and is worried about falling when walking, so he is unable to go out on his own. When Yan learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), he traveled to their care center seeking treatment. On February 9th, doctors will perform cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in his left eye. After recovery, he will be able to see clearly. CSC is requesting $253 to fund this procedure. Yan shared: "After surgery, I hope my eye can see better, and I can go to the pagoda by myself."

Da is a 64-year-old woman from Thailand. She lives alone and she is retired. Her daughter, who works as a day laborer, supports her with basic living cost and takes care of her when she is sick. On January 5th, after Da finished taking a shower, she tried to pick her shirt from the bathroom floor and she suddenly slipped. She fell down on the floor and broke her left femour bone. Currently, she experiences pain in her left thigh. She can’t move her left leg and can’t even sit down. She can only slightly move her toes. There is no external wound but the swelling has gotten worse, which is a concern for her. With the help of our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, Da will undergo surgery to reset her fractured bones and ensure proper healing. The procedure is scheduled for January 9th and will cost $1,500. This procedure will free Da from her pain, and help her walk and look after herself again. Da said, "I was capable of doing my household activities before the accident. After that, I wasn’t even able to sit properly. I had to lie down all the time because my thigh is so painful. My daughter can't go to work because she has to take care of me." She also added, "After the treatment, I want to take care of myself without anyone’s help. I don’t want anyone to get busy because of me.”

Lwin is a 37-year-old wife and mother who lives with her husband and son on the Thai-Burma border. Lwin and her husband work as day labourers in a temple as a cook and gardener. In her free time, Lwin likes to garden and enjoys growing vegetables to eat and to donate to the temple. Lwin also likes to watch Thai movies. One night in March 2021, Lwin had a rapid heartbeat and felt dizzy. Lwin could not sleep that night so her husband brought her to a clinic the next day. The doctor referred her to Mae Sot Hospital in an ambulance, where she underwent diagnostic tests, but never received a diagnosis. Lwin was given medication to stabilize her condition. During her follow-up appointment in June 2022, Lwin received an echocardiogram and was diagnosed with mitral valve stenosis. The doctor then referred her to Chiang Mai Hospital for further treatment. Currently, Lwin suffers from shortness of breath and heart palpitations. Lwin reports her arms and legs feeling heavy and trouble sleeping. Lwin has little appetite and she has to sleep propped up on pillows. On January 13th, Lwin with receive surgery to improve her condition. Our medical partners, Burma Children Medical Fund, are helping Lwin raise $1,500 to cover the cost of this life altering surgery. Lwin shared, "I will never forget the donors who will help pay for my treatment cost. When I recover fully, I want to learn how to sew so that I can open a shop from my home and work as a seamstress."