Saw Kyaw is a 25-year-old man living in Thailand. He currently lives with his older sister, younger sister, mother and her niece. He moved from Burma to Thailand for job opportunities three years ago. He was working in a shop and was able to support two younger siblings who are studying in Karen State in Burma. Around the end of July, he was playing football with friends when he slipped trying to kick the ball. His lower right leg was very painful, but he was still able to bear weight lightly on that leg. At the time, Saw Kyaw didn’t have health insurance, so he went to a clinic instead of the hospital. There they examined his leg, gave him some medication for the pain and advised him to go to the hospital for an X-ray if the pain persisted. Saw Kyaw rested for two days and then went back to work. That day at work, Saw Kyaw was carrying a heavy load when he slipped again. This time, the pain was severe, and he was unable to stand on his right leg. He went to a hospital in Bangkok where they X-rayed his lower right leg and told him that the tibia was fractured. The doctor recommended surgery where they would use a metal rod to connect the bones and set them in the correct position to heal. Saw Kyaw was told that the surgery would cost between 40,000 to 50,000 baht (approx. 1,330- 1,660 USD). He told them that he did not have insurance and was unable to afford the surgery, so they gave him pain medication and bandaged up his leg. He returned to the hospital three times and each time the doctor recommended surgery, but Kyaw was unable to figure out how he could get that kind of money. His employer was not helpful and refused to assist with the cost of the surgery. Since Saw Kyaw didn’t have the money, he decided to just rest and see whether the bones would heal on their own. Saw Kyaw recalled that he had fractured his femur when he was young, and he had used a traditional medicated oil to help heal the injury. He hoped that he could use this on his new fracture. But now he cannot walk properly and cannot work since his accident. He is stressed about his condition and his future. With the help of our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, Saw Kyaw will finally undergo surgery to reset his fractured bones and ensure proper healing. The procedure is scheduled for December 7th and will cost $1,500. He will able to go back to work after surgery Saw Kyaw said, “I would like to go back to Bangkok and find work again so I can go back to helping my family; my siblings who are studying in Burma, and also my mother who is getting older. I also want to save some money for my future. I will not work at the same place though as they have not been kind or caring since I had the accident.”

Florah is a 45-year-old mother of three from the Rukingiri district in southwestern Uganda. Her eldest son is awaiting to join college, while the youngest is in primary 6. Both she and her husband are small-scale farmers who grow food crops for home consumption but often sell the surplus to generate an income. In her free time, she enjoys listening to the radio. For two years, Florah has been experiencing vaginal bleeding, backache, and lower abdominal pain with unpleasant discharge which is worsening. She has been diagnosed with multiple uterine myomas and premalignant cervical lesions and is unable to raise funds for her treatment. She needs to undergo a hysterectomy, a procedure in which surgeons will remove her uterus. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $219 to fund Florah's surgery. On February 28th, she will undergo a hysterectomy at our medical partner's care center. Once recovered, Florah will be able to resume her daily activities free of pain. Florah says “I am really in deep pain, I don’t have the money needed for my surgery and kindly, I request for your support to make my surgery possible.”

KimMuoy is a baby girl who lives with her parents and grandmother. KimMuoy's parents work in a nearby garment factory, so her grandmother cares for her during the daytime. KimMuoy's favorite things are being with her family, milk, and playing with her toys. Since birth, KimMuoy has had an extra thumb on her left hand. KimMuoy's parents are worried about how this will affect the use of her hand and its appearance. KimMuoy's parents drove three hours to reach Children's Surgical Centre, where the surgeons can amputate the extra digit, and give her parents some relief from their worries. CSC is helping KimMuoy's parents raise $479 to cover the cost of this surgery. KimMuoy's mother shared, "I hope my daughter can use her hand well."