Beatris is a 14-year-old student from Bolivia. She lives with her mom, who is a homemaker, her dad, who works in construction, and her six siblings. Her favorite subject at school is PE and her favorite sport is volleyball. Beatris's parents noticed she was not gaining weight properly and frequently had nosebleeds, and took her to the local doctor which eventually led to her heart condition being diagnosed. She has a cardiac condition called ventricular septal defect. A hole exists between the two lower chambers of her heart. Blood leaks through this hole instead of circulating normally, leaving her weak and short of breath. On September 9th, Beatris will undergo cardiac surgery at our medical partner's care center, Hospital del Niño Dr. Ovidio Aliaga Uría. During surgery, surgeons will sew a patch over the hole in Beatris's heart so that blood will no longer leak through it.. Beatris's family needs help to fund the costs of cardiac care and surgery. Our medical partner, International Cardiac Alliance, requests $1,500 to cover the cost of cardiac exams and diagnostics, surgical costs, follow-up care, and medications. Beatris's mother says: "We are waiting patiently for my daughter's surgery, we came from far and we are hopeful."

Hy is a 62-year-old woman from Cambodia. She lives in Kampong Cham Province with her husband. They have three adult children, all of whom are farmers and live nearby in the same village. She enjoys listening to monks' prayers in her free time. Five years ago, Hy was involved in a motorcycle accident that caused fractures of her right femur and right tibia. She underwent surgery with metal fixation at a government hospital. About one year ago, her grandchild accidentally stepped on her leg while she was sleeping, causing knee pain. She visited a hospital in Siem Reap Province, where an X-ray showed that the metal nail had broken. The broken hardware causes pain in her right leg and makes it difficult for her to walk comfortably and perform daily activities. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, can help. On July 7th, Hy will undergo a fracture repair procedure, which will remove the broken hardware, perform bone grafting, and stabilize the right femur with new internal fixation. This treatment will promote bone healing, reduce pain, improve the strength of her leg, and help her walk and carry out daily activities more comfortably. Her family can contribute $37, but needs help raising $563 more to fund her procedure and care. Hy said, “My biggest wish is to be able to walk without pain again and enjoy spending time with my family without worrying about my leg.”

Vathanak is nine years old and a fifth-grader from Cambodia. He is the youngest of three siblings and lives with his parents and older brothers in Phnom Penh. His father works for a private company, while his mother takes care of the household. He enjoys math, watching big-bike and sports-car videos, and eating soups with lots of vegetables. He hopes to become a businessman when he grows up. For the past six years, Vathanak has been experiencing a blocked nose, difficulty breathing, loud snoring, frequent coughing and sneezing, recurrent fever, and repeated episodes of pharyngitis. His frequent throat infections and breathing difficulties affect his sleep and overall comfort, causing him to become ill repeatedly. Vathanak was recently diagnosed with enlarged tonsils and adenoids, which, if not treated, will cause his symptoms to persist and possibly intensify over time. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $345 to fund a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy for Vathanak, which is scheduled to take place on September 7th. Surgeons will remove his tonsils and adenoids, hopefully relieving Vathanak of his symptoms and helping him live much more comfortably. Vathanak's mother said, “My biggest hope is that my son will be able to breathe and sleep better after the surgery. I want him to have fewer throat infections, feel healthier, and enjoy going to school and playing with his friends without being troubled by these symptoms.”