Pisey is a 12-year-old, seventh-grade student from Cambodia. Pisey's father works long hours as a truck driver and her mother stays home to care for Pisey and her two younger siblings. Pisey's favorite subject is math and she wants to be a teacher when she grows up. In her free time, she enjoys reading books. Pisey has been experiencing frequent and recurrent sore throats, accompanied by a fever and difficulty swallowing. The frequent sicknesses often lead to missed school days. Pisey was recently diagnosed with enlarged tonsils and adenoids, which, if not treated, will cause her symptoms to persist and possibly intensify over time. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $265 to fund a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy for Pisey, which is scheduled to take place on March 21st. Surgeons will remove her tonsils and adenoids, hopefully relieving Pisey of her symptoms and helping her live much more comfortably. Pisey's mother said, "After surgery, we hope Pisey can swallow better to eat her food and she can return to school."

Hassan is an only child whose parents separated before he was born. Prior to his birth, Hassan's mother worked alongside his grandmother, doing farm work to earn income. After Hassan was born, his mother had to stop working so she could take care of him. Hassan was diagnosed with spina bifida at birth, a condition that occurs when a developing baby's spinal cord fails to develop or close properly while in the womb. Hassan had a swelling on his back that was open and leaking. He was admitted in hospital for a few days while his mother was taught how to dress the wound. An MRI and a CT scan were done and he was scheduled for surgery weeks later. While home, his mother continued with the wound dressings as instructed until the leaking stopped. During one of the post-natal clinics, Hassan and his mother were referred to our medical partner's care center, BethanyKids, for treatment. Upon arrival at BethanyKids, Hassan was examined and was additionally diagnosed with hydrocephalus, a build up of fluids in the brain. He was then scheduled for a spina bifida repair surgery, and the mother was told that once he recovered, he would be scheduled for a shunt insertion surgery. Due to financial challenges and a loss of income for Hassan's mother, the family is unable to meet the medical expenses. Without treatment, Hassan is at risk of lower-limb paralysis, infection of the exposed nervous tissue, development of tethered cord syndrome, and possible developmental delays. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Hassan receive treatment. On March 15th, surgeons at BethanyKids will conduct a spina bifida closure surgery to promote Hassan's healthy growth and development. Now, Hassan's family needs help to fund this $1,151 procedure. Hassan’s mother says, “A while back, I had already given up on Hassan's treatment. Because the community had never seen such a condition, I was told that I would always get children who have different medical conditions. After coming to this facility, I realized that this was not the case. My hopes were raised again and now I’m looking forward to the best outcome in Hassan’s treatment.”

Yean is a retired rice farmer who lives in Kampong Cham province with his wife and their oldest son, who supports the family by working in a nearby rubber plantation. In total, they have three grown children and seven grandchildren who visit often. Yean likes praying at the pagoda, spending time with his grandchildren, and listening to the local news on the radio. About one year ago, Yean developed a cataract in his right eye, causing him photophobia, tearing, and blurry vision. When Yean learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, he traveled for four and a half hours seeking treatment. On February 14th, doctors will perform a small incision cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in his right eye. After recovery, he will be able to see clearly. Now, he needs help to fund this $253 procedure. He shared, "I hope after surgery my eye can see better and I feel happy again. I want to go places on my own and know my neighbors when I see them."