Ryan is a 41-year-old man from the Philippines. He is a factory worker, while his wife is a homemaker. Six years ago, Ryan noticed a swelling in his gums. As time passed, the mass grew bigger and started to cause him pain and discomfort, interfering with his ability to do his daily activities and work. He is unable to eat or speak comfortably. Ryan needs to undergo surgery to remove the mass. He is scheduled for surgery on June 12th. A portion of the cost of his surgery will be covered by government insurance, but our medical partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines, is asking for help to raise the remaining $1,385 for Ryan's procedure and care. After surgery, he should be able to go back to his daily activities and work more comfortably. Ryan shared, "I am grateful for the opportunity to receive medical assistance. I look forward to recovering and continuing to provide for my family with peace of mind about my health."

Rin is 58 years old and a rice farmer from Cambodia. He and his wife have three sons and a daughter. During his free time, he likes to watch boxing. About one year ago, Rin developed a cataract in his left eye, causing him itchiness, tearing, and blurry vision. A cataract is a clouding of the lens of the eye, so it is like 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 Rin learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, he traveled three hours to seek treatment. On September 7th, doctors will perform a phacoemulsification cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in his left eye. After recovery, he will be able to see clearly. Now, he needs help to fund this $263 procedure. Rin said, "I hope after surgery my eye can see better so I can go back to growing rice and corn. I don’t worry about my eye anymore."

Seven-year-old Debi is a student living in Ethiopia, with his parents and younger sister. Debi's childhood should be full of play and learning, but it has unfortunately been shaped by illness instead. For more than four years, Debi has lived with epilepsy, for which he takes medicine on a daily basis to control his seizures. Over the past year, a second problem has made life even more difficult. His tonsils repeatedly became badly infected, and at one point, his condition grew so severe, that he had to leave his KG 2 class. His education has been on hold ever since. His swollen tonsils keep him in constant discomfort. He has high fevers that return again and again, and he struggles to swallow his food, snores heavily, and is unable to sleep through the night. When the infection flares up, his parents have to rush him to the hospital, and he often stays there for days. The family is also under great strain for other reasons. Last year, Debi's father, a civil servant, was badly hurt in a car accident, and has only recently returned to work after a prolonged absence. His mother finished her studies last year, but has not been able to find a job. For Debi's parents, the cost of caring for him is overwhelming. Each flare-up brings another emergency trip to the hospital, and his seizure medicine is a cost they must meet every month. Our medical partner, Saglan Wajee General Hospital, is requesting $700 to fund a tonsillectomy for Debi, which is scheduled to take place on October 17th. Surgeons will remove his tonsils, hopefully relieving Debi of his symptoms, and helping him to live more comfortably. "We wish to see him strong again, sleeping through the night, and back at school with his friends. That would bring our family so much relief," said Debi's parents.