Kuon is a 68-year-old grandmother from Cambodia. She lives in Battambang with her elderly husband and grandchildren. She has three children: her oldest child works as a car repairer, her second child works for a private company, and her youngest child is a taxi driver. She spends much of her time caring for her grandchildren. She also enjoys visiting the pagoda. Kuon developed a non-healing ulcer on her right cheek after suffering a burn while cooking. The wound remained open for about one year and was later diagnosed as invasive basal cell carcinoma. The ulcer has not healed and has a small area of dead tissue along its edge. Although it is not painful when touched, having a persistent lesion on her cheek affects her comfort and confidence in daily life. When Kuon learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for three hours seeking treatment. On September 10th, surgeons at CSC will perform a removal of the basal cell carcinoma from her right cheek, followed by reconstruction with a rhomboid flap to remove the cancerous lesion and reconstruct the affected area, helping the wound heal and restoring the appearance and function of her cheek. Her family can contribute $100, but needs help raising $616 more to fund her procedure and care. Kuon said, “I hope the surgery will remove the ulcer on my cheek and help the area heal properly. I am looking forward to recovering and returning to my usual daily activities with more confidence.”

Moo is a 58-year-old woman from Burma. She lives with her two daughters in Mae Sot, Tak Province, Thailand. They moved to Thailand because there was a military airstrike in her village in 2023. In late July, while Moo was collecting vegetables, she fell and broke her left wrist. Due to financial challenges, she did not go to the hospital right away. She cannot grab or squeeze things. She cannot cook or do her own laundry. With the help of our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, Moo will undergo surgery to reset her fractured bones and ensure proper healing. The procedure is scheduled for October 2nd and will cost $1,500. This procedure will be able to help Moo be able to do her daily tasks again. Moo said, “Only my daughter works, and we depend on her. Her income is just enough to cover daily needs. We do not have extra money to save. When the accident happened, I decided not to get treatment at hospital because I think it will cost a lot and we do not have money. When I find out the cost of the treatment, I was shocked. I have never imaging having that much amount of money. I feel like I am a burden to my children and those who help me with the treatment cost. I asked not to get surgery, but the doctor told me that, if I do not do surgery, my hand cannot grab things. I still want to work and help around with the housework. Thank you so much for supporting with the treatment cost."

Dina is an 18-year-old construction worker from Cambodia. He lives in Kampong Cham Province with his parents, who are rice farmers. He is the second of four siblings. His older brother is a construction worker, his sister works in a garment factory, and his youngest brother is just three years old. In his free time, he helps his family with farming work in the fields. Dina was born with a unilateral incomplete cleft lip and cleft palate. He underwent surgery for his cleft lip and palate, but there is still a gap in his gums that affects his eating, speaking, and the symmetry of his face. Dina needs surgery to close the gap. Fortunately, Dina visited our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), for further treatment. There, surgeons will perform an alveolar bone graft procedure on June 19th. This procedure will help close the gap and support proper eruption of the permanent teeth in the upper jaw. This will improve his ability to chew food more effectively, enhance speech clarity, and support better dental alignment. It will also improve facial appearance and help boost his self-confidence in social interactions and daily life. His family can contribute $50, but needs help raising $615 more to fund his procedure and care. Dina said, “I hope that with treatment, I will be able to improve my teeth and bite properly, speak more clearly, and smile with confidence without feeling shy about my appearance.”