Kyaw is a 59-year-old man from Burma. He lives with his wife and two daughters in a refugee camp in Thailand. He works as a daily agricultural laborer outside of the camp, and his eldest daughter also earns an income through daily labor. His wife cares for the family, and his youngest daughter attends school in the camp. Kyaw was diagnosed with right eye glaucoma, an eye condition that damages the optic nerve. This can lead to vision loss or blindness. Kyaw continues to experience severe pain in his right eye and blurred vision. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to help fund lens replacement surgery for Kyaw. On September 2nd, doctors will perform a lens replacement, during which they will remove Kyaw's natural lenses and replace them with an intraocular lens implant. After recovery, he will be able to see clearly. Now, he needs help to fund this $1,500 procedure. “I don’t have a regular job in the camp, so I don’t have a regular income. I didn’t expect this to happen to me, and I am really worried about my treatment cost. There is nobody to help me, and I don’t know what to do anymore,” said Kyaw.

An is a 76-year-old man and a rice farmer from Cambodia. He and his wife both work on the farm. In his free time, An enjoys going to the pagoda and participating in religious ceremonies. About one year ago, An developed a cataract in his right eye, causing him itchiness, tearing, and blurry vision. A cataract is a clouding of the lens of the eye, similar to looking through a frosty or fogged-up window. He has difficulty seeing things clearly, including colors and faces, and is worried about falling when walking, so he is not able to go places on his own. When An learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, he traveled for three hours seeking treatment. On July 7th, 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 $263 procedure. An said, "I hope that after my cataract surgery, my eyesight will improve so that I can return to growing rice, travel to places that are farther away, and no longer worry about my vision."

Julius is a 63-year-old husband, father, and grandfather from Uganda. He and his wife have together raised eight children, all of whom are now adults with families of their own. Throughout their marriage, the couple has worked hard to provide for their family despite limited resources. Julius is a small-scale farmer who grows crops that help feed the family, and generate a modest income. His wife serves as a church leader, and dedicates much of her time to supporting the community. Twelve years ago, Julius began to experience troubling symptoms, including persistent pain on one side of his body, severe pain in his chest and lower abdomen. He has lost his appetite, suffers from recurrent fevers, and has become so weak that even bending to perform simple daily activities is difficult. The worsening symptoms have greatly affected his ability to work on his farm, threatening the family's primary source of income. Julius sought medical attention at Rwibaale Hospital and was diagnosed with an enlarged spleen. Physicians recommend a laparotomy, which is a surgery that opens up the abdominal cavity to treat his condition. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $230 to fund Julius's surgery. On September 1st, he will undergo surgery at Rwibaale Health Center. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully greatly improve his quality of life. Julius says: "I hope to find relief from the pain, so I can resume my duties as a farmer, and take good care of my children."