Larah is a toddler from Haiti. She lives with her parents and older sister in a small village in the mountains of central Haiti. She likes dressing up and going to church. Larah has two cardiac conditions called ventricular septal defect and patent ductus arteriosus. A hole exists between the two lower chambers of her heart, and a second hole exists between two major blood vessels near her heart. Blood leaks through these holes, leaving her weak and short of breath. Larah will fly to the United States to receive treatment. On February 29th, she will undergo cardiac surgery, during which surgeons will sew a patch over the larger hole, and tie shut the smaller hole, so that blood can no longer leak through them. Another organization, HeartGift Foundation, is contributing $15,000 to pay for surgery, but Larah's family also needs help to fund the costs of surgery preparation. The $1,500 bill covers labs, medicines, and preop and postop appointments. It also supports passport obtainment and the help of social workers from our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, who will accompany Larah's family overseas. Larah's mother said: "Our family thinks it is a miracle that our daughter has this chance to travel for her surgery!"

Sreypin is an 11-year-old girl from Cambodia who lives with her parents and 4-year-old sister. Her father works as a rice farmer, while her mother stays home to care for the children. She is currently in the 4th grade and enjoys her Mathematics, Khmer, and Science classes. When she grows up, she dreams of becoming a teacher. Her favorite meal is rice with Samlor Korko, a traditional Cambodian stirring pot soup. In her free time, Sreypin enjoys reading books and doing homework. Since birth, Sreypin has had a condition known as bilateral webbed neck, a congenital skin fold that runs along the sides of the neck down to the shoulders. This condition makes it uncomfortable for her to turn her neck due to restricted movement. Limited flexibility of her neck affects her daily activities and causes persistent discomfort. Sreypin was referred by a public hospital to our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC). She and her family traveled for three hours from Takéo Province to seek treatment. On June 14th, our surgeons will perform a contracture release surgery to improve the function of her head and neck. Sreypin's family is able to contribute $100 but needs help to raise $387 more to fund the procedure. Sreypin's father shared that he wants to see Sreypin feel more confident and improve her head and neck function so that she can continue to go to school without the issue getting worse.

Choeun is a 55-year-old rice farmer from Cambodia. His wife is also a farmer and they live in Prey Veng province near the Vietnamese border. At home, Choeun enjoys listening to Buddhist radio and spending time with his family. In July 2023, Choeun was involved in a motorbike accident, resulting in an open fracture of his left tibia, the lower part of his leg. Since the accident, he has needed crutches to walk. He is in constant pain and is distraught that he cannot work as much and support his family. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, can help. On April 22nd, Choeun will undergo a fracture repair procedure. He is able to contribute $100 but will need an additional $383 to fund the procedure. Choeun shared, "I hope my surgery will be successful so I can walk again and I can take care of my family."